9 Things I Learned as a Budding Digital Marketing Specialist

At first I didn’t know what to expect when I changed my career path and finally committed to my digital marketing career, but I knew that I was excited and ready to learn.

Here are ten things I learned so far as a budding digital marketing specialist, including my first month as a ~virtual~ digital marketing intern:

Video calls are my best friend. This includes Zoom and Google Meet.

Throughout the age of the pandemic there’s no doubt that our lifestyles have changed drastically, and it’s become much more difficult to meet in person.

Just as video calls bring us close with family and friends around the world, it also helps us stay in contact with our colleagues at work as well as new connections.

While I find myself to be camera shy, virtual meetings and virtual networking have become all the more important in 2020.

That’s not to say it’s 100% perfect — of course, I’ve still experienced my share of “Can you hear me now?” conversations. (If you haven’t yet, you’re for sure missing out.)

That aside, I really do appreciate video calls. I’ve become so much more familiar with using Zoom and Google Meet, alongside Skype and the growing video functions on other apps like Houseparty and Facebook’s Messenger Rooms.

It’s so easy to connect with someone nowadays across the country, or even on a different continent — and work together.

I remember having to buy phone cards and pay-per-minute just to call my grandma in the Philippines. We really live in amazing times.

LinkedIn is where it’s at.

I still have some friends who are hesitant to hop on LinkedIn, which is understandable. There are so many social media platforms out there.

Yet every day I see more and more people join the platform to connect, network, and share their knowledge.

I’m not going to lie, LinkedIn changed my life.

It’s where I saw my first Wonsulting webinar and found out about FLIK (Female Laboratory of Innovative Knowledge).

That’s how I was able to apply to my current internships/apprenticeships and meet my amazing mentors at ThriveHire and Collectively Social. It’s also where many people can apply for jobs and further their careers.

I’m still really excited to see it grow in the future.

Saying hello to Trello, a tool that’s great for project management.

Given all the projects that we undertake there’s a call for organization. We write in planners. We use post-it notes and make note cards.

At the same time, we can be eco-friendly and reduce our use of paper by organizing everything virtually. It’s also great for keeping everyone up-to-date.

Trello has become my favorite dashboard for project management. I had never used it previously and all I can say is

why haven’t I used it earlier?

Of course, it did take me some time to get used to it, as do all things.

Once you learn how to use Trello it does WONDERS for what you can plan out and accomplish.

I have a growing obsession with detail. This includes scheduling things on time.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who loves to plan things out ahead of time. It helps you stay on task and manage your time effectively.

I also found that this is a very useful and much-needed skill for social media management, especially when you’re scheduling posts weeks ahead and analyzing metrics (like on Facebook, for example).

I also really love Google Calendar.

Google Calendar has been my favorite tool to use since I was in high school. It helped me organize my time by viewing my classes, club meetings, and when I was going to work.

As I’ve come to learn how Google Meet and Zoom meetings are scheduled, so have I loved to see the blocks on the calendar. I don’t know where I’d be without it. I also love crossing things off of the to-do list and seeing it fill up my day ahead at home.

I now see social media from a new light.

Social media is so much more than the likes and the comments. It’s about using what’s already in front of us, the Internet, and the many resources out there to connect with our community of whom we choose and find ourselves called to be a part of.

It’s a new medium of expression where we can not only share our knowledge but show our true personalities.

It’s where growing brands can also show their own colors and connect with customers.

It’s where we can keep in touch with the people that mean the most to us.

I’m also reminded that just because you use something often doesn’t mean you’re a pro. There is always something new to learn.

You have to always be hungry to learn.

I once read somewhere that the minute you think you know everything, you become complacent.

As Rich Ux of Rich + Niche pointed out in one of his past Collective Calls —

“Be obsessed or be average.” — Grant Cardone

In an industry that’s always changing, you have to keep an open mind and be eager to stay on top of what’s new and what you can do to improve (I think I’ll stay away from the TikTok dances for now, though).

One of my life mottos/core values has always been to make the most of your situation and to actively search for opportunities.

There’s already such an amazing community of digital marketers out there (including Facebook Groups)

My family was quite surprised when I decided to become a digital marketing specialist instead of pursuing physical therapy. It was a new field, one that they were unfamiliar with.

While I’m still somewhat new to this field, I admit that hesitation does hold me back from time to time.

As I continue to meet so many amazing people in different professions on LinkedIn, join Facebook groups like Social Media Digest and Women in Marketing, connect with my wonderful mentors and even my colleagues in the Rich + Niche Academy Collective, I’m inspired and encouraged to have full faith to trust myself to know where I’m going.

And finally, my favorite — I learned how to write a blog post on Medium

I learned how to write my first “official” blog post on Medium, which was about Instagram Reels and TikTok.

Writing and my communication skills are definitely something that I’m always working on. Though it’s not necessarily my strong suit, it’s still been very exciting for me to learn more about the platform (and to finally see my name at the top of an article).

I’m so thankful for those who have encouraged and supported me throughout this time, including my new friends and mentors. Super excited for what’s to come.

I hope you found what I’ve learned somewhat helpful and that it can inspire you to pave your own career path (and maybe in digital marketing, too). Best of luck, you can do it!

I’m also open to connecting on LinkedIn — feel free to add me here.