Today, employers are not just looking for candidates who know a few marketing terms. They want people who understand how different channels work, how campaigns are measured, and how to use tools and data to improve performance. Whether you are applying for a role in SEO, social media, paid ads, content marketing, email marketing, or analytics, interviewers often test both your conceptual clarity and your practical thinking.

That is why preparing the right interview questions in advance can make a big difference. It helps you understand what recruiters usually ask, how to frame better answers, and which areas of digital marketing need more attention before your interview. A strong preparation strategy can also improve your confidence and help you respond in a more structured and professional way. Let’s directly get into questions. 

Basic Digital Marketing Interview Questions and Answers

This section covers the most common beginner-level questions that interviewers ask to check whether a candidate understands the foundation of digital marketing. These questions are especially important for freshers, entry-level applicants, and professionals moving into digital marketing from another field.

1. What is digital marketing?

Answer: Digital marketing is the promotion of products, services, or brands through online channels such as search engines, social media, websites, email, and mobile apps. It helps businesses reach their target audience more effectively, measure results in real time, and improve campaigns based on data.

2. What are the main types of digital marketing?

Answer: The main types of digital marketing include search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, social media marketing, content marketing, email marketing, affiliate marketing, influencer marketing, and mobile marketing. Each channel serves a different purpose, but together they help businesses attract, engage, and convert customers.

3. Why is digital marketing important for businesses today?

Answer: Digital marketing is important because customers now spend a large part of their time online. It allows businesses to reach a wider audience, target specific customer groups, track campaign performance, and achieve better returns compared to many traditional marketing methods.

4. What is the difference between traditional marketing and digital marketing?

Answer: Traditional marketing uses offline channels such as newspapers, television, radio, and billboards. Digital marketing uses online platforms such as Google, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, websites, and email. The biggest advantage of digital marketing is that it is more measurable, more targeted, and often more cost-effective.

5. What is a target audience in digital marketing?

Answer: A target audience is the specific group of people a business wants to reach with its marketing efforts. This audience is usually defined based on factors such as age, location, interests, income, profession, online behavior, and buying habits. Knowing the target audience helps marketers create more relevant campaigns.

6. What is a marketing funnel?

Answer: A marketing funnel is the journey a customer takes from first discovering a brand to finally making a purchase. It is often divided into stages such as awareness, consideration, conversion, and retention. Digital marketers use different strategies at each stage to guide users toward action.

7. What is a lead in digital marketing?

Answer: A lead is a potential customer who has shown interest in a product or service by taking an action such as filling out a form, subscribing to a newsletter, downloading a resource, or contacting the company. Leads are important because they represent possible future sales.

8. What is the difference between organic traffic and paid traffic?

Answer: Organic traffic comes naturally through unpaid methods such as SEO, content creation, and social media visibility. Paid traffic comes through advertisements where the business spends money to attract visitors. Organic traffic is usually slower to build, while paid traffic can generate faster results.

9. What are impressions, clicks, and conversions?

Answer: Impressions refer to how many times an ad or piece of content is shown to users. Clicks refer to how many times users actually click on it. Conversions refer to the number of users who complete a desired action, such as signing up, making a purchase, or submitting a form.

10. What skills are needed to succeed in digital marketing?

Answer: A good digital marketer should have analytical thinking, communication skills, creativity, content understanding, data interpretation ability, and knowledge of marketing tools and platforms. They should also be able to understand customer behavior and adapt strategies based on performance results.

SEO Interview Questions and Answers

This section focuses on scenario-based SEO interview questions that test practical thinking rather than just definitions. These are the kinds of questions recruiters ask when they want to understand how you would solve real problems.

11. Your website traffic has dropped by 30% in one month. How would you investigate the issue?

Answer: I would first check Google Analytics and Google Search Console to identify whether the drop is happening across all pages or only on specific pages. Then I would examine keyword rankings, indexing issues, manual penalties, technical errors, recent website changes, page speed problems, and backlink loss. I would also compare the traffic drop timeline with any algorithm updates or content changes. After identifying the root cause, I would prioritize recovery actions such as fixing technical issues, updating content, improving internal links, or regaining lost rankings.

12. A page is getting impressions on Google but very few clicks. What would you do?

Answer: This usually suggests that the page is visible in search results but is not attractive enough for users to click. I would review the title tag and meta description to make them more compelling and relevant to search intent. I would also check whether the keyword targeting matches what users are actually searching for. If competitors are offering more attractive headlines or richer results, I would improve the page structure and optimize for higher click-through rate.

13. A client wants to rank on page one for a highly competitive keyword in two weeks. How would you respond?

Answer: I would set realistic expectations and explain that SEO usually takes time, especially for competitive keywords. Instead of promising unrealistic results, I would suggest a layered approach: target long-tail variations, optimize existing pages, improve technical SEO, strengthen internal linking, and build content around supporting topics. I would also propose combining SEO with paid ads if the client wants immediate visibility while organic efforts build over time.

14. You notice that a competitor is outranking your website even though your content is similar. What would you check?

Answer: I would compare the competitor’s content depth, keyword targeting, page structure, search intent alignment, backlink profile, domain authority, internal linking, page speed, and user experience. Sometimes ranking differences happen because the competitor has stronger topical authority or better engagement signals. I would identify the specific gaps and improve the page rather than only copying competitor content.

15. A company has many blog posts, but none of them are ranking well. What could be the problem?

Answer: There could be several issues. The content may not be aligned with search intent, keyword research may be weak, technical SEO may be poor, internal linking may be missing, or the website may lack authority. It is also possible that the content is too generic and not offering anything unique. I would audit the blog content, cluster related topics, improve structure, update outdated posts, and optimize pages for clear keyword intent and user value.

16. An e-commerce site has duplicate product pages. How would you handle it?

Answer: Duplicate pages can create indexing and ranking issues. I would first identify the reason for duplication, such as URL parameters, multiple category paths, or copied content. Depending on the situation, I would use canonical tags, noindex instructions, redirects, or better URL structure to consolidate SEO value. I would also ensure that product descriptions are unique where possible.

17. A page ranks well and gets traffic, but conversions are poor. Is this still an SEO problem?

Answer:
Partly yes, but not entirely. SEO may be bringing traffic, but the problem could be with search intent mismatch, landing page experience, weak calls to action, slow loading time, or poor offer relevance. I would check whether the page is attracting the right audience and whether the content supports conversion. In such cases, SEO and conversion rate optimization need to work together.

18. If a new website has no backlinks, how would you build its SEO presence?

Answer:
I would start with strong technical SEO, proper site structure, and well-researched content targeting low-competition, high-intent keywords. Then I would focus on earning backlinks through guest posting, digital PR, resource pages, partnerships, and valuable original content such as research, guides, or tools. For a new site, building topical authority and trust gradually is more important than chasing a large number of backlinks quickly.

19. A blog ranks on page two for several keywords. What would you do to push it to page one?

Answer: I would first refresh the content by improving depth, updating statistics, adding related subtopics, and strengthening keyword placement naturally. Then I would optimize internal linking to that page, improve title and headings, enhance user experience, and check whether more backlinks are needed. Since page-two rankings already show some relevance, a focused optimization effort can often push the page higher.

20. How would you explain SEO success to a non-technical manager?

Answer: I would explain SEO success in business terms rather than technical terms. Instead of only talking about rankings, I would show improvements in organic traffic, leads, sales, conversion rates, and reduced dependency on paid advertising. A non-technical manager usually wants to know whether SEO is helping the business grow, so I would connect SEO performance directly with outcomes.

PPC and Google Ads Interview Questions and Answers

This section covers scenario-based PPC interview questions that test campaign thinking, optimization skills, and practical decision-making. These questions are common in interviews for paid marketing, performance marketing, and media buying roles.

21. A Google Ads campaign is getting many clicks but no conversions. What would you do?

Answer: I would first check whether the traffic is relevant by reviewing keyword intent, match types, search terms, audience targeting, and ad copy alignment. Then I would analyze the landing page experience, conversion tracking, page speed, mobile usability, and call to action. High clicks with no conversions usually mean either poor targeting or a weak landing page. I would narrow the audience, refine keywords, add negative keywords, and improve the landing page journey.

22. Your cost per click is rising every week. How would you control it?

Answer: I would review Quality Score, keyword competition, ad relevance, landing page quality, bidding strategy, and audience targeting. I would also pause underperforming keywords, improve ad copy, and check whether broad match keywords are bringing irrelevant traffic. Better keyword control and stronger relevance often help reduce CPC without harming performance.

23. A client says, “We spent a lot on ads but got poor ROI.” How would you evaluate the situation?

Answer: I would evaluate the full funnel rather than only ad spend. I would look at campaign objectives, targeting, conversion quality, cost per acquisition, attribution model, landing page performance, and the value of each conversion. Sometimes ROI looks weak because tracking is incomplete or the campaign is optimized for the wrong objective. I would identify where the leak is happening and recommend changes based on actual performance data.

24. One ad group is performing much better than the others. What would you do next?

Answer: I would analyze why that ad group is working better. It may have stronger keyword intent, better ad copy, a more relevant landing page, or a higher-converting audience. Then I would try to scale it carefully by increasing budget, expanding similar keywords, creating related ad groups, or replicating its strengths in weaker campaigns. I would not blindly scale without understanding the reason for success.

25. A campaign has a strong click-through rate but low conversion rate. What does that suggest?

Answer: This often suggests that the ad is attractive enough to generate interest, but the landing page or offer is not convincing users to complete the desired action. It can also indicate a mismatch between ad messaging and landing page content. I would review the landing page relevance, user journey, form length, trust signals, and overall conversion experience.

26. How would you handle a limited budget for a paid campaign?

Answer: With a limited budget, I would focus on the highest-intent keywords, narrow audience targeting, prioritize the best-performing devices and locations, and run ads during the most effective time periods. I would avoid wasting spend on broad awareness campaigns unless there is a clear purpose. Budget efficiency comes from tight targeting and constant optimization.

27. A search campaign is bringing irrelevant clicks. What steps would you take?

Answer: I would review the search terms report immediately and add negative keywords to block irrelevant traffic. I would also refine keyword match types, pause weak keywords, and tighten ad group structure. If the issue continues, I would revisit ad copy and landing page messaging to ensure they are filtering the right users.

28. How would you decide between maximizing clicks and maximizing conversions?

Answer: It depends on the campaign goal. If the objective is awareness or traffic generation, maximizing clicks may be suitable. If the objective is lead generation or sales, maximizing conversions is usually the better choice. I would align the bidding strategy with the actual business goal rather than choosing based only on traffic numbers.

29. A remarketing campaign performs better than a cold audience campaign. Why does this happen?

Answer: Remarketing targets users who already know the brand or have interacted with it before, so they are usually closer to conversion. Cold audiences are seeing the brand for the first time and often need more education and trust-building. That is why remarketing campaigns often show better CTR, lower acquisition cost, and stronger conversion rates.

30. If you had to improve PPC performance in 7 days, what would you focus on first?

Answer: In a short time frame, I would focus on the highest-impact changes. That would include reviewing search terms, adding negative keywords, pausing underperforming ads, improving ad copy, reallocating budget to stronger campaigns, checking conversion tracking, and testing landing page improvements. Fast gains usually come from removing waste and strengthening already-performing areas.

Social Media Marketing Interview Questions and Answers

Social media interview rounds often test whether you can think beyond posting content. Employers want to know if you can handle reach, engagement, audience targeting, content performance, paid promotion, and brand communication in a practical setting.

31. A brand has good follower count but very low engagement. What would you do?

Answer: A high follower count with low engagement usually suggests that the audience is either inactive, not relevant, or not interested in the current content style. I would first review content format, posting frequency, audience insights, and platform-wise engagement trends. Then I would test more interactive content such as polls, short-form videos, carousels, question-based posts, and user-focused storytelling. I would also check whether the content is too promotional and shift it toward more value-driven and audience-relevant communication.

32. A client asks why their Instagram posts get likes but do not generate leads. How would you explain this?

Answer: Likes indicate surface-level engagement, but they do not always mean purchase intent or lead interest. I would explain that social media success should be measured against the campaign objective. If the goal is lead generation, then content, call to action, landing page link, and funnel design need to be optimized for conversion rather than only engagement. I would review whether the posts are attracting the right audience and whether the next step after engagement is clearly defined.

33. A paid social campaign is getting reach but very few clicks. What would you change?

Answer: If the campaign is reaching people but not driving clicks, I would first review the creative, headline, caption, offer, and call to action. It may be that the ad is visible but not compelling enough. I would also check audience targeting to ensure that the campaign is reaching people likely to be interested. Testing stronger visuals, sharper messaging, clearer value proposition, and a more action-oriented call to action would be my first steps.

34. You are managing social media for two brands in the same industry. How would you keep their strategies different?

Answer: Even within the same industry, brands can differentiate through audience persona, tone of voice, positioning, visual identity, content themes, and campaign objectives. I would define a unique content strategy for each brand based on who they are targeting and what they want to be known for. One brand may focus on education and trust, while another may focus on trend-driven visibility and community interaction. Differentiation is essential to avoid repetitive messaging and weak brand identity.

35. A company faces negative comments on social media after a campaign goes live. How would you handle it?

Answer: I would first assess whether the criticism is genuine feedback, misunderstanding, or trolling. Then I would coordinate with the internal team and respond in a calm, professional, and timely manner. If the issue is valid, the response should acknowledge it and offer clarity or correction. If it is a reputation-sensitive issue, I would recommend pausing scheduled posts, aligning the response with brand policy, and monitoring sentiment closely. Social media handling in such cases must balance speed, transparency, and brand protection.

Content Marketing and Email Marketing Interview Questions and Answers

This section tests whether you can create content with purpose and use email as a performance channel rather than just a communication tool. Interviewers often ask these questions to understand how well you connect content, audience intent, and conversion goals.

36. A company publishes blogs regularly, but traffic and leads are still low. What would you do?

Answer: I would first check whether the content is aligned with audience search intent and business goals. Publishing regularly is not enough if the topics are weak, too broad, or disconnected from what potential customers are actually looking for. I would review keyword targeting, content quality, internal linking, content distribution, and calls to action. In many cases, the issue is not quantity of content but poor topic selection, weak optimization, or lack of conversion pathways.

37. An email campaign has a high open rate but a very low click rate. What does that tell you?

Answer: That usually means the subject line was strong enough to get attention, but the email body did not persuade users to take action. The issue could be weak copy, poor design, unclear call to action, too many links, or a mismatch between the subject line and the actual content. I would simplify the message, improve the CTA, and make sure the email delivers exactly what the subject promised.

38. A brand wants immediate sales, but the content team wants to focus on long-form educational blogs. How would you balance this?

Answer: I would explain that both goals matter, but they serve different stages of the funnel. Educational blogs help build trust, improve SEO, and capture long-term organic demand, while short-form conversion-focused content supports immediate business goals. I would recommend a balanced content strategy where some content targets awareness and authority, while other pieces are optimized for product intent, lead capture, and direct response.

39. Your email campaign performance has dropped over the last three months. How would you investigate it?

Answer: I would review open rates, click rates, unsubscribes, bounce rates, audience segmentation, sending frequency, deliverability issues, and any recent changes in subject lines or content style. A drop in performance may happen because the audience is over-contacted, the content has become repetitive, or the list quality has weakened. I would also check whether the email list needs cleaning and whether personalization or segmentation can improve relevance.

40. A company has a large email list, but very few subscribers are converting. What would you do?

Answer: A large list does not automatically mean a valuable list. I would segment the audience based on behavior, interests, engagement level, and purchase stage. Then I would create more targeted email journeys instead of sending the same message to everyone. Better segmentation, stronger offers, clear calls to action, and relevant landing pages usually improve conversion much more than simply increasing email volume.

Analytics, Tools, and Performance Measurement Interview Questions and Answers

This section is important because digital marketing interviews in 2026 are not only about running campaigns. Employers also want candidates who can read data, interpret performance, and make better decisions using tools and metrics.

41. A campaign is generating a lot of traffic, but management says it is underperforming. How would you evaluate it?

Answer: I would not judge the campaign based only on traffic volume. I would evaluate whether that traffic is converting into meaningful business outcomes such as leads, sales, sign-ups, or qualified engagement. I would also look at bounce rate, time on page, conversion rate, cost per acquisition, and return on ad spend. A campaign may look strong on surface metrics but still fail if it is not helping the business achieve its main objective.

42. Your client asks, “Which channel is giving us the best results?” How would you answer?

Answer: I would compare channels based on the goal of the campaign rather than using one generic metric. For lead generation, I would compare cost per lead and lead quality. For sales, I would compare revenue, conversion rate, and return on ad spend. For awareness, I would look at reach, impressions, and engagement. The best-performing channel depends on the business goal, so I would present channel performance in that context.

43. Google Analytics shows a high bounce rate on an important landing page. What would you do?

Answer: A high bounce rate suggests that users are leaving without exploring further, but the reason needs investigation. I would check page load speed, content relevance, design quality, device-wise performance, traffic source quality, and call to action placement. It is possible that users are not finding what they expected after clicking. I would use this insight to improve page experience and better align traffic sources with landing page intent.

44. Two campaigns have the same number of conversions, but one has a much higher spend. Which one performed better?

Answer: The campaign with lower spend performed more efficiently because it achieved the same result at a lower cost. However, I would still compare conversion quality, audience quality, and downstream outcomes before making a final judgment. Performance should be measured not just by volume, but by efficiency and business value.

45. If you had to build a simple digital marketing dashboard for a manager, what would you include?

Answer: I would include only the most decision-relevant metrics. These would usually be traffic, leads or sales, conversion rate, cost per acquisition, channel-wise performance, top-performing campaigns, and return on investment. I would avoid overloading the dashboard with too many technical metrics and instead focus on what helps the manager understand what is working, what is weak, and where action is needed.

Advanced, Scenario-Based, and HR Interview Questions and Answers

This final section combines advanced thinking with common HR-style questions. These questions are useful because many digital marketing interviews do not end with technical knowledge alone. Employers also want to understand how you think, communicate, solve problems, handle pressure, and contribute to the business.

46. If your manager asks you to improve campaign results quickly, but gives you a very small budget, how would you approach it?

Answer: I would focus on the highest-impact areas first instead of trying to do everything at once. That means narrowing audience targeting, prioritizing high-intent channels, improving ad creatives or landing pages, and reallocating spend toward the best-performing campaigns. With a limited budget, efficiency matters more than scale. I would also set clear expectations and explain that quick improvement is possible, but it needs careful prioritization.

47. Tell me about a time when a campaign did not perform well. What would you say in an interview if you are a fresher?

Answer: If I were a fresher without full-time work experience, I would use an example from a project, internship, certification assignment, or even a mock campaign. I would explain what the objective was, what went wrong, how I analyzed the issue, and what I learned from it. Interviewers usually do not expect perfection. They want to see whether you can reflect, learn, and improve based on results.

48. How would you handle a disagreement with a designer, content writer, or sales team while working on a marketing campaign?

Answer: I would focus on the campaign goal rather than turning it into a personal disagreement. Different teams often see problems from different angles, so I would first understand their reasoning and then bring the discussion back to what is best for the audience and the business objective. If needed, I would support my point with data, examples, or user behavior insights. Collaboration is important in digital marketing because campaign success depends on multiple teams working together.

49. Why should we hire you for a digital marketing role?

Answer: A strong answer would connect skills with business value. For example: I have a clear understanding of digital marketing fundamentals, I am comfortable learning tools and platforms quickly, and I focus not only on creativity but also on measurable results. I understand that digital marketing is about attracting the right audience, improving performance, and contributing to growth. I am also adaptable, curious, and willing to keep learning as the field evolves.

50. Where do you see yourself in digital marketing over the next few years?

Answer: A good answer should show ambition, clarity, and willingness to grow. For example: Over the next few years, I want to build strong expertise in one or two core areas of digital marketing while also understanding the full marketing funnel. I see myself growing into a role where I can contribute not just to campaign execution but also to strategy, performance improvement, and business decision-making. This shows the interviewer that you are serious about long-term growth in the field.

Study Guide to Prepare for a Digital Marketing Interview

Step 1: Build clarity on the fundamentals

Before going into advanced interview questions, make sure your basics are strong. You should clearly understand SEO, PPC, social media marketing, content marketing, email marketing, analytics, and common digital marketing metrics. Interviewers often judge candidates by how clearly they explain simple concepts.

Step 2: Practice answering scenario-based questions

Most good interviews now focus on practical thinking rather than textbook definitions. Practice questions such as what you would do if traffic drops, ad spend rises, engagement falls, or leads do not convert. This helps you sound more confident, analytical, and job-ready during the interview.

Step 3: Learn the tools and metrics that matter

You do not need to master every platform, but you should know the purpose of tools like Google Analytics, Google Ads, Search Console, Meta Ads Manager, and email marketing platforms. Along with that, understand key metrics such as CTR, CPC, conversion rate, bounce rate, ROI, and cost per lead. Employers value candidates who can connect marketing actions with measurable outcomes.

Step 4: Prepare your personal interview story

Along with technical knowledge, be ready to explain who you are, why you want to work in digital marketing, what skills you bring, and how you solve problems. Even if you are a fresher, you can talk about internships, projects, certifications, mock campaigns, or self-learning experience. A strong personal story makes your answers more believable and memorable.

Skills Required to Succeed in Digital Marketing

Digital marketing is not just about running ads or posting on social media. Employers usually look for candidates who combine creativity, analytical thinking, communication ability, and platform knowledge. Here are the key skills that are most commonly required:

1. Communication skills

A digital marketer must be able to write clearly, explain ideas well, and create messages that connect with the target audience. This is important for ad copy, email campaigns, social media posts, blog content, and client communication.

2. Analytical thinking

Digital marketing is strongly driven by data. You need to understand campaign performance, identify what is working, spot weak points, and improve results using numbers such as click-through rate, conversion rate, cost per lead, and return on investment.

3. SEO knowledge

Search engine optimization is a core skill in digital marketing. Even if the role is not purely SEO-focused, employers often expect candidates to understand keywords, search intent, on-page optimization, backlinks, and basic technical SEO concepts.

4. Paid advertising understanding

Knowledge of Google Ads, Meta Ads, and performance marketing basics is very useful. You should understand targeting, bidding, budgeting, ad creatives, campaign objectives, and performance optimization.

5. Content creation and content strategy

A good digital marketer should know how to create useful and engaging content for different platforms. This includes blog content, landing page copy, ad text, email campaigns, and social media content. Beyond creating content, it is also important to know what type of content works for which audience and goal.

6. Social media management

Brands expect marketers to understand how platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and X work. This includes content planning, audience engagement, trend awareness, paid promotion, and brand communication.

7. Email marketing skills

Email remains a powerful channel for lead nurturing and conversions. Knowing how to write subject lines, structure emails, segment audiences, and improve open and click rates can be a strong advantage.

8. Basic design sense

You do not always need to be a professional designer, but you should have a basic understanding of visual communication. Knowing how creatives affect engagement and conversion can help you work better with design teams and create more effective campaigns.

9. Adaptability and learning mindset

Digital marketing changes very quickly. Algorithms, ad platforms, tools, and user behavior keep evolving. Employers value candidates who are willing to learn continuously and adapt to new trends and technologies.

10. Problem-solving ability

A large part of digital marketing is solving performance issues. Traffic may drop, campaigns may fail, costs may rise, or conversions may fall. A good marketer should be able to think practically, identify causes, and take corrective action.

Conclusion

Digital marketing interviews in 2026 are no longer limited to simple definitions and basic tool knowledge. Employers are increasingly looking for candidates who understand platforms, think practically, solve performance problems, and connect marketing efforts with business outcomes. That is why preparing only theoretical answers is not enough anymore.

Through these 50 digital marketing interview questions and answers, you can build a much stronger understanding of what recruiters actually expect across SEO, PPC, social media, content marketing, email marketing, analytics, and real-world campaign scenarios. The more you practice these questions with a structured and confident approach, the better prepared you will be for both fresher and experienced-level interviews.

The post Top 50 Digital Marketing Interview Questions and Answers 2026 appeared first on Vskills Blog.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution, marked by rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, cloud computing, blockchain, and automation, has fundamentally redefined how businesses operate. From entry-level roles to executive leadership, technology now influences every job description. However, as machines increasingly take on repetitive tasks, it is uniquely human capabilities like creativity, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and strategic thinking that are setting candidates apart in the eyes of hiring managers.

In parallel, the rise of remote and hybrid work models has brought new challenges and opportunities. Geographic boundaries have blurred, giving rise to a more global talent pool but also increasing competition for jobs. In this context, being highly digitally literate, able to communicate effectively across platforms, and collaborate with diverse, distributed teams is now mission-critical. Moreover, resilience and the ability to embrace constant change have emerged as key differentiators in a landscape where uncertainty has become the norm.

Another driving force behind this shift is the generational transformation of the workforce. Gen Z, with its digital-first mindset and values-driven approach to work, is pushing organizations to become more inclusive, transparent, and flexible. Meanwhile, companies are realizing that building future-ready teams requires employees who are not just skilled in their current roles but future-fit, that is, capable of learning, evolving, and contributing to long-term innovation and growth.

In response to all these changes, employers are no longer just looking to fill job roles; they are investing in potential. They want professionals who not only perform tasks efficiently but also lead initiatives, solve problems creatively, and foster cultures of collaboration and continuous learning. Whether you’re a recent graduate entering the job market, a seasoned professional exploring new opportunities, or someone looking to future-proof your career, understanding these new hiring dynamics is essential.

In this comprehensive guide, we will break down the top five skills that employers are actively seeking in 2025. These aren’t just buzzwords or passing trends; they represent a core set of competencies that will shape hiring decisions across industries in the years to come. By developing these abilities, you’ll not only increase your employability but also position yourself as a high-impact professional capable of thriving in today’s complex, fast-paced, and purpose-driven work environments.

1. AI Literacy and Data Fluency | Top 5 Skills to Learn

Artificial Intelligence is no longer confined to research labs or sci-fi movies; it is now deeply embedded in our everyday work, decision-making, and business operations. In 2025, AI literacy is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after competencies across nearly every industry. From personalized marketing algorithms to predictive healthcare models and smart logistics systems, AI is fundamentally transforming how companies operate and compete. As a result, employers are actively seeking professionals who can not only understand AI concepts but also apply them meaningfully to enhance performance, generate insights, and drive innovation.

AI literacy doesn’t mean you need to become a full-fledged data scientist or machine learning engineer (unless that’s your career path). Rather, it’s about understanding the core principles of AI and machine learning, knowing how to work with AI tools, and being able to interpret data outputs to make informed business decisions. Combined with data fluency, the ability to read, analyse, and communicate with data, these skills empower professionals to extract real value from complex information, identify trends, and contribute to strategic planning.

Why It Matters?

• Widespread Adoption Across Industries: AI is no longer restricted to tech giants. Healthcare institutions use it to detect diseases earlier, banks rely on it to flag fraudulent transactions, retailers implement it to improve customer experience, and manufacturers apply it for predictive maintenance. In this AI-driven world, being literate in its workings is essential, not optional.
• Smarter, Faster Decision-Making: Data fluency allows employees to transform raw numbers into actionable insights. Professionals who can read dashboards, extract patterns, and understand the implications of key metrics are instrumental in helping businesses pivot quickly and make smarter decisions.
• Increased Efficiency and Innovation: AI-literate employees can leverage automation to streamline workflows, reduce human error, and boost efficiency. More importantly, they are positioned to identify new opportunities where AI can be deployed for competitive advantage, be it automating customer service, improving forecasting, or launching personalized product recommendations.
• Cross-Functional Value: Whether you’re in marketing, finance, HR, operations, or IT, AI literacy enhances your value. For example, a marketer with AI skills can better optimize campaign performance, while an HR manager can use predictive analytics to anticipate workforce trends.

How to Develop This Skill?

• Take Online Courses and Specializations: Numerous platforms offer beginner-friendly and advanced courses in AI and data analysis. Look for highly-rated programs on:
  • Coursera (e.g., “AI for Everyone” by Andrew Ng)
  • edX (e.g., “Data Science Micro Masters” from top universities)
  • Udacity (e.g., “AI Product Manager Nanodegree”)
    These platforms not only teach theory but also provide practical assignments to build real-world knowledge.
• Gain Hands-On Experience with AI Tools: Start exploring widely-used AI and data platforms such as:
  • Microsoft Azure Machine Learning Studio
  • Google Cloud AI
  • Tableau or Power BI for data visualization
  • Python libraries like Scikit-learn, Pandas, and TensorFlow
    These tools allow you to apply AI concepts without needing to build algorithms from scratch. Practice using real datasets and interpreting the outcomes.
• Work on Projects and Case Studies: Try solving industry-specific problems using AI frameworks. For example, create a predictive sales model using past data, or build a chatbot using natural language processing (NLP) APIs. Open-source datasets from Kaggle or government portals can be useful for experimentation.
• Earn Certifications to Validate Your Skills: Certifications not only boost your resume but also show employers your commitment to upskilling
  • AI Engineering Certificate
  • Data Analytics Certificate
  • Artificial Intelligence Practitioner (CAIP)
• Stay Current on AI Trends and Ethics:
  AI is an evolving field. Following thought leaders, reading whitepapers, and staying informed about AI ethics and governance (like bias mitigation and data privacy) will help you remain relevant and responsible in your use of the technology.

Start small. Begin by understanding how AI is used in your current industry or role, then expand your knowledge with specific tools and techniques. Even basic familiarity can set you apart in a job interview or performance review.

2. Emotional Intelligence (EQ) | Top 5 Skills to Learn

As we move deeper into a digitally connected, fast-paced world, one thing becomes abundantly clear: what sets humans apart from machines is our emotional depth and social intelligence. In 2025, as automation and artificial intelligence handle more routine and analytical tasks, it’s the uniquely human abilities of empathy, self-awareness, and emotional regulation that employers value most.

Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is the capacity to recognize, understand, and manage not only your own emotions but also the emotions of others. It’s about more than just being “nice” or “personable,” it’s about navigating complex interpersonal dynamics with skill and empathy, especially in high-stakes or high-pressure environments. A high EQ contributes to clearer communication, stronger collaboration, better leadership, and higher employee satisfaction outcomes that every employer prioritizes.

EQ is especially critical in today’s hybrid and remote work environments. With fewer in-person cues and increasing reliance on digital communication, the ability to interpret tone, manage team morale, and build rapport virtually has become a non-negotiable leadership and team skill.

Why It Matters?

• Enhanced Collaboration & Communication: High-EQ individuals are more effective at navigating group dynamics, resolving misunderstandings, and giving or receiving feedback constructively. They help create inclusive, respectful workplaces where teams thrive.
• Stronger Leadership and Team Management: Leaders with high emotional intelligence don’t just manage people, they inspire, motivate, and build trust. They recognize when their team needs support, when to push, and when to pivot. EQ is the foundation of transformational leadership.
• Conflict Resolution and Cultural Sensitivity: Emotionally intelligent professionals are equipped to handle tension, stress, and interpersonal friction gracefully. They de-escalate conflict, mediate effectively, and promote psychological safety in the workplace.
• Resilience in Change and Uncertainty: EQ allows individuals to remain calm and adaptable during periods of change, a critical skill in 2025’s volatile and evolving work environment. High-EQ professionals recover from setbacks faster and help others do the same.
• Career Advancement and Influence: Studies consistently show that individuals with higher EQ outperform their lower-EQ peers in performance reviews, customer satisfaction, and leadership potential. EQ has become a key differentiator for promotions and cross-functional opportunities.

How to Develop This Skill?

• Practice Self-Reflection and Journaling: Take time each day or week to reflect on how you handled challenges, what emotions came up, and what you could have done differently. Tools like journaling or guided prompts can increase emotional self-awareness, the first building block of EQ.
• Solicit Feedback from Colleagues and Mentors: Honest feedback is crucial for personal growth. Ask trusted colleagues how you come across in meetings or during difficult conversations. Use this feedback to identify patterns and blind spots.
• Engage in Mindfulness and Emotional Regulation Techniques: Mindfulness meditation, breathwork, and cognitive behavioural exercises help you manage emotions before they manage you. Over time, you’ll become more aware of emotional triggers and better able to pause instead of react.
• Develop Active Listening Skills: Practice truly listening, not just waiting to speak. Use affirming language, summarize what the other person said, and clarify understanding. Active listening improves empathy and reduces misunderstandings.
• Practice Empathy Exercises: Put yourself in others’ shoes during interactions. Consider how your words or actions affect them. Ask open-ended questions to better understand their perspectives. This is especially important in diverse or global teams where cultural sensitivity matters.
• Read and Learn About Emotional Intelligence: Great reads like “Emotional Intelligence” by Daniel Goleman or “Dare to Lead” by Brené Brown offer in-depth insight into how EQ affects personal and professional success. Many of these books include practical exercises.
• Use Technology Mindfully: In the digital workplace, emotional intelligence must extend to your emails, chats, and virtual meetings. Use a clear tone, recognize others’ emotions via video cues, and avoid miscommunication by following up and checking in.

Don’t confuse high EQ with being passive or overly agreeable. True emotional intelligence includes assertiveness, boundary-setting, and confidence combined with empathy, humility, and self-awareness.

3. Adaptability and Resilience | Top 5 Skills to Learn

In a world where change is the only constant, adaptability and resilience have emerged as defining skills for professionals in 2025. Technological disruptions, economic uncertainties, global events, and shifting market demands now shape the professional landscape with unprecedented speed. In this volatile environment, it’s no longer enough to be skilled at what you do; you must also be able to pivot quickly, learn continuously, and recover from setbacks with determination and grace.

Adaptability is the capacity to remain flexible and open-minded when faced with new information, unexpected challenges, or changing circumstances. It involves letting go of rigid thinking and being willing to explore new tools, roles, and workflows. On the other hand, resilience is your ability to bounce back after failure, stress, or adversity, while maintaining motivation and mental strength.

Together, these skills equip individuals to thrive, not just survive, in dynamic, high-pressure environments. Employers across industries are increasingly seeking team members who exhibit a growth mindset, take initiative in the face of uncertainty, and maintain composure during turbulent times. Whether it’s adopting a new AI tool, adjusting to a restructured team, or rethinking a strategy mid-project, the professionals who can handle change with agility and optimism are seen as indispensable assets.

Why It Matters?

• Navigating Change and Innovation: Companies undergoing digital transformation, restructuring, or market pivots require employees who don’t resist change but champion it. Adaptable individuals can transition between roles, adopt new technologies, and quickly align with shifting goals, making them a natural fit for growth-driven organizations.
• Increased Complexity in Roles: Job descriptions are evolving faster than ever, blending skills from multiple disciplines. Adaptable professionals can more easily expand their skillsets, wear multiple hats, and navigate across departments or functions.
• Fostering a Growth Mindset Culture: Resilient employees set the tone for the entire team. They keep morale high, lead by example, and foster a culture of perseverance, which is crucial during times of rapid change or organizational stress.
• Proactive Problem-Solving Under Pressure: Resilience means staying calm under pressure. Rather than becoming overwhelmed by obstacles, resilient professionals approach problems with solution-oriented thinking, adaptability, and emotional stability, qualities that employers rely on during high-stakes scenarios.
• Future-Proofing Careers: The job you’re hired for today may look very different in a year or two. Building adaptability into your career ensures you’re prepared for lateral moves, promotions, or entirely new challenges without being paralyzed by fear of the unknown.

How to Develop This Skill?

• Engage in Continuous Learning: Adopt a lifelong learning mindset. Stay up to date with industry news, attend workshops, and explore cross-functional skills. Platforms like LinkedIn Learning, Vskills, Udemy, offer courses that make upskilling manageable.
• Step Outside Your Comfort Zone Regularly: Seek out stretch assignments, take on unfamiliar projects, or try new tools or platforms. Growth comes from discomfort; voluntarily challenging yourself helps build both adaptability and resilience.
• Adopt Stress Management and Wellness Practices: Adaptable professionals aren’t immune to stress; they just manage it better. Use strategies like:
  • Time management tools (e.g., Pomodoro, Eisenhower Matrix)
  • Mindfulness and meditation apps (e.g., Headspace, Calm)
  • Physical activity or breathwork to manage anxiety and build emotional stamina
• Embrace a Growth Mindset: Replace “I can’t do this” with “I can’t do this yet.” Understand that failure isn’t final, it’s a part of progress. Read books like “Mindset” by Carol Dweck to rewire your thinking toward possibility and learning.
• Build a Support Network: Surround yourself with mentors, colleagues, and friends who support your goals and offer constructive feedback. Strong social connections buffer the effects of stress and help you bounce back faster when facing adversity.
• Practice Scenario Planning: Instead of fearing change, prepare for it. Think through possible disruptions in your role or industry and develop “what-if” strategies. Being mentally prepared can dramatically improve your real-world adaptability.
• Learn from Feedback and Failure: Treat mistakes as data points, not dead ends. Ask for constructive feedback from peers and supervisors. Use that feedback as fuel for growth, not as criticism that defines your limits.

When showcasing adaptability in interviews or performance reviews, use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to describe a time you adjusted to a new challenge and succeeded. This demonstrates both your adaptability and your results-oriented mindset.

4. Creative Problem-Solving

In the age of automation and artificial intelligence, where algorithms handle repetitive and analytical tasks with astonishing efficiency, the spotlight has turned to a truly human strength: creative problem-solving. This isn’t just about being artistic or imaginative. It’s about the ability to assess complex challenges, approach them from multiple angles, and craft innovative, practical solutions that others may not see.

In 2025, this skill is more critical than ever. Businesses are operating in volatile, fast-changing markets where the ability to creatively adapt and innovate determines long-term survival. Employers are no longer satisfied with employees who merely follow instructions; they are looking for problem solvers who challenge assumptions, experiment with new ideas, and push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Whether it’s discovering a more efficient process, designing a breakthrough product, or resolving a customer issue with empathy and ingenuity, creative problem-solving empowers professionals to deliver unique value. It helps organizations stay agile, competitive, and future-ready.

Why It Matters?

• Drives Innovation Across Functions: Creative thinking isn’t limited to designers or marketing teams. Engineers develop better systems, HR professionals improve employee engagement, and finance leaders find smarter ways to optimize budgets, all through creative approaches to problem-solving.
• Future-Proofs Organizations: Companies that foster creativity don’t just react to change; they lead it. A culture of innovation gives organizations a strategic edge, enabling them to adapt to emerging trends and customer needs faster than their competitors.
• Solves “Wicked Problems”: Many of today’s business challenges don’t have a clear-cut solution. These “wicked problems” like sustainability, digital transformation, or employee well-being, require holistic, cross-functional thinking that only creativity can offer.
• Encourages Proactive, Not Reactive Thinking: Creative professionals don’t wait for problems to escalate; they anticipate obstacles and craft inventive solutions before they become critical. This forward-thinking mindset is invaluable in fast-paced industries.

How to Develop This Skill?

• Schedule Regular Brainstorming Sessions: Make time for idea generation, both independently and with your team. Use creative prompts, whiteboarding apps, or mind maps to explore problems from new perspectives. Try tools like Miro or Notion to collaborate virtually.
• Embrace Cross-Functional Collaboration: Working with people from different backgrounds sparks diverse thinking. Engage in cross-team projects or mentor someone outside your department to gain fresh insights and challenge groupthink.
• Learn from Other Fields: Study how different industries solve problems. A solution from aerospace engineering could inspire improvements in logistics. Creativity often emerges when you connect unrelated dots, so read widely and stay curious.
• Use Design Thinking Frameworks: Design thinking encourages empathy, ideation, prototyping, and testing. It’s a proven, structured approach to creativity that companies like Apple, IDEO, and Google use to innovate. Start with tools like empathy maps, journey mapping, or the 5 Whys technique.
• Experiment, Fail, and Iterate: Fear of failure kills creativity. Instead, test ideas quickly, collect feedback, and refine. Small pilot projects or “beta” versions of your ideas let you fail fast and learn faster, a mindset employers love.
• Cultivate a Curious Mindset: Curiosity fuels creativity. Ask questions, challenge assumptions, and dive deep into topics that intrigue you, even if they seem unrelated to your current role. The more you explore, the more mental patterns and creative insights you’ll develop.
• Keep a Problem-Solving Journal: Maintain a journal where you capture interesting problems, your thought processes, and different solutions you’ve tried. Over time, this builds self-awareness of how you think and helps sharpen your critical and creative reasoning.

When demonstrating creative problem-solving during interviews or performance reviews, frame your examples with specifics: What was the challenge? What was the conventional approach? What new solution did you propose, and what impact did it have?

5. Digital Communication Proficiency | Top 5 Skills to Learn

In 2025, the workplace will look vastly different from what it was a decade ago. The widespread adoption of remote work and digital collaboration tools has transformed how teams interact, collaborate, and build relationships. As face-to-face meetings become less frequent, digital communication proficiency has become a critical skill for professionals across all industries.

Digital communication proficiency means more than just sending emails or hopping on video calls. It encompasses the ability to convey ideas clearly and concisely across multiple digital platforms, to interpret subtle verbal and non-verbal cues in virtual environments, and to foster engagement and trust without physical presence. Professionals who master these skills not only facilitate smoother workflows but also play a pivotal role in shaping their organization’s culture and brand identity in the digital space.

With communication now distributed across emails, chat apps, video conferences, and collaborative platforms, the ability to navigate these channels effectively is no longer optional. It directly impacts productivity, team cohesion, and even customer relations.

Why It Matters?

• Ensures Remote and Hybrid Team Efficiency: In virtual or hybrid teams, miscommunication can lead to missed deadlines, duplicated work, and frustration. Clear and thoughtful digital communication keeps everyone aligned, accountable, and productive even across different time zones and cultural contexts.
• Represents Your Organization’s Brand and Values: Employees are often the first point of contact for clients, partners, or the public via digital channels. Your communication style reflects the professionalism and values of your organization. Being articulate, respectful, and responsive helps build trust and credibility.
• Facilitates Collaboration and Innovation: Seamless digital communication encourages idea sharing, knowledge transfer, and problem-solving. Teams that communicate well online tend to be more innovative and agile, as information flows smoothly and conflicts are resolved quickly.
• Improves Customer Experience: From email support to social media engagement, professionals with strong digital communication skills create positive and consistent experiences for customers, strengthening loyalty and brand reputation.

How to Develop This Skill?

• Master Popular Digital Communication Tools: Become highly proficient in widely used platforms such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Workspace, and Trello. Understand the strengths and limitations of each when to send a quick message, when to schedule a video call, and when to collaborate on shared documents.
• Develop Clear and Concise Writing Skills: Written communication often replaces face-to-face interactions in digital workspaces. Practice crafting emails and messages that are direct, well-structured, and free of jargon. Use bullet points, headings, and summaries to improve readability and ensure your message is understood quickly.
• Cultivate Active Listening and Virtual Presence: During video or audio meetings, focus intently on the speaker, avoid multitasking, and use verbal affirmations or chat reactions to show engagement. Pay close attention to tone, pace, and pauses, non-verbal cues that can be harder to read online but are essential for understanding.
• Adapt Communication Style to Audience and Medium: Tailor your tone, formality, and content based on who you’re communicating with, whether it’s a team member, client, or executive, and the platform being used. For example, a Slack message can be casual and brief, whereas a client email requires professionalism and detail.
• Practice Digital Etiquette: Be punctual for virtual meetings, mute your microphone when not speaking, avoid interrupting, and respect others’ time zones. These small behaviours build a culture of respect and professionalism.
• Use Visuals and Multimedia: Enhance understanding and engagement by incorporating visuals such as charts, slides, or short videos when appropriate. This is especially useful for complex topics that can be difficult to explain through text alone.
• Seek Feedback on Your Communication: Ask colleagues or mentors to review your emails or observe your virtual meetings to identify areas for improvement. Feedback helps refine your tone, clarity, and responsiveness.
• Stay Updated on Emerging Tools and Trends: The digital landscape is constantly evolving. Stay curious about new platforms, features, or communication norms. Being an early adopter or proficient user can boost your value within an organization.

When discussing your digital communication skills in interviews or performance reviews, share specific examples of how you successfully led remote meetings, resolved misunderstandings virtually, or improved team collaboration through digital tools.

Expert Corner

The landscape of employment in 2025 is being profoundly reshaped by the convergence of rapid technological advancements and an increasing focus on human-centric skills. As artificial intelligence, automation, and digital transformation continue to revolutionize industries across the globe, the demand for purely technical expertise, while still crucial, is no longer sufficient on its own. Instead, the modern workforce is expected to blend hard skills with a powerful suite of soft skills that address the complexities of human interaction, adaptability, and creative problem-solving.

This evolution reflects a broader shift in the way organizations operate and compete. Businesses are navigating environments characterized by constant change, uncertainty, and increasing interconnectedness. Success in such a dynamic context requires employees who are not only proficient in their technical domains but also excel at managing relationships, communicating effectively, embracing change, and thinking innovatively. In other words, the ideal candidate in 2025 is a well-rounded professional capable of leveraging technology while staying deeply connected to the human elements that drive collaboration, motivation, and growth.

Qualities like emotional intelligence, which enable individuals to perceive, understand, and respond thoughtfully to the emotions of themselves and others, have taken center stage. Emotional intelligence fosters stronger teamwork, leadership, and customer relations, critical factors in building resilient and high-performing organizations. Similarly, adaptability and resilience are no longer optional traits; they are essential survival skills in a world where market demands and technologies evolve at lightning speed. Professionals who can pivot swiftly, learn continuously, and recover from setbacks are the ones who thrive and propel their organizations forward.

Alongside these human-centric skills, creative problem-solving has emerged as a key differentiator. As automation takes over routine tasks, the value of human creativity and innovation skyrockets. Employers seek individuals who challenge conventional wisdom, generate fresh ideas, and design unique solutions to complex challenges. Creativity fuels business innovation, enhances competitive advantage, and opens new pathways for growth.

Finally, digital communication proficiency ties all these skills together. The rise of remote and hybrid work models means professionals must be adept at engaging across diverse digital platforms, conveying their ideas, collaborating seamlessly, and maintaining strong interpersonal connections despite physical distance. This proficiency ensures that teams remain cohesive and productive, no matter where members are located.

By intentionally cultivating and honing these top five skills, AI literacy and data fluency, emotional intelligence, adaptability and resilience, creative problem-solving, and digital communication proficiency, professionals position themselves as invaluable assets in today’s job market. They demonstrate not only technical capability but also the emotional agility, innovative mindset, and collaborative spirit that organizations need to succeed.

In doing so, they unlock opportunities for career growth, increased job security, and the ability to contribute meaningfully to their organizations’ missions. Ultimately, these skills empower individuals to navigate and excel within an ever-evolving workplace landscape, one where the fusion of technology and humanity creates unprecedented possibilities for innovation, impact, and success.

The post Top 5 Skills Employers Are Actually Hiring for in 2025 appeared first on Vskills Blog.

A social media marketer is responsible for creating, curating, and managing content across social media platforms. Their goal is to build brand awareness, engage audiences, and foster community growth by leveraging trends, analytics, and platform-specific strategies. A digital marketer, on the other hand, focuses on broader online marketing strategies, including search engine optimization (seo), email campaigns, paid advertising, and content marketing. Their role is to attract, convert, and retain customers through data-driven digital channels.

If both roles offer high impact, creative opportunity, and solid growth, how do you choose between them?

For beginners, the difference between roles like social media marketer and digital marketer can be confusing. Both operate in the digital space, often using similar tools and platforms, which makes the lines between them seem blurred. It’s common to wonder where one role ends and the other begins, or which path might better align with your skills and goals. Understanding the distinct responsibilities, required skill sets, and career trajectories of each role is essential for making an informed decision. Each path offers unique opportunities, challenges, and skill development. Choosing the right role based on your strengths and interests not only increases your chances of long-term success and job satisfaction but also opens doors to advancement, specialization, and leadership roles in the future.

In this blog, we will about the various components, pros, and cons of both fields so you can make your choice wisely.

Role of Social Media Manager

Social media marketing is the use of platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and others to promote a brand, product, or service through increased visibility, and encourage people to take action to make a purchase.

Core functions of a Social Media Manager

The core functions of Social Media Marketing (SMM) revolve around building brand awareness, engaging with target audiences, and driving measurable business growth through digital platforms. At its heart, SMM focuses on creating and sharing content, ranging from posts, videos, and stories to ads and influencer collaborations—that resonates with users and encourages interaction. It also involves strategic community management, customer support, and reputation monitoring. Additionally, social media marketing leverages analytics and targeted advertising to track performance, optimize campaigns, and convert followers into loyal customers. Whether it’s increasing visibility, generating leads, or nurturing brand loyalty, these core functions work together to amplify a company’s presence in the digital space.

1. Platform-specific content creation

Social media marketers tailor content to fit the unique style, format, and audience of each platform.

• Instagram: visually-driven posts, stories, and reels that highlight aesthetics and storytelling.
• TikTok: trend-based short-form videos that are casual, fun, and highly engaging.
• LinkedIn: professional and informative content like industry insights, company updates, and thought leadership.
• Twitter/x: short, punchy updates and real-time engagement with trending topics.

They also plan content calendars, write captions, use relevant hashtags, and schedule posts for peak visibility.

2. Community engagement and response

Engaging with followers is essential for building trust and brand loyalty.

• Responding to comments and direct messages in a timely, helpful, and brand-appropriate tone.
• Initiating conversations through polls, q&as, and interactive stories.
• Managing both positive feedback and negative comments or complaints diplomatically.

3. Campaign ideation and execution

• Developing ideas for product launches, holidays, social trends, or brand initiatives.
• Coordinating visuals, copy, timelines, and budgets.
• Analyzing results using metrics like reach, engagement, and conversions to refine future strategies.

4. Influencer collaborations

Marketers identify and work with influencers whose audience aligns with the brand.

• Researching influencers based on niche, values, and engagement rates.
• Coordinating content partnerships and affiliate programs.
• Managing contracts, content approvals, and campaign timelines.
• Tracking performance to measure roi and reach.

Influencer collaborations help brands tap into trusted communities and boost credibility.

Skills Required to become a Social Media Manager

Following are the skills required to become a successful Social Media Marketing Manager –

1. Creativity, storytelling, and design thinking

At the heart of social media is storytelling i.e. the ability to convey a brand’s message in a way that’s visually appealing and resonates with the audience.

• Creativity: thinking outside the box to craft unique posts, campaigns, and visual content that stand out in busy feeds.
• Storytelling: weaving narratives that connect with the audience, whether through a single post or a multi-part campaign.
• Design thinking: approaching content creation with the user in mind and balancing aesthetics to enhance engagement.

2. Strong understanding of platform algorithms and trends

Each platform has its own algorithm that determines what content gets seen. A social media manager must:

• Understand how algorithms prioritize content like engagement, watch time, relevance.
• Stay updated on changes and adapt strategies quickly.
• Knowledge of trending sounds, memes, hashtags, and challenges to maximize visibility.

3. Community building and communication skills

• Empathy and tone control to engage with diverse audiences appropriately.
• Conflict management skills to handle complaints or crises calmly and professionally.
• Consistency in replying to comments, dms, and mentions to show users they are heard and valued.
• The ability to spark conversations, run polls, and create interactive content that fosters dialogue.

4. Technical proficiency with tools

Efficiency and effectiveness come from knowing how to use key platforms and tools like canva for designing professional-looking graphics, reels, and stories without needing advanced design skills.

Day in the Life of a Social Media Manager

Here’s an elaborative step-by-step routine tasks in a typical day of a social media manager to help you understand the responsibilities and real-time experience better.

Morning check-in and monitoring

• Start the day by scanning all brand accounts.
• Review overnight comments, messages, and mentions.
• Check platform notifications and alerts for performance spikes or urgent issues

Content planning and strategy

• Brainstorm future campaigns or themes, product launches, or trending topics.
• Draft captions, select visuals, and gather content for the coming posts.

Even during breaks, social media managers often casually scroll through feeds to spot viral content or emerging memes.

Audience engagement

• Moderate discussions and flag or escalate negative feedback.
• Engage with influencers or collaborators.
• Possibly run polls, quizzes, or live q&a sessions depending on the day.

Final wrap-up

• Recheck scheduled posts and notifications.
• Flag anything that needs review before tomorrow.
• Leave notes or tasks for the next day.

Career path for a Social Media Manager

A career in social media management offers a clear pathway for growth, with opportunities to branch into leadership roles or specialize in areas like content, branding, or influencer strategy.

1. Entry-level: social media coordinator / assistant

• Responsible for drafting posts, scheduling content, responding to basic comments or messages, and helping manage the content calendar.
• Gains hands-on experience with tools like canva and scheduling platforms.

2. Mid-level: social media manage

• Day-to-day management of brand accounts across platforms.
• Develops and implements campaign strategies, collaborates with influencers, and ensures consistent posting on different platforms.
• Begins overseeing junior team members or freelancers.

3. Senior leadership: head of social media / social media director

• Sets the overall vision for social media within the marketing department.
• Manages budgets, team structure, and high-level reporting.
• Works with senior stakeholders to tie social strategy into brand and business goals.

4. Executive-level: brand director / chief marketing officer (cmo)

• Oversees brand identity, tone, and all communication.
• Directs large marketing teams, agency partners, and strategic initiatives.

Digital Marketing as a Career

Digital Marketing Core functions

A digital marketer helps businesses show up online—on search engines, social media, websites, and email—and makes sure the right people see the right message at the right time. Their primary goal is to drive traffic, generate leads, increase conversions, and ultimately grow revenue—all through digital means.

1. Seo, SEM, and Content Marketing

Seo, or search engine optimization, is the process of improving a website’s visibility in search engine results pages (serps) like Google and Bing. It focuses on getting higher rankings for relevant keywords, thereby increasing organic (unpaid) traffic to a website. Optimize page titles, meta descriptions, headers, and images for search visibility. SEM i.e. Search engine marketing, is paid advertising for visibility on web searches. In content marketing, you have to plan and execute a content calendar aligned with brand goals and customer journeys.

2. Email marketing and CRM

Email marketing uses email to connect with potential and existing customers, promote products or services, and build brand awareness. It’s a cost-effective way to reach targeted audiences, drive engagement, and increase conversions. Maintain sender reputation, avoid spam traps, and ensure high inbox placement.

Customer data management organizes and updates customer profiles and segmentation within a crm system. Develop strategies for acquisition, onboarding, retention, and reactivation.

3. Paid advertising

Define and refine target audiences using behavioral, demographic and lookalike data. Design and write engaging ad creatives, launch and manage campaigns, monitor conversion rate and ensure ads meet platform guidelines.

4. Strategic planning and roi analysis

Create and execute comprehensive digital marketing strategies aligned with business goals. Calculate roi, customer acquisition cost (cac), and customer lifetime value (CLTV) to guide investment decisions.

Digital Marketing Skills required

Following are the skills required to master digital marketing –

1. Data literacy

• Interpreting metrics like conversion rate, ctr, and bounce rate.
• Creating reports using data visualization tools.

2. Strategic thinking

• Setting smart marketing goals.
• Allocating budget across platforms.
• Identifying target audiences and segmentation.

3. Copywriting

• Writing for web, social media, email.
• Using storytelling for brand awareness.
• Seo content creation.

4. Familiarity with web traffic tools and ad platforms

Various tools on the internet need to be used for analyzing the site traffic, consumer behavior and organizational goals. These are used for running ad campaigns and advertising across all platforms in one way or another.

Day in the life of a Digital Marketer

Digital marketers balance analytical thinking, creative execution, and strategic foresight. A typical workday involves a continuous loop of these skills intertwined with each other in various tasks.

• Check for change in conversion rates and traffic on different sites.
• Adjust budgeting in advertising in relation to its performance. Update underperforming blog content with better keywords. Schedule content to be posted for the day and engage with the audience through comments and DMs.
• Coordinate with designers for ad creatives, developers for landing page updates and sales for lead quality feedback.

There are various tasks that differ and come up during day-to-day projects and variations that are handled with full precaution and perfection with the acquired skills.

Digital Marketing Career Path

We shall now discuss the career path for a Digital Marketing –

Entry level- marketing intern/assistant

• Learn channel specific tools and understand the market you are going to work in.
• Work closely with the executives from the marketing department.
• Support campaign execution with content creation drafts and other small tasks.

Mid-level- content marketer/specialist

• Lead a marketing channel on your own and be responsible for its profits and losses.
• Start with testing the bigger market and start looking at the bigger picture for further expansion of tasks.

Digital marketing manager

• Be responsible for direct company’s profits by aligning strategies with its goals.
• Be a part of significant growth from advertising channels.
• Mentor junior level marketers

Senior leadership- vp of marketing/ cmo

• Represent marketing department in boardroom discussions
• Drive company-wide revenue and plan a retention strategy

Social Media Manager vs. Digital Marketer Salary comparison and Demand

In today’s digital-first world, two roles that often surface in marketing conversations are Social Media Manager and Digital Marketer. While both work toward brand visibility and business growth, their focus areas, required skills, and career trajectories differ significantly.

In India, as startups boom and traditional businesses go digital, the demand for both professionals is on the rise. However, understanding their distinct career paths, salary expectations, and current job market demand can help job seekers and career switchers make informed decisions.

Comparison Table: Social Media Manager vs. Digital Marketer in India

Salaries are generally higher in metropolitan areas like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore due to increased demand and cost of living. Digital marketers typically earn more than social media marketers due to the broader scope and wider range of skills required in digital marketing. Digital marketing encompasses a wider range of online marketing activities beyond social media, including seo, ppc, email marketing, and content creation, while social media marketing focuses specifically on social media platforms.  

The demand for social media managers and digital marketers has seen a growth of 30% and 20% respectively over the past year. Industries like e-commerce, retail, technology, startups, and agencies etc. Has been recruiting professionals from both these fields actively.

Final Thoughts: Charting Your Digital Destiny

In the ever-evolving world of digital communication, the line between Social Media Management and Digital Marketing may seem blurred—but your career path doesn’t have to be.

Choosing between a Social Media Manager and a Digital Marketer role is less about deciding which is superior and more about understanding where your strengths, passions, and aspirations align. If you thrive on real-time engagement, community building, and storytelling through platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, or X (formerly Twitter), the dynamic and ever-social world of a Social Media Manager might be your perfect match. But if you’re driven by strategy, analytics, SEO, email campaigns, and orchestrating larger, cross-channel marketing goals, then the Digital Marketer’s chair may be calling your name.

Both careers are crucial. Both are growing. And both are deeply impactful.

What truly sets you apart is your willingness to learn, adapt, and specialize. Today, companies seek versatile professionals who understand social platforms but also grasp the bigger digital picture. That means you don’t necessarily have to choose one over the other forever. You can start with one role and evolve into a hybrid expert, becoming the digital Swiss army knife that modern brands are hunting for.

So, take a deep breath, reflect on your unique strengths, explore where the job market is heading, and most importantly, choose the path that excites you to wake up every morning and create impact. In the digital age, it’s not just about picking a job—it’s about building a brand.

Your brand. Your journey. Your future.

🔹 Which path will you choose to ignite your digital career—Social Media Manager or Digital Marketer? Drop your thoughts below or connect with others exploring the same crossroads.
🔹 And if you’re ready to take the next step, explore certification programs, internships, or mentorship opportunities that align with your chosen path.
🔹 Because in the world of digital careers, the only wrong move is standing still.

The post Social Media Manager VS Digital Marketer–Career Path to Choose appeared first on Vskills Blog.

This blog post will help you understand the art of storytelling, exploring its significance in marketing and business success. We’ll uncover the psychological underpinnings of storytelling, discuss effective techniques, and provide practical examples of how businesses have leveraged this powerful tool to achieve remarkable results.

The Psychology of Storytelling: A Heartfelt Connection

Have you ever found yourself captivated by a well-crafted story, feeling a deep emotional connection with the characters and their experiences? This isn’t a coincidence. Storytelling has a profound impact on our psychology, tapping into our emotions and forging lasting connections.

The Emotional Resonance:

• Empathy: Stories evoke empathy, allowing us to step into the shoes of others and experience their joys, sorrows, and struggles. This emotional resonance creates a sense of shared humanity.
• Memory: Emotionally charged experiences are more likely to be remembered. By weaving emotions into your storytelling, you increase the likelihood that your message will stick with your audience.
• Trust: When we connect with a story on an emotional level, we are more likely to trust the storyteller and their message. This trust can be invaluable in building relationships with customers and clients.

The Power of Narrative:

Stories provide a framework for understanding the world around us. They help us make sense of complex information, identify patterns, and draw meaningful conclusions. This narrative structure is essential for effective communication and persuasion.

By understanding the psychological power of storytelling, you can create more engaging and impactful marketing and business communications. In the following sections, we will explore specific storytelling techniques and their applications in various business contexts.

Storytelling in Marketing: A Bridge to Consumer Hearts

Storytelling is more than just a creative tool; it’s a powerful marketing strategy. By weaving narratives into your brand’s messaging, you can:

Enhance Brand Awareness

• Memorable Impressions: Stories create lasting impressions that resonate with your target audience. A well-crafted narrative can help your brand stand out from the competition and be remembered long after the initial exposure.
• Emotional Connections: When consumers connect with a brand on an emotional level, they are more likely to remember and recall it. Storytelling can foster these emotional connections, leading to increased brand awareness.

Build Trust

• Authenticity: Stories can help you showcase your brand’s values and personality, building trust with your audience. Authentic storytelling can humanize your brand and make it more relatable.
• Credibility: By sharing customer stories or success stories, you can demonstrate the value of your products or services. This can enhance your brand’s credibility and build trust with potential customers.

Drive Sales

• Compelling Call to Action: A well-crafted story can create a compelling call to action, encouraging consumers to take the desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.
• Increased Engagement: Stories can increase engagement with your brand, leading to more website visits, social media shares, and ultimately, more sales.

Real-World Examples

• Dove’s “Real Beauty” Campaign: This iconic campaign challenged traditional beauty standards by showcasing real women of all ages, shapes, and sizes. The stories of these women resonated with consumers, building trust and loyalty for the Dove brand.
• Apple’s “Think Different” Campaign: Apple’s iconic campaign celebrated innovators and mavericks who dared to challenge the status quo. This storytelling approach positioned Apple as a brand that embraced creativity and individuality, driving sales and brand loyalty.
• Airbnb’s “Belong Anywhere” Campaign: Airbnb’s storytelling focused on the idea of belonging and connection. By sharing stories of travelers who found a sense of home in unfamiliar places, Airbnb created a strong emotional connection with its audience, driving bookings and brand loyalty.

By incorporating storytelling into your marketing efforts, you can create a more engaging and memorable brand experience that drives sales and builds lasting relationships with your customers.

Crafting a Captivating Plot: The Skeleton of Your Story

While characters are the heart of a story, the plot provides the skeleton that holds it together. A well-structured plot keeps your audience engaged and propels the narrative forward.

Step 1 – Creating Compelling Characters: The Heart of Storytelling

Characters are the lifeblood of a story. They are the individuals we empathize with, the villains we despise, and the protagonists we root for. Well-developed characters can make or break a narrative, and they play a crucial role in connecting with your audience.

Relatable Characters:

• Humanize Your Brand: Relatable characters can help humanize your brand, making it more approachable and relatable to your audience.
• Emotional Connections: When we can relate to a character, we are more likely to feel a connection with the story and its message. This emotional resonance can be powerful in driving engagement and sales.

Memorable Characters:

• Distinct Personalities: Give your characters unique personalities and quirks that make them stand out. A memorable character is one that stays with your audience long after the story is over.
• Character Arcs: A well-developed character undergoes a transformation or evolution throughout the story. This character arc adds depth and complexity to the narrative, making it more engaging and satisfying.

Techniques for Character Development:

• Backstory: Give your characters a rich backstory that helps to explain their motivations and behaviors.
• Dialogue: Use dialogue to reveal your characters’ personalities and relationships with others.
• Actions: A character’s actions can speak volumes about their personality and values.
• Conflict: Internal and external conflicts can help to develop a character’s depth and complexity.

By creating relatable and memorable characters, you can elevate your storytelling and forge stronger connections with your audience. In the next section, we will explore other storytelling techniques, such as plot structure and conflict.

Step 2 – Crafting a Compelling Plot: The Skeleton of Your Story

While characters are the heart of a story, the plot provides the skeleton that holds it together. A well-structured plot keeps your audience engaged and propels the narrative forward.

Plot Structure:

• Exposition: Introduce the characters, setting, and initial conflict.
• Rising Action: Build tension and introduce obstacles that the protagonist must overcome.
• Climax: The highest point of tension and the moment where the conflict is resolved.
• Falling Action: The aftermath of the climax, as the characters deal with the consequences of their actions.
• Resolution: The story’s conclusion, where loose ends are tied up and the main conflict is resolved.

Conflict and Resolution:

• Internal Conflict: The character’s inner struggles, such as moral dilemmas or personal demons.
• External Conflict: The challenges the character faces from the outside world, such as obstacles, antagonists, or societal pressures.
• Satisfying Resolution: A well-crafted resolution should be satisfying and leave the audience feeling fulfilled. It should also be consistent with the story’s themes and character development.

Techniques for Creating a Compelling Plot:

• Unexpected Twists: Keep your audience guessing by introducing unexpected plot twists or revelations.
• Subplots: Introduce secondary storylines that intersect with the main plot, adding depth and complexity.
• Pacing: Control the pace of your story to create tension, suspense, and a sense of urgency.

By carefully crafting your plot, you can create a compelling narrative that keeps your audience engaged and invested in the story. In the next section, we will explore the role of setting and atmosphere in storytelling.

Step 3 – Setting the Stage: The Power of Atmosphere

The setting and atmosphere of a story can have a profound impact on its overall mood and tone. By carefully crafting the environment, you can create a world that immerses your audience and enhances the storytelling experience.

Setting:

• Mood and Tone: The setting can establish the mood and tone of the story, whether it’s suspenseful, romantic, or humorous.
• Character Development: The setting can reveal important aspects of a character’s personality and backstory.
• Symbolism: The setting can be used to symbolize larger themes or ideas in the story.

Atmosphere:

• Sensory Details: Use vivid sensory details to create a rich and immersive atmosphere. Appeal to the reader’s senses of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch.
• Mood and Emotion: The atmosphere should evoke specific emotions in the reader, such as fear, joy, or sadness.
• Symbolism: The atmosphere can be used to symbolize the emotional state of the characters or the overall theme of the story.

Examples:

• Gothic Literature: Stories set in gloomy castles or haunted forests often have a dark and mysterious atmosphere.
• Science Fiction: Futuristic settings can create a sense of wonder and excitement.
• Historical Fiction: Period settings can evoke a sense of nostalgia or historical significance.

Step 4 – The Power of Words: Language and Style

The language and style you use can significantly impact the effectiveness of your storytelling. By choosing the right words and employing a suitable style, you can create a narrative that is both engaging and memorable.

Vivid Language:

• Imagery: Use descriptive language to create vivid imagery and paint a picture in the reader’s mind.
• Figurative Language: Employ metaphors, similes, and other figurative language devices to add depth and richness to your writing.
• Show, Don’t Tell: Instead of simply telling the reader what is happening, show them through vivid descriptions and actions.

Style:

• Tone: The tone of your writing should match the overall mood and atmosphere of the story.
• Voice: Develop a unique voice that reflects your personal style and the perspective of the narrator.
• Audience: Consider your target audience and tailor your language and style accordingly.

By carefully considering the setting, atmosphere, language, and style, you can create a compelling story that resonates with your readers and leaves a lasting impression.

Storytelling Across Different Platforms: Adapting to the Digital Age

In today’s digital landscape, storytelling isn’t confined to traditional media. It’s essential to adapt your storytelling techniques to suit the unique characteristics of different platforms.

Social Media Storytelling

Social media platforms offer a wealth of opportunities for storytelling. Here are some effective strategies:

• Visual Storytelling: Platforms like Instagram and Pinterest are ideal for visual storytelling. Use high-quality images and videos to complement your narratives.
• Short-Form Content: Twitter and TikTok require concise and engaging content. Craft short, impactful stories that can be easily consumed on these platforms.
• User-Generated Content: Encourage your audience to share their own stories related to your brand. This can create a sense of community and foster customer loyalty.
• Live Streaming: Platforms like Instagram Live and Facebook Live allow you to connect with your audience in real-time and share stories through live broadcasts.

Content Marketing Storytelling

Storytelling can be effectively incorporated into various content marketing formats:

• Blog Posts: Use blog posts to tell in-depth stories about your brand, products, or customers.
• Articles: Write articles that share informative and engaging stories related to your industry.
• Case Studies: Showcase customer success stories to demonstrate the value of your products or services.
• Whitepapers: Use whitepapers to tell more complex stories that require in-depth research and analysis.
• Infographics: Visualize your stories through infographics to make them more engaging and shareable.

Storytelling in Email Marketing: A Personalized Touch

Email marketing is a powerful tool for building relationships and driving sales. By incorporating storytelling into your email campaigns, you can create more engaging and personalized content that resonates with your audience.

• Personalized Content: Use data to personalize your emails based on individual preferences and behaviors. This can help you tailor your storytelling to specific audience segments.
• Emotional Connections: Craft stories that evoke emotions and connect with your audience on a personal level. This can help build trust and loyalty.
• Call to Action: Use storytelling to create a compelling call to action that encourages recipients to take the desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.
• A/B Testing: Experiment with different storytelling approaches to see what resonates best with your audience. Use A/B testing to compare the effectiveness of different email campaigns.

The Power of Video Storytelling: A Visual Feast

Videos are a highly engaging form of content that can effectively convey your brand’s story. Here are some tips for creating effective video content:

• Know Your Audience: Understand your target audience’s preferences and interests to create videos that resonate with them.
• Keep it Short: Attention spans are short. Aim for videos that are concise and to the point.
• High-Quality Production: Invest in quality equipment and editing software to create professional-looking videos.
• Call to Action: Include a clear call to action at the end of your video to encourage viewers to take the desired action.
• Share on Social Media: Promote your videos on social media platforms to reach a wider audience.

By incorporating storytelling into your email marketing and video content, you can create more engaging and effective campaigns that drive results.

Storytelling in Business Success: A Powerful Tool

Storytelling is not just a creative endeavour; it’s a strategic tool that can significantly impact your business’s success. By effectively leveraging storytelling, you can establish a strong brand identity, build customer trust, foster employee engagement, and close more deals.

Brand Storytelling: A Compelling Narrative

A well-crafted brand story can help differentiate your business from competitors and create a lasting impression on your audience. Here’s how storytelling can contribute to a strong brand identity:

• Values and Mission: Your brand story should align with your core values and mission. This helps to create a sense of purpose and authenticity.
• Emotional Connection: Storytelling can evoke emotions and create a personal connection with your audience, fostering brand loyalty.
• Consistency: Ensure your brand story is consistent across all marketing channels to reinforce your brand identity.

Customer Storytelling: Building Trust and Loyalty

Sharing customer stories can be a powerful way to build trust and loyalty with your audience. Here’s how to effectively leverage customer storytelling:

• Authenticity: Share genuine and relatable customer stories that resonate with your target audience.
• Social Proof: Customer stories can serve as social proof, demonstrating the value of your products or services.
• Emotional Connection: By sharing customer experiences, you can create an emotional connection with potential customers.

Employee Storytelling: Fostering Engagement and Culture

Internal storytelling can play a vital role in fostering employee engagement and a positive company culture. Here’s how to utilize employee storytelling:

• Company Values: Share stories that exemplify your company’s values and mission.
• Employee Recognition: Recognize and celebrate employee achievements through storytelling.
• Company History: Share the history and evolution of your company to create a sense of belonging and pride.

Sales Storytelling: Closing Deals and Building Relationships

Storytelling can be a powerful tool for sales professionals. By incorporating storytelling into your sales pitches, you can:

• Personal Connection: Create a personal connection with potential customers by sharing relevant stories.
• Problem-Solution Framework: Present your product or service as a solution to a customer’s problem through storytelling.
• Emotional Appeal: Appeal to your customers’ emotions to increase the likelihood of a sale.

By effectively utilizing storytelling in your business, you can create a stronger brand, build trust with customers, foster employee engagement, and drive sales. Storytelling is a powerful tool that can help your business thrive.

Mastering the Art of Storytelling: Tips for Success

To become a skilled storyteller, practising and refining your craft is essential. Here are some valuable tips to help you improve your storytelling abilities:

Know Your Audience

Understanding your target audience is crucial for compelling storytelling. Consider their:

• Interests: What topics and stories are they likely to find engaging?
• Values: What values and beliefs do they hold?
• Emotions: What emotions do you want to evoke in your audience?

Tailor your storytelling to resonate with your audience’s needs and preferences.

Practice and Experiment

Storytelling is a skill that improves with practice. Experiment with different techniques and styles to find what works best for you. Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone and try new approaches.

Seek Feedback

Asking for feedback from others can provide valuable insights into your storytelling. Share your work with friends, family, or colleagues and ask for their honest opinions. Be open to constructive criticism and use it to improve your skills.

Be Authentic

The most compelling stories are those that are genuine and authentic. Avoid trying to force a story into a particular mold or genre. Let your own experiences and passions guide your storytelling.

By following these tips and practising regularly, you can develop your storytelling skills and create compelling narratives that resonate with your audience. Remember, storytelling is a journey; there’s always room for growth and improvement.

Final Words

Storytelling is a powerful tool that can enhance your marketing and business success. By understanding the psychology of storytelling, mastering effective techniques, and adapting your approach to different platforms, you can create compelling narratives that resonate with your audience. Remember, the key to effective storytelling is authenticity, practice, and a deep understanding of your audience. By incorporating storytelling into your business strategy, you can build stronger relationships, drive sales, and achieve long-term success.

The post Mastering the Art of Storytelling: The Ultimate Guide for Marketing & Business Success appeared first on Vskills Blog.

1. AI in digital Marketing

this is the number one digital marketing trend on our listing. the sector has been buzzing approximately how the artificial Intelligence wave will take over every issue of your lives inside the future. Little do we comprehend, the trade has already begun. 60% of internet users have already interacted with an AI chatbot for fixing queries across multiple apps and websites.
most of the content material we consume on our social media platforms is high-quality-tuned through AIs to make our stay engaged for longer! This technology is so notable that it’s miles projected to be a $one hundred ninety billion enterprise by 2025 and virtual entrepreneurs have an high-quality opportunity to make the most this hello-tech tool.

2. Metaverse

A global within our global is what the Metaverse is popularly known as. The Metaverse is currently owned by Meta (facebook). The idea of a virtual area in which virtual and augmented realities co-exist to create a typical enjoy is each new and doubtlessly untapped.
Metaverse has made social commerce possible with a network of realities/digital marketing or universes wherein area exists almost anywhere. nicely, virtual marketers have observed an opportunity for their manufacturers to fill that space and create an entire new medium of digital marketing.

3. NFTs
   Non-Fungible Tokens are the digital belongings that you could trade. each NFT has a completely unique token that says that that is the authentic NFT and is owned by way of you. NFTs have disrupted the artwork and technology world but it has commenced penetrating the marketing world as well.
   unfastened NFTs are supplied in of venture as brands for their predominant marketing goals. for instance, Marriott Bonvoy created a gamble where the winners could acquire their very own NFT and two hundred,000 Bonvoy points.
   those varieties of virtual advertising campaigns have been targeted via excessive-end brands like Adidas, Marriott, and so forth simplest. as soon as increasingly more manufacturers make use of NFTs as a advertising device, the increase and opportunities are unlimited.

4. Crypto

Cryptocurrency can be called the INSTAGRAM of the Finance world. It entered the industry and slowly conquered whilst all people by no means noticed any potential in it. There are 10-12 million energetic crypto traders in India and were growing because the returns are large.
Cryptocurrencies have end up one of the cooler things for millennials and therefore all people wants to invest. Crypto investing platforms are using this want of the new generation and offering them unfastened components of one cryptocurrency to create consciousness and additionally supply traders a glimpse of this investment avenue.

5. Livestream trade
   Livestream trade is quite new to India but China has already made one billion-dollar marketplace over it. manufacturers pick out their social media platforms to showcase their products live and the audience is ready to buy the product live itself.
   Even on Instagram, the shop feature has enabled manufacturers to put up the display Now button on live video content material which cuts the chase for the patron. Livestream commerce has decreased the time taken of the patron from commercial to purchase and therefore is one of the fine virtual advertising and marketing traits in 2022.
6. Voice seek Optimization
   according to research via Review42 on voice search, they determined that 55% of young adults use voice seek every day. This massive adoption by using the entire generation indicates how famous voice search is going to get within the destiny.
   There are more than one reasons why Voice seek, a function we all obtained with our smartphones around 2014, is commencing in a large manner this year. first of all, the growing adoption of smart audio system. 20% of the households have sold a clever speaker which includes Amazon Alexa or Google home. The adoption of devices which might be fully voice seek managed is a massive indicator of the way human beings have began to get accustomed to this new behavior.

8. Programmatic marketing

Programmatic ad buying is using software program to purchase digital advertising and marketing. even as the conventional approach includes human negotiation, requests for proposals, and prices, programmatic buying makes use of algorithms and machines to buy commercials.
Programmatic marketing is while AI is used to automate so that advertisers can target greater specific audiences.
The automation is quick, efficient which in the long run will increase conversions and lowers the purchaser acquisition value.
9. Chatbots
Chatbots are taken into consideration one of the top digital advertising traits in 2022, the AI-based era uses instantaneous messaging to chat with clients, and with website traffic. it is designed to communicate with customers by means of textual or auditory techniques.
businesses can leverage the usage of chatbots to interact with clients. for the reason that there are plenty of customers traveling the website immediately, it tremendous to have a era that solutions hundreds of customers immediately. The blessings of having chatbots are 24/7 customer support, immediate responses to inquiries, and answers to simple questions.
sixty three% of people opt for messaging on chatbots to speak with groups or manufacturers. This virtual guide gives notable client services, this indicates a enterprise receives rid of repetitive duties and can focus on critical paintings.

10.YouTube Shorts

The recent addition via the famous platform YouTube is called “Shorts”. it’s miles just like Instagram Reels, wherein you could create quick-shape video content material for 15 seconds or underneath. With the increasing reputation of brief-form video content nowadays, YouTube Shorts is a very good opportunity for all the ones who’ve their existing target audience on that platform. enticing 15-2d movies is all it takes now, to seize the eye of your viewers.

The post Digital Marketing Trends 2023 appeared first on Vskills Blog.

Understanding of Market Research Techniques

Understanding of Market Research Techniques refers to the knowledge and expertise in the methods and tools used to conduct research to gather data and insights for decision-making. Market research techniques involve both qualitative and quantitative research methods.

• Qualitative research methods are exploratory in nature, aimed at gathering in-depth insights and understanding of consumer behavior and attitudes. This can be done through focus groups, in-depth interviews, and observational studies.
• Quantitative research methods, on the other hand, are structured and involve the collection and analysis of numerical data. This can be done through surveys, experiments, and statistical analysis.
• A Market Research Analyst must have a deep understanding of these techniques and their pros and cons. They must be able to choose the right research method based on the objectives of the study and the type of data needed. They should also be able to design surveys and questionnaires that are clear, unbiased, and reliable, and have an understanding of sampling methods to ensure that the data collected is representative of the target population.
• Additionally, a Market Research Analyst should have knowledge of data analysis techniques such as regression, clustering, and factor analysis, which are used to analyze large data sets and extract meaningful insights. They should be able to use software tools such as SPSS, SAS, and R to clean, organize, and analyze data.

By deeply understanding market research techniques, a Market Research Analyst can effectively conduct research and provide valuable insights to decision-makers.

Data Analysis and Interpretation

Data Analysis and Interpretation is the process of cleaning, transforming, and modeling data to extract meaningful insights and draw conclusions. As a Market Research Analyst, having expertise in data analysis and interpretation is crucial to your role.

Here are some key points that can be used to explain the importance of data analysis and interpretation in market research:

• Data analysis involves using various techniques and software tools to analyze raw data collected through market research techniques such as surveys, focus groups, and interviews.
• The data collected needs to be cleaned and transformed into a usable format before analysis can begin. The Market Research Analyst needs to ensure that the data is accurate, complete, and free of errors or biases.
• Once the data is cleaned and transformed, the Analyst can apply statistical analysis techniques to identify patterns, trends, and relationships in the data.
• Data interpretation involves making sense of the results of the analysis and drawing meaningful conclusions based on the findings.
• The Market Research Analyst needs to be able to communicate the results of the analysis effectively to stakeholders in a way that is easy to understand and provides actionable insights.
• The Analyst must also have an understanding of different visualization techniques and tools that can be used to present data in a visually appealing and easy-to-understand format.
• Finally, the Analyst must be able to use the insights gained from the data analysis and interpretation to provide recommendations and guide decision-making processes.

In summary, having expertise in data analysis and interpretation is a key skill for a Market Research Analyst. By being able to analyze and interpret data effectively, Analysts can provide valuable insights to decision-makers and help organizations make informed decisions.

Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving

Critical thinking and problem-solving are essential skills for a Market Research Analyst as they enable the analyst to effectively gather, analyze, and interpret data to solve complex problems and make informed decisions.

Here are some key points that can be used to explain the importance of critical thinking and problem-solving in market research:

• Critical thinking is the process of analyzing information objectively, evaluating the evidence, and using logic and reason to make decisions.
• A Market Research Analyst needs to be able to think critically to identify research problems, design appropriate research studies, and analyze and interpret data.
• Problem-solving is the process of identifying, analyzing, and resolving problems that arise during the research process.
• Market Research Analysts encounter complex problems that require creative and innovative solutions. A strong problem-solving ability enables the analyst to identify potential roadblocks and overcome challenges to deliver accurate and reliable research results.
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills enable the Market Research Analyst to identify patterns and trends in data that may not be immediately apparent. This helps them to draw meaningful conclusions and provide valuable insights.
• In addition, critical thinking and problem-solving skills are crucial when working with stakeholders, as the Analyst needs to be able to identify and address their concerns and requirements.
• Finally, critical thinking and problem-solving skills are essential in developing and implementing effective research strategies that can help organizations achieve their goals.

In summary, Critical thinking and problem-solving skills are critical skills for a Market Research Analyst as they enable the analyst to gather, analyze, and interpret data effectively, identify potential problems, and provide valuable insights to stakeholders. These skills are essential in developing and implementing effective research strategies that can help organizations achieve their goals.

Strong Communication Skills

Strong communication skills are essential for a Market Research Analyst as they need to communicate research findings and insights effectively to stakeholders, including clients, colleagues, and management. Here are some key points that can be used to explain the importance of strong communication skills in market research:

• Market Research Analysts need to be able to communicate research findings and insights clearly and concisely to stakeholders who may not have a technical background or understanding of research methodologies.
• Strong communication skills enable the analyst to articulate research objectives, methods, and findings in a way that is easy for stakeholders to understand.
• Effective communication skills are essential for building strong relationships with clients, colleagues, and management. The Analyst needs to be able to communicate regularly and build trust with stakeholders to ensure that research objectives are aligned with organizational goals.
• Strong communication skills also enable the Analyst to manage expectations effectively. The Analyst needs to be able to communicate realistic timelines and provide regular updates to stakeholders to ensure that they are informed throughout the research process.
• Finally, strong communication skills are essential in presenting research findings to stakeholders. The Analyst needs to be able to present research findings in a way that is engaging and compelling, using data visualization techniques and storytelling to bring the data to life.

In summary, strong communication skills are essential for a Market Research Analyst as they enable the analyst to communicate research findings and insights effectively to stakeholders, build strong relationships with clients, colleagues, and management, manage expectations, and present research findings in a way that is engaging and compelling.

Attention to Detail

Attention to detail is a critical skill for Market Research Analysts, as it enables them to ensure the accuracy and reliability of research findings. Here are some key points that can be used to explain the importance of attention to detail in market research:

• Market Research Analysts need to be able to pay close attention to detail to ensure that research findings are accurate and reliable. This means carefully checking data and results for errors, inconsistencies, and anomalies.
• Attention to detail is also essential when designing research studies. The Analyst needs to be able to design surveys and questionnaires that are clear, concise, and unambiguous, with questions that are well-constructed and free from bias.
• Attention to detail is important in data collection, where the Analyst needs to ensure that the data is collected accurately and consistently. This means training field researchers, monitoring data collection procedures, and checking data for completeness and accuracy.
• In data analysis, attention to detail is essential for identifying patterns, trends, and insights. The Analyst needs to be able to identify outliers, anomalies, and errors in the data and take steps to correct them.
• Finally, attention to detail is important when presenting research findings to stakeholders. The Analyst needs to be able to present data in a way that is clear, concise, and accurate, with attention to detail in data visualization and storytelling.

In summary, attention to detail is a critical skill for Market Research Analysts as it enables them to ensure the accuracy and reliability of research findings, design research studies, collect data, analyze data, and present research findings to stakeholders.

Project Management

Project management is an essential skill for Market Research Analysts, as they are often responsible for managing research projects from start to finish. Here are some key points that can be used to explain the importance of project management in market research:

• Market Research Analysts need to be able to manage research projects effectively, which requires strong project management skills. They need to be able to plan, organize, and coordinate research activities, ensuring that projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards.
• Project management skills are essential when managing multiple research projects simultaneously. The Analyst needs to be able to prioritize tasks, manage resources, and allocate time effectively to ensure that all projects are completed on time.
• Effective project management requires strong communication skills, both with team members and stakeholders. The Analyst needs to be able to communicate project goals, timelines, and progress updates to team members, and communicate research findings to stakeholders.
• Project management skills are also important when managing budgets and resources. The Analyst needs to be able to track expenses, manage resources effectively, and identify potential cost savings to ensure that projects are delivered within budget.
• Finally, project management skills are important when managing project risks. The Analyst needs to be able to identify potential risks, develop risk mitigation strategies, and monitor and control risks throughout the project lifecycle.

In summary, project management is a critical skill for Market Research Analysts as it enables them to manage research projects effectively, prioritize tasks, manage resources, communicate with team members and stakeholders, manage budgets and resources, and identify and manage project risks.

Industry Knowledge and Business Acumen

Industry knowledge and business acumen are important skills for Market Research Analysts to possess as it allows them to understand the industry and businesses they are conducting research for. Here are some key points that can be used to explain the importance of industry knowledge and business acumen in market research:

• Market Research Analysts need to have a deep understanding of the industry they are researching in order to conduct effective research. This includes knowledge of market trends, competition, regulatory environment, and other industry-specific factors that can impact the research.
• Business acumen is important as it enables the Analyst to understand the business objectives and strategies of the organization they are conducting research for. This includes understanding the company’s product and service offerings, target market, sales channels, and competitive landscape.
• With a deep understanding of industry trends and business objectives, the Analyst is better equipped to design research studies that address key business questions and provide valuable insights to stakeholders.
• Industry knowledge and business acumen also enable the Analyst to interpret research findings in the context of the industry and business environment. This includes identifying key trends and insights that are relevant to the company’s strategy, as well as providing recommendations for action based on the research findings.
• Finally, industry knowledge and business acumen can also help the Analyst to build credibility with stakeholders by demonstrating an understanding of the business and industry context, and by providing insights that are relevant and valuable to the organization.

In summary, industry knowledge and business acumen are critical skills for Market Research Analysts as they enable them to understand the industry and businesses they are researching, design effective research studies, interpret research findings in the context of the business environment, and build credibility with stakeholders.

Technology Proficiency

In today’s market research industry, the use of technology is becoming increasingly important to improve efficiency, accuracy, and the ability to collect and analyze large amounts of data. Here are some key points to consider regarding technology proficiency for a market research analyst:

• Understanding of statistical software: Market research analysts must have a strong understanding of statistical software, such as SPSS, SAS, or R, to perform data analysis and create reports that accurately interpret research findings.
• Knowledge of data visualization tools: Data visualization tools, such as Tableau or Power BI, can help market research analysts to create visually compelling and insightful reports that communicate research results to stakeholders.
• Familiarity with survey software: Market research analysts must also have experience working with online survey software, such as SurveyMonkey or Qualtrics, to create surveys, distribute them to participants, and collect responses.
• Understanding of data security: As market research analysts work with large amounts of data, they must have a strong understanding of data security and protection measures to ensure that sensitive information is handled appropriately.
• Adaptability to new technologies: As technology continues to evolve, market research analysts must be able to adapt and learn new tools and software as needed to improve their research methods and analysis capabilities.

Adaptability

Adaptability is a crucial skill for market research analysts because the industry is constantly evolving with new technology, methods, and trends. Here are some key points to consider regarding adaptability:

• Flexibility in work approach: Market research analysts should be flexible in their work approach to adjust to the changing needs of the industry. They should be able to switch between different research projects, adapt to new research methodologies, and accommodate new client requests.
• Ability to learn quickly: As the market research industry evolves, new technologies and software tools are continually introduced. Analysts should be able to quickly learn new tools and adapt to new processes to stay competitive.
• Openness to change: Being open to change and willing to embrace new ideas is critical for market research analysts. It allows them to look beyond the traditional research methodologies and explore new methods that may be more effective in solving research problems.
• Innovative thinking: Innovation is essential in market research. Analysts who think outside the box and propose new ideas and methods to improve research outcomes are highly valued. This requires an ability to take calculated risks and experiment with new methods and techniques.
• Ability to work with diverse teams: The market research industry is made up of diverse teams with a range of backgrounds and experiences. The ability to work with diverse teams and communicate effectively with individuals from different backgrounds is essential for a market research analyst to succeed in their role.

Continuous Learning and Improvement

As a market research analyst, it is essential to stay updated with the latest market trends, techniques, and technologies. Continuous learning and improvement are necessary to remain competitive in this field. Some of the key aspects of continuous learning and improvement for a market research analyst include:

1. Industry Research: Staying up-to-date with the latest industry trends and best practices by attending industry conferences, workshops, and seminars.
2. Learning New Tools and Technologies: Continuously learning new market research tools and technologies to stay updated with the latest research techniques.
3. Learning New Analysis Techniques: Staying updated with new statistical analysis and data visualization techniques to extract insights and trends from data.
4. Training and Development: Participating in training and development programs to enhance skills and knowledge related to market research.
5. Professional Development: Obtaining certifications, participating in webinars and online courses, and pursuing advanced degrees in market research and related fields.
6. Learning from Mistakes: Analyzing past research projects and identifying areas of improvement, learning from mistakes, and implementing corrective measures in future research projects.
7. Collaboration: Working with colleagues and industry experts to share ideas, knowledge, and best practices to improve research projects.

In summary, a market research analyst must continuously learn and improve their skills and knowledge to remain competitive in this field. It is important to stay updated with the latest industry trends and technologies, learn new analysis techniques, and participate in training and development programs to enhance skills and knowledge related to market research.

Expert Corner

In conclusion, becoming a successful market research analyst requires a combination of technical skills, critical thinking, strong communication, attention to detail, project management, industry knowledge, adaptability, and continuous learning. The ability to analyze data, think critically, and communicate effectively are essential skills in this field. Project management and industry knowledge are also key components for successful market research analysts. With the rapid advancements in technology, it’s crucial for market research analysts to be tech-savvy and continuously improve their skills. By developing these top 10 skills, aspiring market research analysts can set themselves up for a successful career in this exciting field.

The post Top 10 Skills to become a Market Research Analyst appeared first on Vskills Blog.

He is an IVEY Business school, in Ontario Canada trained faculty in the Case of teaching and Writing techniques. He has a total professional experience of more than 27 years in teaching, training, research, and consulting. He started two Business schools in the Delhi-NCR region in 2004 and 2008 and traveled extensively in more than 20+ countries all around the globe for various academic and research collaboration endeavors. He has presented 22+ research papers at various reputed international and national conferences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Indore, ISB Hyderabad, Great Lakes Chennai, IIT Delhi, etc. He also published 30+ research papers in peer-reviewed indexed journals and edited books, 45+ contemporary research articles in Brand Equity, Business World, Education times, The Hindu, Financial Express, Business Standard, etc., and 13+ working papers under the aegis of FORE School of Management, New Delhi.He has conducted several MDPs, FDPs, Executive Education Programs, and Consulting assignments for corporates like TATA chemicals Ltd, IRCTC, MTNL, Mahagun Group, Relaxo Footwear, Tata Pigments Ltd, Indian Army, and many more.

1. With so much experience and exposure, how would you define your journey so far?

“The Only Constant in Life Is Change” and one must be agile to move with time.

It has been a nice enriching academic journey so far and working with premier business schools in India and abroad has given me a lot more exposure and learning. I started my professional journey after completing my two postgraduate degrees in the sales field and then the transition happened towards the academic field in 1998, since then I’ve been associated with the higher education sector as an educator, trainer, and consultant. The desire to upskill led me to pursue &complete my Ph.D. in 2008 which helped with new learnings and gave a boost to my career. When I look back, I have groomed more than 8000 students, including corporates and government employees in my education career. I have worked with almost every premier business school and university in the Delhi-NCR region either as faculty, trainer, consultant, or an academic expert on the Area Advisory Boards or as Ph.D. Expert. I have taken calculated risks by coming out of my comfort zone every time and exploring opportunities in the market for professional growth. Ifirmlybelieve “Opportunities don’t happen, you have to create them and must be responsible enough to make the best use of them”.

“The Only Constant in Life Is Change” and one must be agile to move with time. This ever-changing higher education sector demands constant upskilling to cope with the fast-changing market trends. I ensure constant learning through professional networking with all stakeholders- especially with the corporates, government bodies, accreditation bodies, and alumni.

2. Why is the gig economy growing and how should we prepare for it?

Several reasons contribute to the growth of the Gig economy. It is a win-win situation for workers as well for employers. The millennials seem to prefer freelancing over full-time employment due to its flexibility and independence. It has created better opportunities for finding more work across the globe and made work more adaptable to the changing needs and demands for flexible lifestyles. With Gigs, freelancers can make lifestyle choices that a conventional job would not allow. They can choose when and where to work and at the same time determine how much they will charge for their services.

Indians need supplemental income due to the increasing cost of living, growing aspirations of students, and changing mindsets of women engaged in homemaking.Companies benefit from having a flexible workforce; they are spending less on training or recruitment, need not pay for any medical coverage, and can more easily replace their workforce if needed. Contracted workers are more cost-effective for businesses and employers are benefiting from a wider range of applicant pools to choose from, also, they don’t necessarily need to hire one based on one’s proximity.

The Higher education institutions (HEIs) must prepare the Alpha generation to succeed in the future Gig economy to be self-employed, entrepreneurial, and to successfully run a new venture because increasingly, that’s what each of Gen Alpha will do for at least some part of their careers. HEIs must teach them short-term practice-oriented courses to work independently with adaptability and resilience skills for uncertain times, and social and emotional skills to thrive in the new disruptive world. Gen Alpha is required to be trained for the increasinggig jobs of tomorrow and not the traditional jobs of yesterday.

3. How have marketing trends shifted from ‘Word Of Mouth’ To ‘Word Of Mouse?

The world is changing, and technology is taking the lead. Today, everything is going digital which means companies are also going online to market their products and services. And to survive the challenges of digital marketing (Word of Mouse), brands need to keep up with the latest trends. These days, social media is the new arena of digital marketers, as 4 billion people use social media each month, or 50% of the total global population. Moreover, it’s growing: every day, one million people, try social media for the first time. Social media has become so ingrained in the way people communicate and live; it will be challenging for people to not use social media in one way or another. Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and many other platforms have become a significant part of people’s lives of all generations, around the world. The average daily time spent on social networking by internet users worldwide amounted to 145 minutes per day and Indian users spent in line with the global average.

An effective social media strategy requires organizations to identify the right target audience and to research where the audience hangs out online and what message will resonate with them. Social media is now real-time, immediate value-add information and will take the business to new levels faster than ever. Each social media site has different user demographics, and psychographics, and the content must be reshaped to match perfectly with the platform on which it will be posted.

Nonetheless, the technology not only provides a more efficient, responsive, and customized way to deal with customers; but it is also more cost-effective.

4. What advice would you like to give to freshers who wish to pursue a career in Marketing?

“The Network is your Net worth in the Modern Marketing Industry”.

My advice to all the freshers is to pay special attention to your behavioral and soft skills to pursue a career in marketing. Technical knowledge can be gained at any point but being well-spoken, empathetic, and kind towards your customers goes a long way in defining your organization’s customer’s Lifetime Value and your personal branding as a marketing professional.

The next most important aspect ofthis profession is ‘Networking’. This is a great way to meet people in your marketing career. Try to find and attend marketing meets, conferences, and get-togethers. This will not only help you find potential job leads, but it will also give you a pool of experienced marketing people from whom you can learn and better understand the skills you’ll need. If possible, find a highly experienced marketer to become a mentor who can give more personal help and recommendations.

5. What are the 5 most important skills required to excel in this field?

Modern marketing is very different from traditional marketing with digital strategies playing a significant role and traditional methods becoming less relevant and less effective. That means that while certain skills associated with the field (such as creativity and communication) are certainly still important and applicable, there are a whole host of other, newer skills that are required to excel in this field.

The five most important skills are creativity &problem-solving, communication skills (verbal & written), Interpersonal skills, adaptability, and leadership skills.All these skills can be built through dedicated training and education and continuous improvement in the above five skills will make you a better marketer and more employable in the industry.

6. What is the quotation you live by your life?

“If we change with change we will survive.

If we anticipate change, we will succeed,

If we can influence change, we will excel!!”

Prepare with Job Interview Questions

If you are a marketing professional and having a job interview, then you must checkout these interview questions designed by experts based on recent interviews conducted in different companies.

The post Learn the 5 Skills to become successful in Marketing | Prof. (Dr.) Anupam Narula appeared first on Vskills Blog.

Shivani has completed her Bachelor of Engineering in the Electrical domain and has done a specialization in Integrated Marketing Strategy from IIM Lucknow. She is also pursuing her specialization in Digital Transformation from a premier B-school. She has worked for companies like Adobe, Mastech InfoTrellis, Simplilearn and MiSmile Network. Her achievements speak for themselves.

1. What inspired you to pursue a career in marketing?

Answer: It so happened that I completed my engineering and I got an opportunity with one of the MNCs in sales. Then I had different plans and moved into process excellence, and that’s when I discovered digital marketing. Coincidentally, I was getting married and moving from Delhi to Chandigarh. Doing my basic research in Chandigarh, I came across one of the first few agencies that were serving global clients in digital marketing, and that’s when I stepped into this stream of work.

And you know, I would say this was the right mix for me because digital marketing requires a lot of creativity, logical thinking, problem-solving ability, and technical skill set. So I think it was the right mix for me where I could connect with brands, relate to customers, and use my skills to create the demand and experience that they aspire to.

2. What according to you are the three most important skills to build a successful career in marketing?

Answer: I think marketing needs ideation and innovation ability of what your customers would need. So the skills that people would require to get into this field are definitely the ability to think beyond the traditional method of reaching out to customers. Secondly, communication, I would say, is to reach out to people and to relate and articulate your message to the customer in the way they need it.

Thirdly, innovative ideation using digital marketing, which is all about getting on digital platforms, so your friendliness towards data is crucial. You should be able to analyze and understand data to derive some pattern out of it and then make decisions accordingly. These 3 skills are required, and you’ve got to be very close to the data to get into marketing these days.

3. The global pandemic had no favourites and everybody and everything has been impacted in some way or the other. What was your strategy to bring sustainability to the business?

Answer: I think a lot of organizations were caught by surprise since their business models were neither digitally friendly nor digitally adapted, and that’s when there were new kinds of challenges that organizations came across. Right from demand generation to CRM, sales distribution, and order handling, everything became a challenge and there was a new environment completely being created. They engaged with software companies to give new kinds of experiences to their customers.

So the major challenges, I think, that organizations faced at that time were people-centric, being able to retain and engage employees. On the other hand, the customers are the ones to whom the companies were able to provide service in that sort of challenging environment.

Those businesses that stood or were sustained were those that managed to give that sort of digital experience. This is because everything went digital, and with complete lockdown, people can’t step out, so the experience companies could give through digital platforms was one of the essential aspects of sustaining themselves.

There were many new kinds of partnerships that filled in needed gaps. For instance, I will talk about sports brands. They engage with software companies to give new kinds of experiences to their customers, e.g., Nike and Zomato. The way they digitized themselves completely, the way they partnered with a delivery service and made things easier with no in-person delivery and only contactless delivery was provided.

There are a lot of examples in which businesses evolved in such a way that they managed to serve the customers based on the external environment they had. Over that, there were companies that managed to build a strong relationship with their employees and customers through transparency and the right kind of relationship. I think these were some important steps that businesses took and managed to sustain themselves.

4. In the business world, the term VUCA became popular when significant technological changes took place. However, with the pandemic, everything seemed insufficient. A new acronym then emerged – BANI. How should companies prepare for a BANI world?

Answer: I think during the pandemic, there was complete chaos in which the organizations had to function to sustain themselves. It teaches us to live in challenging times and yet show the capacity and resilience to sustain ourselves. Businesses need to have a plan B regardless of how well plan A is working. Secondly, having a collaborative environment within the organization gives a structured and strengthening team.

This makes employees feel important and that they have been given the right set of tools to adapt and perform in that changing environment. I would say there’s a lot of anxiety, which is another term that has been a part of VUCA. We should kill anxiety by being very emphatic and making people feel important. Even school children were able to manage their studies in a way that kind of came into the anxiety that kids and parents started having.

And lastly, I would say enhance your proactiveness and intuition by adopting AI/ML-based platforms so that you can serve what your customers need and you can think in advance and faster than the intuition method.

5. Experiential e-commerce is the future for all companies that are selling online. What’s your opinion about it?

Answer: I would completely agree with this. Now it’s all about delivering the right superior customer experience to your prospects and customers. A complete shift has happened in the way customers are interacting with the business, whether it’s a B2B or a B2C scenario. We see businesses spending close to 70% of their marketing budget to automate their marketing process and to centralize all their functions so that they can work in a more seamless and automated fashion.

Also, look at most of the e-commerce brands; they have integrated augmented reality into this entire environment. They also do different kinds of contests, basically offering an engaged environment by creating contests, virtual events, online games, etc. For instance, a lot of luxury brands like Zara or H&M are some of the brands. The kind of immersive experience they’re giving to their customers is absolutely fidgety to the extent that the customer really doesn’t need to feel the need to step out of their home.

So I think it’s now very customer experience oriented that businesses are following. There’s a huge shift in which businesses are investing to create an experience for their customers.

6. We are seeing a continued rise in Influencer Marketing. What kind of impact does it have on the overall business?

Answer: Now that we are moving into a virtual mode with Meta falling into place and so many other things happening virtually. You do not think like a human unless you don’t touch, feel, or hold a particular product or do not need a person for a service you want to engage with. There is still a lack of trust and credibility in customer business. That’s where you seek the right advice and get it from a popular personality or influence in that particular industry to give you the right kind of advice.

So I think, over a period of time, influencer marketing has started to play a very important role because people are able to relate to that person or that public figure. And be able to get convinced that if this kind of person is endorsing a particular product, it must be valuable. Basically, the entire approach is higher reach and rich content that goes together.

7. How do you handle when the designed marketing strategies do not perform as per the plan?

Answer: I think the beauty of digital marketing and transformation is that it gives you the right amount of data, flexibility and adaptability to a new style of something that is working and something that isn’t. You can find out that through data analysis. So there are multiple ways to course correct the failing strategy whether it’s about the right messaging in place, aligning the target, or aligning the messaging as per the target audience. Whether you change your designs through the planning or through organizing campaigns.

Also, maybe through A/B testing, a wonderful feature in marketing scenarios these days. It’s something that we didn’t see in the traditional method at all, but through digital platforms, yes. You can do AP testing whether it’s to do with design or with messaging, or with the product or offers. Product variation, pricing variation, anything can be done in a testing environment, and that’s where you can first correct the strategy in a way that worked and whatnot.

There’s always room for improvement, a room to make mistakes and then course correct them on a timely basis. Let that strategy run for some time and then post corrections on tactics that can happen simultaneously.

8. How do you stay up-to-date with the latest marketing trends and techniques?

Answer: I think there is so much to learn, so it’s very important to stay connected with the outside world. What you do and deliver within the four walls of your workplace should go beyond that. Therefore, you should definitely keep upskilling yourself with competitive certifications from renowned institutes. Be a part of webinars, summits, and make that network your network in that industry so that you meet the right kind of mentors and people who can learn and support you.

9. What advice would you like to give freshers who wish to join this field?

Answer: I think the market is very fluid, highly competitive and completely in demand. You got to keep yourself on doors. Learn the ropes to get the next big leads that you’re looking for. So do these certifications from renowned institutes and domain podcasts by some of the top readers. And be a part of blogs, webinars, summits, and events so you remain updated.

Other than that, shortlist the companies that you aim to work for and follow them. Learn what product solutions they are offering, what kind of case studies they are putting, and stay in touch with the people who work as employees or recruiters. Also, have a very strong presence on LinkedIn and keep sharing your thought process. Engage with the audience and other people in the same network so that they know your interest in a particular area or industry.

I would say lastly, stay connected with recruiters outside your network as well. Because it’s not only about aiming for the company but also at times you get a lot of freelancing opportunities which let you perform what you practically learnt. And why don’t you do this parallel while continuing to work or apply for the big lead you have in mind? But it’s important this industry gives you the facility of working and learning from freelancing and side projects. And then once you have the dream work that you have, you can work on it dedicated.

The post Interview with Strategy & Digital Marketing Expert – Ms. Shivani Narang appeared first on Vskills Blog.

Q1. Can you tell us more about your journey and why did you choose this field?

Answer: It started in 2008 when I got to know the word marketing. My brother did MBA during that time only I heard the word marketing existed in this era. So that was the school time where I did explorations of that particular domain. When I was in 12 standard, I was working on a technology innovation startup. It was with my friends. From there I got to know that I have to build something, a website caught. I require a website to approach to the people for selling and marketing those innovations. From there my journey started.

The first website which I launched in 2014, 15, 16 basically that was of e-commerce based platform. From that stuff, i got into terminology digital marketing. During that time, my studies were going on and with startups and studies, I chose studies. Study didn’t seemed to be that much interesting, so i shifted to digital marketing. In my startups, I learned all the stuff about digital marketing. From their my journey began, and by now i have co-founded 3-4 companies. 2-3 are dumbed and 2-3 are still running.

Q2.What according to you are the key skills required to become a successful Digital Marketing professional?

Answer: To become a successful digital marketer, you should know your customer. The first thing you need to know is who is your buyer persona, and whatever business you are in. If you know your customer, that will be your biggest point. Secondly, your communication skills. Most importantly, what are you going to communicate with your audience to a particular customer who is unaware of your product or service. Thirdly, your approaching content. What you are going to provide, must be what is he looking for. And that content should be creative and as per his requirement. If you can provide that, you will excel.

Next thing is haver an expertise in paid marketing, organic marketing and analytics. You should have the knowledge of these , but get expertise in one of the domain. That makes you special out of the box from the crowd. These skills are going to boost you in successful digital marketing.

Q3.Can you please tell us about the trending Digital Marketing techniques used these days?

Answer: The trending topic in digital marketing is Artificial intelligence. It is booming around like now in each and every field. AI in digital marketing is a good gift you could consider. That everything is going to be under the algorithms. The first one is AI. Second one is metaverse. It is comprised of AR & BR which is augmented reality and virtual reality. This is also going to boom out that how your virtual reality in the digital platform and augmented reality which is physically but in the form of visual. How it is going to boom out.

The third one is NFTs. It’s non-fungible tokens. It is going to have a role in digital marketing. The next one is crypto. Crypto is going to give some support and boost digital marketing in upcoming years. The next one is marketing automation. It is currently on the hype. That is what particular businesses in adopting, platforms that are optimizing. Because currently, many companies are not hiring multiple employees for a single task. It is something which automation works it out. It is like single automation multiple tasks have been executed.

Another one is influencer marketing. It is also going to boom and support digital marketing. The next one to be considered is Omni channel marketing. It is something of great stuff to get into, WhatsApp marketing and so on. These top ones are going to emerge rapidly in digital marketing in the coming generations.

Q4.Which performance metrics are marketing organizations using right now to measure the success of a campaign?

Answer: For campaigns whatever the running is might be paid or might be organic. So every platform has its own metrics to measure so we call it KPI, which is a key performance indicator. So on paid marketing, you can call it a CTR( create through rate), which is going to accumulate what results in you are getting with your paid apps. The next one is CPC( cost per click), what click you are going to get paid on each and every lead/ traffic. You can call as click-hits in the organic number of traffic, visitors, sessions, durations in your website and, any more are there. In social media, it is maximum followers, and maximum engagement, these are all metrics which are measured for the campaigns running. Whether they are paid or social media marketing.

Q5.With more than two-thirds of digital ad spend now going to Facebook and Google, optimization on these platforms is becoming ever more important. What is an ideal strategy for maximum ROI?

Answer: Coming to Facebook and Google ads like over the years of starting a business, they are directly approaching ads. The reason is they want to scale their product services very soon. Due to that Google & Facebook ads are generating maximum ROI with the organizations having their own startups. So for getting maximum ROI, for the business owner, I would suggest going for organic marketing, Whatever SEO is going to help you out. The reason is, that when you will have an organic marketing strategy like SEO, and social media marketing optimization if you are having app store optimization, it will provide you with value.

In paid apps, it is something like that what consumers require, you give in. That’s the only pipeline which is going to last and be fulfilled. But in organic marketing, it is something like the continuation of what users are asking and what you are providing. If you are a valuable provider/ centric through organic marketing, that will lead to you maximum skill for a long tenure. You can get a good ROI from there and could get to know how your audience is performing and whether you should select paid apps or not.

But on initial levels, you should start with organic marketing. This is because your visibility should also be there on google search. That yes, if you are getting paid, traffics are generated. But when somebody searches out, nearly 65% of the population direct purchase after seeing ads. They first go to multiple platforms to know if the product benefits and provides value.

Q6.After Facebook changed its parent company’s name to Meta in October 2021, the metaverse came to the attention of marketers. Can you please tell us more about this?

Answer: Nearly, 3-4 years back, I was teaching students. There were 14-15 students in my training. In that period, I predicted, in the upcoming 4-5 years it is something going to be amazing that, whatever e-commerce platform and website-based business will make consumers feel them in the store in reality. Where you are purchasing, entertaining, or enjoying. Metaverse is also cumulative of AR & VR. So AR is something more of a real-world but is digital which is taken by multiple software.

So they are software-driven environments or a world multiple things would take place in the digital world. We are not going to be a part of the actual world, our digital views of the face, and content. This is going to play a major role in upcoming business. Depends on how it is utilized. Coming to VR, is something which is virtual reality that you might have played games. AR & VR are going to be cumulative and play a big role in each and every type of business. It could be pharma, medical, defense, education, and many more.

Q7.Smart campaigns in Google Ads have been introduced to simplify the complex process of managing Google Ads for small businesses. How do these Smart campaigns work?

Answer: So smart campaigns have been set up for those businesses which are not able to scale their business by keeping any in-house market team or giving somebody else to market their product or services. So smart campaigns run with the principle of massive learning. What it does is, whenever you run your campaign, it will reach the relevant customer and will convert to your customer. It depends on your conversion, and how you are product, or service is. But it will provide you with something for relevant users only.

Whosoever relevant users are in the business, it is going to help you to reach out to them for a particular campaign strategy, i.e. smart campaign.

Q8.How have core updates impacted the organic visibility of businesses?

Answer: For the last 6-7 months, I am also facing the same issue with my website which has been the fluctuating of rankings are there but now it is smooth. There might be reasons which came to my notice. That is the loading of your website, if your website loading time is more, then users don’t have that much of time that they will stay, including me. Even you have noticed that whenever you visit any website what do we do if it takes more than 15-20 seconds? we skip out to another website. The consumer doesn’t like your website if he doesn’t get what he wants at a specific time. That’s how it’s getting affected.

Second thing, whatever call to action button or internal linking you are having on your website must be responsive. If it’s not then the customer will redirect to somewhere else for what he is looking for. So if it happens, consumers will skip your website which will affect your website ranking.

Thirdly, whatever content you are providing to your consumer are they ready to consume that in a good way or not? If they are, then yes you are going to get good search results as well as searching visibility on a SERP page. So these 3 things could play the role in core updates. Many organizations are trying to overcome these 3 things and few of them already did.

Q9. How do you stay updated with the latest Digital Marketing trends?

If I talk about how to get updates, then I read blogs a lot. I am very much interested in reading blogs because I don’t want to miss out on anything. So it’s my habit to get maximum blogs and case studies. These 2 things are my main objectives. Thirdly, I never miss google updates. Being a digital marketer you must consider updates on daily bases and not monthly or yearly. If you are missing something today, you are going to face it the next day or even the next moment. You should keep yourself updated with digital platforms and digital media.

I am also a part of a lot of communities that have nearly 25-30 years of experience. They provide their own learnings as well. Today we conduct meetings and deliver our thought processes.

Q10. What advice would you give to freshers who wish to prepare for the field of Digital Marketing?

Answer: For this, I have a big thing to say don’t get influenced by social media platforms. If anybody is influencing you that join digital marketing you will be paid highly, don’t listen to them. Because in this digital era, you must get into that apply if you are not passionate about your interest, then don’t jump in it. It is not for those who just want to earn. It is a search field. You will have to research, learn, and execute each and every day. So it is something like you have to get good interest and passion to be updated and get into this domain.

The post Interview with Digital Marketing Expert – Mr. Raj Kishor appeared first on Vskills Blog.

Five Principles of Sustainable Marketing

• Consumer-oriented marketing
• Customer value marketing
• Innovative marketing
• Sense-of-mission marketing
• Societal marketing

Let us listen to Dr. Ms Sujata Khandai. She is a professor of Marketing and Deputy Dean (academics) at Amity University Noida with over 21 years of experience. She also serves as Director at Amity college of commerce & finance and Officiating head at Amity school of business. She completed her undergraduate degree in Economics from Ethiraj College, Chennai, PGDM Marketing from Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar. She also holds a PhD from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi. She has also served in Bajaj electricals, Kathmandu university, IILM, and ITS.

Q1. Sustainability-related processes have recently gained ground in businesses across the globe. How does sustainability impact marketing?

Answer: Sustainability is something which is a primary concern to each one of us. If you see developed economy they are more way ahead when it comes to incorporating sustainability processes and all their activities of their daily lives in fact. Now marketing is very important function of our daily lives because this is how corporations earn revenues and this is what gets the corporation going. The reason sustainability has prompted, initiated worldwide is initiated by UN and is commonly known as sustainability development goals. Society’s driving for today is nothing else but sustainability because we need to take care of the environment, we have to leave behind something for our generations to come.

If we consume all the natural resources, we pollute the environment and we bring about massive climatic changes that we see happening today also, especially in India we are witness to it, we will probably leave a planet which is so much worse for a much generation that they would probably will not livable earth, they will probably have to go elsewhere and to search other planets to live on. So that is the reason why sustainability is so so very important today.

Q2. Marketing is currently confronting immense change due to sustainability and evolving customer expectations. This brings both risk and opportunity. What’s your opinion about it?

Answer: Let us not forget, sustainability is a very complex issue. It is very nice to talk about the sustainability and we are very sustainable. But for an organization to incorporate sustainable practices is not easy, but considered difficult. Most of the organizations incorporating sustainability to their business practices as in the raw materials that they use, the manufacturing processes that they adopt, the supply chain processes that they have. To a certain extent they incorporate sustainable practices in some of these process but not in all the processes. It is so because it is very expensive, and risks are associated. It becomes a hugely expensive process to make your entire operation sustainable. From end to end it is not really possible.

It’s not like we started decades back, we started very recently. Some organizations like Bodyshop, they are probably more sustainable and they have worked hard incorporating sustainability into their process and practices some time back. They would probably at much more advance level but not the others. So yes, risks are certainly there, and there are immense financial risks involved. Opportunities are huge because if you see from a customer’s point of view, a large number of customers are very woke today, aware today as you call them.

They are the ones who try to be sustainable consumers. Until & unless we engender sustainable consumption amongst consumers, sustainable marketing will fall to pieces. So yes, that is an immense opportunity because if you look at the millennia especially Gen Z and the alpha generation coming up, they are the ones demanding sustainable development, and it is not only the product that is sustainable by the marketers but is also the processes that have been adopted to market and manufacture the product, even that needs to be sustainable. So it will be the demand of the generation we are going to see tomorrow that is Gen z which is already a purchasing consumer and alpha generation consumers from 2010 onwards demand sustainability from all the marketers.

Right now we have the choice, to adopt or not adopt or to what extent as long as it does not negatively impact the bottom line. But eventually we are moving towards circular economy. Circular economy is something , the more we are going towards it, the more it is going to benefit each and every stakeholder/shareholders.

Q3. What is the biggest challenge for implementing and reporting sustainability in marketing and other business processes?

Answer: Some of the big challenges for implementing and reporting sustainability would be supply chain because this can be difficult especially most of the companies are global companies. They work across countries, and market across countries. So supply chain could be difficult preposition because it involves several nations and each of the nations have their own legal requirements which is not necessarily company specific.

The second challenge, there are numerous reporting frameworks available today. Every country probably has their own unique reporting frameworks. There are some global reporting frameworks but every country has their own unique reporting framework. Under this, it can be quite difficult to harmonize them in order to present a clear picture of company’s operations.

The third challenge for sustainable marketers could be is to provide information about a company that covers broad variety of topics that include climate change, human rights, labour. Probably these are 3 big challenges that could pose difficulty in implementing sustainability.

Q4. Pandemic disrupted supply chains across the globe. How does sustainability help us to address the issue?

Answer: Pandemic probably has given rise to or awakened people mostly individuals and consumers. We were extremely consumerist earlier, in the sense that we would buy, use and dispose. When we buy, use and dispose, we forget that whatever we are disposing of and most of it like 80% of that non-recyclable. What we are throwing in the trashcan, trashcan is taken away the administration. The point is it not dumped it is disappeared into thin air.

If we dispose clothes on daily bases, each one of us, considering most of them as non-recyclable, they would probably fill up all the oceans in the world. Where would we go if all the oceans in the world gets filled up in a few years time. Water is something which preserves and sustains us. If all the oceans are going to filled up with trash, what will happen to us? and that is where we come to the concept of the circular economy.

Circular economy mostly talks about sharing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, recycling existing materials and products. So today if you see, in India for instance, this has been a trend in France & England for quite sometime, in India also, it could be seen that a particular site which often pops-up i.e. poshmark.com.

Poshmark is generally selling recyclable products. They don’t call it second-hand, although it is, but they mostly call it reusable products. There is no harm or shame in reusing the product if it’s in good condition. In India it is not considered very good to reuse, we have our own superstition which needs to be get rid off. Such superstition should not be allowed to prevail. We should be more conscious about our economy and see that we don’t overburden it with our rubbish. Let’s learn to recycle, refurbish and reuse. Pandemic has bought us something which could have taken probably 2 decades more. Excluding the scandivian countries which are very progressive in nature, in India it could have taken not only 2-3-4 decades more but pandemic has brought closer to being a circular economy which is being much more sustainable for future.

Q5. How is sustainability enabling new-age entrepreneurs?

Answer: New-age entrepreneurs are not necessarily those only in their 30-40s. You will find a lot of entrepreneurs who are 50s also. Look at Nykaa’s CEO. She has done a marvelous job as such in Nykaa. She was one of the 4 runners in that platform. You must have heard about the brand Mama Earth. They have come up with a lot of beauty products for skincare basically. It is one the examples of Indian startup which very effectively implemented sustainability into their practices. They plant a tree with every order placed with them, for every order they dispatch, they plant a tree (We can even track that).

In India we are cutting down trees on daily bases because we have a hugely growing population which is not declining at all. It maybe increasing at a slightly declining rate, but it’s still increasing, we have not been able to arrest our population growth. But we have a limited lands pace and the population needs to live on this limited land space. India is not a land of the rich, but land of middle-class. So, India cuts down it’s tress to accommodate this ever growing population, we are loosing trees. Now we have woken up to the fact that trees needs to be saved but we have already cut huge amount of trees. So what Mama Earth is doing is remedy for previously cut trees.

Delhi witnessed a temperature of 49 degrees this summers, which is absolutely alarming. A temperature of 43-44 would be very high for Delhi. But 49 is unimaginable. Why did this happen? This is probably because we have cut down the trees, this huge climate change is going all over the place. So mama earth is remeding the situation by planting trees. On the other aspect it is also satisfying an eye-feeling by mama earth, it is planting a tree in my name against my order. I feel in a certain way that i have contributed to protecting the environment. Apart from social and economic bottom line, mam earth is taking care of environmental bottom line.

There’s another new age entrepreneur called Waste Ventures India. What they have done is, over 90% of waste landfill is prevented by waste ventures India. They also use this to create organic compost which is rich in nutrients. So this is how sustainability has enabled new age entrepreneurs.

Q6. What tools and methods are used for implementing sustainability in marketing more Effectively?

Answer: Let me be more theoretical rather, corresponds to being practical. If you look at sustainable value from environment, from the economic value form and from the social valuable form. So environmental value form renewable resource, low emission, low waste, biodiversity and pollution prevention. And when we include economic value form we cannot sacrifice it just because we want to protect the environment or take care of social value form. The social value form includes equality and diversity, well-being, community standards and taking care of labour standards, health and safety. Both the environmental and social value form can only be taken care only if we make profits. So economic value form includes business stability, profits, financial resilience and healthy return on investment. Sustainability stand on these three pillars, we cannot shorten one pillar. All pillars need to stand strong.

There was a paper published by Belz & Peattie in 2009, they gave 5 most effective tool- product, price, place, promotion, people. So as in marketing, these are the 5Ps of sustainable marketing but they should necessarily correspond with customer solution, cost, convenience, communication and correlations. So you have to build the 5Ps with 6Cs and amalgamate it with 3 pillars of sustainable marketing i.e. social, economic and environmental value form.

Q7. What will sustainable marketing look like in the coming five years, significantly impacted by new-age technologies?

Answer: As we are moving towards the circular economy, if you look at what Petagonia does, it has been in sustainable marketing for a very long time. They reduce, recycle. For instance, there are small steps which companies have taken to move towards being sustainable and to making the economy more circular economy. If you look at Mac, which makes skin care, color cosmetics primarily. You buy mac products, you use the lipsticks, don’t throw them away, once you finish the lipsticks take them back. If you give them 3 lipsticks, they give you 1 lipstick free. This is one way of encouraging don’t throw you trash, probably of course mac reuses that. Body shop does the same. All these brands and marketers have tried to reduce landfills and trash to a very large extent.

In the future, organizations in this manner will be able to produce more and buy using less resources, because they are recycling their own products. they will use less resources and this way they improve accountability and credibility. Which would result in stronger relationships, will reduce consumer spending. So i instead of spending more on the lipsticks, instead of buying 2 lipsticks, i will buy just 1 and would give back 2 empty tubes. So that i get 1 lipstick free. So i’m buying less. When i buy less, i spend less. Therefore it reduces consumer’s spending also.

The sustainable marketing again just goes beyond using green materials or beyond manufacturing product ay lower costs and so on. It’s more about collaboration, value co-creation as we call it. You have to bting in customers, they have to become a part of your creation process. They have to understand what they are doing, and what you are doing. So that when customers co-create with you they more aware of how much is being wasted, how much is being spent. They become more conscious consumers in the long run.

Q8. Which skills and qualifications are essential to being a sustainability entrepreneur?

Answer: To become sustainable there are lot of skills required. They are very important and for everybody in fact. But in going forward, you have to become a sustainable entrepreneur. There cannot just disregard for sustainability or being sustainable in your operations in your thoughts and processes and thing you will run a profitable business, that’s not going to work. As I said 3 pillars- economic, environment, social value form are your go to pillars. There is no way you can work around them.

The first thing is awareness, you have to be aware of what being sustainable means and you have to kind to integrate the 3 pillars into your DNA, when you start out on your business. That is absolutely non-negotiable. If you have some of these qualities, would of course become a sustainable entrepreneur, you have something called a foundation knowledge, strong leadership, clear understanding of what strategic opportunities are, should be extremely future oriented and must have creative and imaginative solutions to problems, you should be able to calculate and ditch potential values and of course effective communication skills.

Effective communication skills is important because if you are able to communicate well, you will be able to educate your customers well, which will lead them to willingly adopt your product. Sustainability comes at a price. Buying a sustainable product, it will be more priced than a comparable product, which has not been manufactured using sustainable pratice. So a cream by bodyshop, will be more expensive and jacket by Patagonia than a comparable manufacturer not using sustainable practices. Commication is important because it requires them educating what they are buying.

Q9. What, according to you, are the common mistakes committed by new entrants in sustainability operations?

Answer: What happens with new entrants is that, they need to look at the bottom line also. Most entrepreneurs especially in India, start out with their own money. Venture capital funding comes later on. It’s only when they have proven themselves, that they are able to attract funding. Till then they are on their own from Family, friend and fools. They constantly have to look at bottom line. In an entrepreneurial set-up, the founder becomes all-in-all, he take all the risks, assumes all the responsibilities, everybody looks at the founder for everything. So he/she is in a pretty vulnerable position. While constantly looking at the bottom line, even you want to be sustainable, you tend to commit a mistake of missing the relevancy of sustainability in your business.

Sometimes you are not able to find the right person to lead sustainable business initiatives as probably they cost more, and you don’t have the money to pay to the person. You don’t have the time because you are running the business and sustainability takes a back seat, lack of employee engagement, you don’t buy in your employees to your sustainability methods. Then the employees themselves are not aware of what you intend doing as far as being sustainable is considered. When employees don’t engage, sustainability don’t happen.

Lack of sustainability programmes and frameworks in your organizations. When the framework is missing, nobody really address to it. When it is preset, it is much easier to work accordingly. So these are the some of the common mistakes committed by the new entrants in sustainability operations.

Q10. What is your advice for people looking to build a career in this field?

Answer: You have to believe in being sustainable. You have to believe that you have to leave a planet for future generation. We need to leave a healthier planet for them. So that is something we must believe in. This planet is ours, there is no plan B as far as planet is concerned. This is the only planet we have, so there is just 1 plan and 1 planet. So let us make this planet more liveable. For that we have to believe, in being sustainable. Until and unless we do that, we learn and understand more about it, enhance our knowledge related to sustainability , read about sustainability goals, understand sustainable marketing & consumption, how to use limited resources in the most effective and efficient manner.

Sustainability is using minimum resources to maximize benefits. So if we believe in it, we become sustainable in our daily lives, we believe in and integrate that into our DNA, that would be enough. We will make our planet a much better place to live in for the future generations to come.

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