Digital marketing, once an additional skill, has now become an integral part due to the fast evolving business landscape. Over the years, marketing trends across the globe have continued to evolve.
In Bangladesh the influence of the young population in the field of digital marketing has also continued to become more prominent. Needless to say, with the growing demand for digitised content in the market, there has been a rise in the number of job opportunities for the youths, a demand which has massively expedited due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Digital marketing encompasses all sorts of marketing endeavours carried out on the internet. It essentially involves the process of promoting and selling products and services by creating digital content available on the internet. Today, this is mostly done in the form of content marketing, social media marketing, search engine optimisation, influencer and affiliate marketing, web development, etc.
As companies in Bangladesh continue to incorporate modern technology into their business operations, the demand for tech savvy digital marketers has been rising steadily. Therefore, Mr Khaled Mahmud, an associate professor at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka, recommends the youth to learn digital marketing.
“A marketer equipped with the skills of business analytics and digital know-how will surpass the traditional marketers in performance and effectiveness. So, youths, who are graduating now and want to build a career in marketing, should learn the tools and techniques of digital marketing.”
Usually, clients seeking digital marketing services have a general idea regarding whether they should hire new personnel who would be responsible for the digital marketing activities of the firm or to outsource the job to agencies.
Generally, younger individuals tend to find it easier to navigate digital platforms and tend to have a better understanding of how to create and market content digitally which makes them a desirable choice for most companies. Depending on the nature and size of the business, digital marketer positions are often filled by university students or fresh graduates.
However, firms that are looking for more specific services which require a larger pool of people with relevant expertise, may opt for various digital marketing agencies. In Bangladesh, several such agencies, which specialise in this field, have emerged over the years and were able to develop a niche market for themselves.
Firms like Scratchboard, which specialise in creating digital promotional content for clients like Chillox, Cheez and Madchef, tend to prioritise young students when it comes to dealing with digital media. However, in some cases, larger agencies may prefer to hire individuals who have prior professional experience assuming they can maintain more premium quality of service.
According to DataReportal, out of the 66.44 million internet users in Bangladesh almost 36 million happened to use social media platforms in 2020. Businesses want to ensure that they are getting enough exposure on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. This is one of the core reasons why the student candidates are preferred by many employers because candidates from this particular age group tend to be more familiar with internet and social media trends.
Job responsibilities and remuneration for digital marketing opportunities usually vary depending on the employer and the type of work. When it comes to jobs that are specifically designed for young people, the jobs are usually part-time or offer remote working.
While some may argue that not being able to work in a physical work-setting somehow takes away from the whole experience, remote working still helps young people develop a better understanding of responsibilities. Turning a home setting to a work setting takes much commitment, focus and determination.
Apart from the remuneration and benefits that companies provide, digital marketing jobs also facilitate self-improvement. Nafisa Nawal, a marketing intern at Star Cineplex Bangladesh, remarked, “I get to monitor the results of the implemented strategies and ideas and process raw feedback from the consumers. I believe in learning from my mistakes and constructive criticism is very effective for this purpose”.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, worldwide consumers are gradually leaning towards online retailers. The general population in Bangladesh, especially those belonging to the older demographic have been wary of the uncertainties involving online shopping for years now.
However, due to the current crisis, many people no longer have the option of not reverting to online retail shopping. As companies continue to digitise their marketing activities to meet changing customer needs, they will also be exploring new channels for this form of promotion. And even though working in a relatively formal setting would always be preferable to many, businesses today are becoming more accommodating to remote workers especially taking into consideration all the uncertainties regarding the pandemic.
This will likely increase the demand for non-conventional marketers and hence, result in new employment opportunities for the country’s youth and give them a glimpse of the changing environment in the field of marketing.
Anadil Maisha is a student at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka
anadilmaisha@gmail.com