The Internet made the digital marketer a necessity. What is a Digital Marketer? It's easier to say what he or she is not - a passive observer of the digital landscape.

Let's consider the two words in the job title. Digital means social media, web advertising, mobile apps, email, text messages and search engines. Marketing means the promotion, research and selling of a product, idea or service. In short, digital marketing is the love child of the Web and traditional marketing. A digital marketer is someone with the experience and expertise to advise businesses on how to use digital channels to promote products and services and engage with customers.

Why is Digital Marketing An Attractive Career?

• Opportunities in digital marketing are worldwide. Businesses of every size need help with their digital marketing efforts.
• Digital marketers can be self-employed freelancers, employed by an agency or be part of a company's own marketing department.
• Education need not be expensive. There are numerous free or low cost classes and books on this topic.
• It's a career that anyone can grow into and specialize over time.

What Does A Digital Marketer Do?

• Web Presence - Help companies with developing and curating website content that is engaging to users while promoting products and services.
• Digital Advertising - Conceptualize and execute marketing campaigns using Google, banner ads, links, landing pages, email marketing, mobile ad placements and video advertising.
• Social Media - Maintain and monitor the social reputations of companies and individuals on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and other social channels.
• Search Engine - Use content marketing and search engine optimization techniques to increase and maintain search presence and rankings.

What Traits Should A Digital Marketer Have?

• Above average people management skills in order to work with diverse clients and collaborate with people with different expertise from sales to graphic designers.
• A curious and open mind that sees change as a path to new opportunities. A digital marketer must be a professional student constantly learning new methods and tools.
• An affinity for technology and devices. Some knowledge in web development, graphic design, Excel data wizardry or copywriting would be useful.
• A mind for strategy and tactics is necessary when devising, planning and executing a campaign.
• An aptitude for studying data and seeing trends and effects. Digital marketing relies heavily on information and data analysis to make big decisions such as continuing or aborting campaigns or making changes in a running campaign.
• Above all a digital marketer must be entrepreneurial. At the end of the day marketing is about the bottom line for you and your client.

Digital marketing came into being after the Internet. As an occupation it's still undergoing changes in terms of education and professional standing. What hasn't changed is demand. The supply of talented, qualified and experienced digital marketers is low compared to the needs of companies and creative agencies. In 2013 50% of companies outsourced their digital marketing work.

If you're computer literate, have a business mindset and undaunted by the scope of the field then look into digital marketing. It might just be the right career for you.