Gone are the days when all you had to do was run your ad on channels or billboards because marketing has evolved from a one-size-fits-all model to a more personalized, user-focused model.
Today, brands need to have a carefully crafted digital strategy in place, and for freelancers like you looking to start your digital marketing careers, this means countless options you can focus on.
In this article, I’ll share some of the most rewarding ones.
From search engine optimization to content marketing and everything in between, let’s take a look at some of the top digital marketing routes you can explore.
Local Search Engine Optimization
I don’t mean to quash your enthusiasm, but at the same time, I want you to be aware of the realities. The reality is that mainstream digital marketing niches such as Search Engine Optimization (SEO) have become very, and I mean very, saturated.
You can work your way around this by focusing on local SEO for a specific type of business instead of focusing on general SEO for all kinds of businesses.
For example, local businesses such as barbershops or dental clinics highly depend on local customers to stay operational. You could offer your services to such businesses, balancing profitability with a low level of competition.
As a local SEO expert, some tasks you may have to perform can include:
- Optimizing their Google Business Profile
- Building strategies to gather positive local reviews
- Identifying local keywords and optimizing client websites for them
Voice Search Optimization
Yes, it exists, and will soon be one of the major areas of focus for brands across different industries. That’s because people love the convenience and speed of voice search and are actively using it. In fact, 27% of people across the world use this search method, which makes it a golden opportunity for you.
Brands will need to rank higher for voice search queries to keep up with the competition, and you can help them get there by optimizing their strategies and content.
For example, let’s say someone searches for ‘internet near me’. You can optimize for this phrase by offering both localized content, such as blogs or guides, or by creating a location-specific page based on where they’re searching from.
Since this field is relatively new, starting now can help you become one of the most well-known names a few years down the line.
Some key duties you may have to perform can include:
- Searching and focusing on long-tail conversational and natural keywords
- Ensuring that content answers specific user queries
- Improving technical elements such as site speed and mobile usability, as both these factors can significantly impact voice search rankings
Chatbot Marketing Specialist
This one’s a great option, especially if you’ve got a technical mind.
Chatbots are a very sought-after solution that most businesses, such as e-commerce stores, online coaches, and service-based businesses, are after, as they can help them capture a significant chunk of customers that they might have previously been missing out on.
As a chatbot marketing specialist, you’ll help create and implement chatbots on the websites of such businesses.
These chatbots act as a gateway to fast, personalized, and round-the-clock customer service, even beyond business hours and location. They can also help businesses reduce costs, employee workload, and improve efficiency and productivity.
In this role, you will need to ensure that your chatbots are able to:
- Make bookings
- Recommend products
- Communicate naturally
- Resolve common customer queries
- Collect leads and improve the user experience
Micro-Influencer Strategist
Like the various digital marketing niches, there are also influencers that target very specific niches.
These influencers are known as micro influencers. They normally have a smaller, but more engaged and loyal following compared to macro influencers. Their level of knowledge within their niches, paired with the strong connections they have with their audiences, makes them a goldmine for brands.
Let me explain why they’re so important with an example.
Let’s say a business launches a salsa sauce and reaches out to an American influencer who’s well known in the food industry, but not for using authentic Mexican cuisine. In that case, a business would more likely benefit from an influencer who has a smaller, but relevant, following that trusts them.
That’s the role of a micro influencer for brands, and as a micro-influencer marketing strategist, you can help connect them both.
Some key tasks you may have to perform in this role can include:
- Building and managing relevant partnerships
- Planning marketing campaigns based on your clients’ goals
- Tracking performance to ensure a high return on investment.
Short Form Video Marketing
Short videos such as reels and shorts are one of the most preferred forms of content, and creating them can probably be one of the most fulfilling roles for you if you’ve got a knack for creativity.
As a short-form video marketer, you can help brands deliver their messages in a way that resonates, engages, and possibly converts customers.
The goal is to find the perfect balance between following emerging social media trends and staying true to the brand’s image and business goals. You want to focus on storytelling, regardless of whether you’re raising awareness of new products, showcasing customer reviews, or educating the audience.
These videos can also help a brand grow organically, as the right message has a high potential to make your clients go viral.
Some of the key tasks in this role can include:
- Identifying business goals
- Creating engaging and platform-specific content
- Effectively using platform features for higher visibility
- Actively promoting videos across relevant channels
- Analyzing performance to tweak future strategies
Digital Marketing – More Diverse than One Can Imagine
There you have it, folks, I’ve shared some of the digital marketing niches you can consider to start your freelancing career with the perfect balance between low competition and high income. By choosing to target one of these diverse career options, you can establish yourself as a thought leader in this diverse form of marketing.
