Every business in the world relies on data to make decisions, and digital marketers have a treasure trove of metrics they regularly analyze. They drive engagement on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram and use that data to help inform a company’s digital strategy. Their ability to identify areas of success and improvement make them highly sought-after professionals.
Many companies offer internships to help digital marketing graduates apply their skills, gain experience, and collaborate to solve problems. If you are strategic, keen on evolving social media trends, and enjoy reviewing data, you could thrive as a digital marketer and launch a career with help from an internship.
Here are some of the biggest benefits you’ll gain from an internship, and our tips for landing the right one.
Benefits of an Internship: Real-World Experience
After building the skills to become a digital marketer, there is still a learning curve in applying those abilities in a fast-paced environment or without assistance. It is very common to need an environment where you can be mentored before being able to execute on your own. All professionals know what it feels like to start out in a new role and industry; the opportunity to get advice for on-the-job problems as well as industry trends is priceless.
Companies offer paid and unpaid internships, and both allow you to work on a team. A strong ability to collaborate with others is a soft skill that employers look for, among technical skills. Often times they want to see that you can demonstrate a conceptual understanding and are willing to help you technically execute. They will help you walk through problems to find creative solutions, which is a skill every job requires.
If you’re shooting for the stars and want to get in with top corporations, here are a few companies actively looking for digital marketing interns:
If a big corporate internship isn’t what you’re looking for, there are many smaller companies who need strong talent and can provide a robust experience in return. A simple search of “digital marketing internships” on job sites like Career Builder, Indeed.com, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Monster, and SimplyHired will result in a lengthy list of opportunities. Create an alert so that you’re notified when they appear and can apply quickly. These internships usually have a ton of applicants and timing is everything when it comes to applying for them.
Duties of a Digital Marketing Intern
As an intern, you’ll be assigned tasks that could help you impress future employers and demonstrate your valuable experience. With every milestone, make sure to update your portfolio and resume to keep your accomplishments up to date. These duties could include:
- Designing Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram social media campaigns
- Creating social media posts and managing community engagement
- Managing the company’s website
- Writing blog or website content
- Reviewing engagement data and making suggestions from findings
- Collaborating to improve the overall digital marketing/SEO strategy
Finding & Landing an Internship
If you’re interested in working as a digital marketing intern, you’ll need the right mix of experience and soft skills. Companies are look for candidates who are:
- Proactive self-starters
- Capable of working both independently and in a team
- Able to manage multiple projects simultaneously
- Strong written and oral communicators
- Proficient in web design, photography, and video/video editing skills
To catch a company’s eye for an internship you’ll also need:
A succinct cover letter and strong resume
Your cover letter should be to the point but also demonstrate your personality. This will help your future employer get a feel for who you are, and gauge whether you’re a good fit. Your resume should emphasize the milestones of your experiences, educational background, and software skills. Make sure to tailor your key points to the requirements of the internship and double check that your cover letter and resume are clear and accurate.
Courses, certificates, or degrees to reference:
Highlighting your academic background is essential no matter what pathway got you the skills. Typically, you need to have completed a course, program, or degree within the year to qualify for an intern position. Pro-tip: Highlight a strong suit from your coursework to demonstrate what you like.
A project to highlight:
Having a specific project to show and reference are a bonus when applying for an internship. It shows that you know your stuff and can help you have focused conversations during an interview. Pro-tip: Search for the frequently asked questions and prepare with answers from your project.
Discovering More About Digital Marketing
Digital marketing is a rewarding career with a lot of specializations to focus on. The evolving trends, the community engagement, and direct impact of this profession make it very exciting. Here are a few key areas where you could thrive:
- Story-tell through online videos
- Optimize Google search engine phrases and keywords
- Create content that will attract traffic to a website, video, or social media page Analyze performance from a range of different metrics
- Design a simple, effective, and inspiring online experience
- Create email communications to interact with leads, new users, and existing customers
No matter where you’re interests lie, there is always room to expand in digital marketing. The opportunities for growth and learning are endless. Curious what titles you could hold? Here are a few to spark your interest:
- Digital Marketer
- Content Strategist
- SEO Specialist
- Social Media Manager
- Marketing Manager