One Forbes article recently christened the internet as the ‘media world dominator.’
Somehow, the internet has managed to capture the attention of a broad demographic, which has been the job of traditional media for decades.
Thus, businesses need to remain competitive to grow and profit, which is where digital media specialists come in.
If you’re interested in pursuing this career, you’ve come to the right place.
Read on for more.
- What Is a Digital Media Specialist?
- Digital Media Specialist Job Description
- What It’s Like to Be a Digital Media Specialist
- Do Digital Media Specialists Make Good Money?
- Overview of the Digital Media Specialist Industry
- What Do I Need to Become a Digital Media Specialist?
- Digital Media Specialist Education & Schooling
- How to Become a Digital Media Specialist
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Wrapping Up
What Is a Digital Media Specialist?
Digital media specialists implement online tools that help boost the growth of organizations by increasing client engagement.
They also use software and media to build marketing content for an organization using digital flyers, emails, websites, and more.
What Is a Digital Media Specialist Called?
Some common job titles for digital media specialists are:
- Digital media analyst
- Digital media strategist
- Digital marketing manager
What Does a Digital Media Specialist Do?
This job overlaps various fields, from marketing to PR and social media to consultancy and writing.
Their responsibilities include developing digital campaigns and monitoring content creation to build brand awareness. They also oversee the progress of projects within an organization.
Moreover, digital media specialists do a daily rundown of an organization’s digital and social platforms to monitor marketing and advertising strategies.
Then, they collect the analytics to help generate leads, boost performance, and drive traffic.
In a nutshell, digital media specialists help us make the most of multimedia tools and equipment.
Digital Media Specialist Job Description
Here’s a brief look into the job description.
In a digital media specialist role, your primary responsibility is to boost an organization’s online presence to increase customer engagement.
This means coordinating with different teams in the workplace to ensure the branding stays consistent across all platforms.
Their job also includes monitoring strategies that help drive traffic, increase brand loyalty, and ultimately boost the organization’s profitability.
Where Can Digital Media Specialists Work?
In this tech-savvy day and age, we’ve grown accustomed to multimedia equipment and devices.
So, a digital media specialist can easily find work in almost every organization that relies on multimedia to market its products.
The top digital media specialist jobs and careers include:
- A graphic designer creates animations, interactive elements, and motion graphics.
- A technical, or IT, support specialist oversees an organization’s software and hardware systems.
- Multimedia specialists develop IT-based multimedia products that combine visuals with audio, like computer games, DVDs, and websites.
What It’s Like to Be a Digital Media Specialist
This profession requires a combination of hard and soft skills to meet the criteria needed to perform at a top-tier level.
Therefore, some can view it as being hard because it demands a lot of hard work and effort to stay on top of your game.
Is a Digital Media Specialist’s Job Stressful?
It can be stressful and even exhausting at times, mainly because of the never-ending deadlines and dealing with the various responsibilities all at once.
However, having the right tools and a positive mindset, anyone can turn a stressful job into a gratifying career.
Digital Media Specialist Tasks & Duties
The major duties of a digital media specialist include developing digital campaigns.
They also work to ensure these campaigns meet their deadline while remaining credible and compelling for as long as they’re needed.
Digital Media Specialist Work Hours & Schedule
Working in a company, digital media specialists need to adhere to business hours as specified by that organization.
However, since most tasks can be done online, they can also work remotely.
All they need is a high-speed internet connection and some high-quality design software.
Digital Media Specialist Dress Code
For most industry sectors, smart shoes paired with an ironed shirt or blouse matched with trousers or a skirt are practical.
If you’re working in corporate organizations, then it’s better to add a tie or well-fitting suit jacket to your attire.
Does this Career Field Embrace Work/Life Balance?
Being mostly IT-based, this job comes with flexible hours.
Plus, you can work remotely, which means you can work from home to create a more functional work/home dynamic.
At the same time, the industry is becoming highly competitive. So, you have to create and maintain an efficient schedule to avoid burnout and still stay on top of your game.
Do Digital Media Specialists Make Good Money?
Yes, this is a profession where you start small, but still are considered to be making a decent living.
Then, as your experience increases, so does your pay.
In general, digital media specialists can make between $36,000 and $66,000 per year, with an average hourly rate of $28.
Here’s a fun tip: digital media specialists earn about 25% more in New York City than the national average.
Also, any specialist with a specific skill set, like online marketing or project management, can expect to earn as much as 5% above the national average.
Overview of the Digital Media Specialist Industry
There’s a growing need for all jobs related to media and communications, with digital media specialists being at the forefront.
Starting out, you need to build a work portfolio with examples of previous jobs and tasks by volunteering for community or nonprofit organizations.
Another option is to intern or create individualized projects and show them off in your portfolio to let potential employers know what you’re capable of.
Is a Digital Media Specialist a Good Career?
If you love combining your technical skills with your creativity, then this is definitely the job for you.
It can also be quite rewarding in terms of annual salaries and lifestyle.
Over the past five years, the demand for digital media specialists has risen by 38%.
Moreover, job opportunities in the communications and media sectors are projected to increase by 6%–10% over the next decade.
As long as businesses rely on digital media specialists to maintain their digital infrastructures, the demand for this profession will remain high.
Jobs Related to Digital Media Specialists
These are three possible career transitions based on the transferable skills that come with being a digital media specialist.
- Marketing Managers: Marketing Managers undertake numerous responsibilities, including promoting products and identifying potential markets. They also set the budget and plan marketing strategies.
- Online PR Consultant: The leading role of PR agents is to build an internet presence for organizations in all sectors. They also help boost client engagement, drive traffic, and increase brand loyalty.
- Animator: As you probably know, animators create hand-drawn or computer-generated illustrations. Their work can be found in different media formats, like computer games, commercials, music videos, and more!
Who Should Consider a Digital Media Specialist Career Path?
People who enjoy putting their creativity to good use, can juggle multiple tasks, and work well in a team can go far in this industry.
Who Should NOT Consider a Digital Media Specialist Career Path?
If you’re not interested in focusing on creating compelling campaigns, this might not be the best profession for you.
What Do I Need to Become a Digital Media Specialist?
Working as a digital media specialist, you’ll need to develop skills that span diverse fields, like communication, client relations, and collaboration.
Some opt to specialize in a single aspect, like web development or digital illustration.
Requirements for Becoming a Digital Media Specialist
You need a Bachelor’s degree in digital media, marketing, or any related field. It also helps to be proficient in content management and web design systems.
What Skills Do Digital Media Specialists Need?
Digital media specialists need to master various soft skills, such as being detail-oriented, organized, and having an aesthetic sense.
They also need hard skills, such as communication skills and an understanding of third-party publishing tools.
What Education Do Digital Media Specialists Need?
Typically, digital media specialists hold a degree in digital media.
Taking courses in web design, motion graphics, and other related fields can also help you stand out.
Can You Become a Digital Media Specialist without a Degree?
Yes, you can because this is such a spread-out and vast industry.
However, while it’s not a requirement, it can go a long way in helping you land your dream job.
What Experience Do Digital Media Specialists Need?
Even fresh graduates need to have some prior work experience in digital media or content management.
This experience is often acquired through internships or volunteering.
Digital Media Specialist Education & Schooling
Here’s an overview of the education available for those entering this profession.
In general, digital media courses tackle a wide variety of subjects.
Yet, they focus primarily on creative content development and web page design.
How long a course takes depends on the nature of the curriculum.
Some basic courses last 6–8 weeks, while comprehensive courses can take up to two semesters.
Digital Media Specialist Education Options & Degree Programs
Bachelor’s degree programs in digital media cover 120 credits over 3–4 years and include topics like videography, digital media technology, and animation.
A master’s degree in digital media isn’t necessary, but it can propel your career to the next level. Some degrees include:
- MS in Global Digital Marketing
- MS in Digital and Social Marketing
- MS in Marketing Analytics
Being so in demand, it’s easy to find an assortment of schools that offer different degrees and programs for digital media specialists.
How to Become a Digital Media Specialist
Learn how to start your career.
- First, get a bachelor’s degree in digital media, marketing, journalism, or a related field.
- Learn relevant skills like content writing, creativity, and data analytics.
- Attend digital media specialist boot camps or take courses and become certified.
- Land your first entry-level job.
- Earn a master’s or associate’s degree in digital media.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between a librarian and a media specialist?
The biggest difference is that a librarian manages the running of a library.
Alternatively, a media specialist is the person who assists faculty and students with multimedia equipment.
So, if a librarian works with media resources, they’re also considered a media specialist.
Are digital media and digital marketing the same thing?
Digital media is the content designed for online and offline use.
It’s about creating eye-catching graphics and visuals and sometimes pairing them with audio.
Alternatively, digital marketing is taking that content and placing it in the right place at the right time.
It focuses on the importance of demographics in marketing campaigns.
Wrapping Up
With digital media specialists, businesses can grow their online presence to boost sales and increase their customer base.
While it’s seen as a fairly easy job compared to other hands-on professions, it requires multiple skills.
If you have what it takes to be a digital media specialist, start by taking a course or two, then apply for as many entry-level jobs as you can.
Click here to get started!
