Digital marketing has become the mantra for online business success in the last few years. While the average day for a digital marketer may differ from one day to the next, the tasks usually revolve around the services we provide our clients for the digital transformation of their business, namely digital marketing strategy and coaching, website design (static and eCommerce), website maintenance, content marketing and SEO.
Here’s a front-row seat to the juggling act – also known as, a day in my life as a digital marketer!
As the Founder and Director of my digital marketing agency Them You & Me, I am the face of the business. While I could not do what I do without my team, I am the one working on strategy, business development and making financial decisions. I get new clients in, liaise with them as the project manager, onboard them, and then coordinate with the team. We’re a one-stop solution, and each day can look very different. What doesn’t change is the patience, passion, flexibility, enthusiasm, kindness and a good listening ear that we lean into every day.
Even as I write this article, things have been different this week. Earlier, the first thing I did waking up was jump on the phone, which is placed close to my bed and charged at 100%. I would scan through my unread emails for any urgent ones. As a tech professional, the word urgent has taken on a whole new meaning. For my team and me, it means dropping whatever we are doing and turning our attention to what is happening. For example, the website is not loading, or not working, there is a message on the shop page upon checkout that shouldn’t be there…
Lately, I’ve put some distance between opening my eyes and checking my phone – hello, 2021 intentions! I look into it only when I am ready for whatever is thrown my way. I’ve learnt that reactivity never works when it comes to technology. Also, there is never 1 straight answer. Some functionalities depend on so many other factors – 3rd party software, updates, plugins and more. Through the years, I’ve had many surprises. Technology does not allow you to stand still, and you can never take things for granted. You adapt as you go, learn always and you surrender, more often than you wish.
So, presently, checking my emails comes later in the day. Instead, I first go to Asana – my project management tool, and tackle the task on priority for the day, which could well be following up on new leads and writing proposals. I spend some time going through projects, reviewing tasks for my team, checking timelines and milestones for clients, and adapting when required, based on priorities. It is necessary to keep the momentum going and it helps when clients respect deadlines as well. Clear onboarding, reminders and sticking to the plan matter a lot.
We always have various projects on the go, so Asana is a lifesaver. You need to be organized and Asana helps to optimize further. It is one of the top digital tools for business I have come across.
My team and I – as well as our clients – work in different time zones so I know when they start their day, and I plan my lunch or afternoon break accordingly. We have been working at a distance for many years and I like to believe that we have perfected the art of remote work.
When it is about a new website design project, we do a small audit to better understand the backend, so that our quote is accurate and fairly based on the scope of work. If I pick a project on website design and maintenance, in this case, we go through a checklist of associated tasks. These include:
– Testing the contact forms and questionnaires and sending a test message to the client. – Checking plugin compatibility. I have learned that it is not about realizing that there is an issue as much as fixing it in a flash.
– Running software to check speed and security.
– Testing functionalities.
– Checking pictures to see if they are correctly named with an alt tag.
– Checking if images and videos are of reduced size for an optimal load.
– Reviewing content for spelling errors and typos.
– Optimizing titles and reducing sentence length to improve readability, which plays a role in SEO.
– Checking SEO via software and analyzing the ranking of certain words.
– Checking internal links and CTAs
– Testing user flow by trying to detach ourselves from knowing a website too well and thinking from the user’s point of view.
While this takes a few dedicated hours, there are also emails that need to be looked into and answered, scheduled calls with clients, strategy calls with team members and sometimes, urgent troubleshooting thanks to technology glitches!
I keep all the admin work for a specific day – the same every week. However, I do a little bit every day to keep it from building up too much. This involves looking into accounts and receipts and other non-creative, but essential tasks that are an inseparable part of running a business.
With the digital landscape evolving at such a rapid pace, I like to spend some time keeping up with industry best practices, new trends and learning about new digital tools that can help save time.
Social media takes up a part of the day as well. If it’s not planning the social media calendar for clients, it’s planning it for my own business. After all, it is a powerful tool to connect and interact with people and build a community.
The truth is, a day in the life of a digital marketer can look quite different, from one day to the next, even though the tasks are mostly the same. Every project is different and every client expects different things. The fact remains that we must be ready to expect anything – from technology issues to accommodating last-minute requests from clients. But we make it work by setting strong boundaries, making small changes in routine and seeing what works best for us as a team. Clear communication with clients is key to setting such boundaries, exceeding expectations whenever possible and establishing respect from the start.
When you love your job the way I do, you care for your clients’ websites the way you do your own. However, you’re liable to burn out fast if everything, always, is urgent and has to be dealt with immediately.
Building websites is really about building relationships. Most important is the connections we build with our customers. We work as one team and we’re an extension of theirs. There’s nothing like collaboration to get great work done and witness changes and make people happy.
At Them You & Me, we consider strategy, planning and consistency to be the building blocks of successful digital marketing, and follow them in every aspect of our work. We strive to demystify digital marketing for our clients. Do get in touch you need help with your digital marketing strategy.
Please visit our website to know more about what we do and the digital marketing services we offer.
