u/Oten
Is it too late to get into digital marketing at 30 and is it worth it to learn?
I'm pushing 30 years old. I know some of the basis of digital marketing, but I would like to focus on some hands on experience. Even landing an entry job is something I'd like. I could eventually do some freelance. But is it too late? Where do I go to learn and is digital marketing worth it?
119 💬🗨
Marketing is marketing.
What you learned and know is just as relevant today as it was 30 years ago.
The what (Maslow's hierarchy of needs) is the same as it was long ago.
The main difference today is the how. You are fishing for clients. Do you know where the fish can be found?
Digital marketing has channels with specific rules how best to connect with YOUR target audiences.
Maybe read "Marketing for Dummies" and "Digital Marketing – All in One – for Dummies."
And then ask your question again.
I mean the psychology of marketing is the same but so much has changed. There are countless specialized jobs that did not exist before. It's a rapidly changing industry. You must be pretty old school to say all that
The principles of marketing haven't changed. That's true. But applying those principles has changed drastically so I agree it's hard to compare.
DigiGuy
Digital marketing will only get bigger and more important over the next 5-10-20 years.
Learn digital marketing, and you'll never be out of work for the rest of your life.
Copy. I'm ready to dedicate HOURS into perfecting my DM skills
Also… Marketing is many things. To be a great marketer, there's no magic secret to it. Become good at writing, photography, time management… but also take time to learn sales and get to understand the basic data, which you'll have to report on.
If you don't have experience, a good way to go about it, I think, is becoming a sales rep for a marketing agency. It worked for me.
I got a free Google certification, to try to understand more deeply Google Ads. And then applied and got a job with a marketing agency, selling their services. I worked from home and was cold calling businesses. I had experience in sales (Best Buy, at first, and then selling cars for GM-Chevy), so I was doing pretty good sales-wise. I would book lots of appointments with many different business owners, from all sorts of fields, and that really helped me get better at sales all while learning digital marketing at the same time.
**I was selling the agency's services. Social media management – Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – Google Ads. I also learned how to build a website with WordPress and Shopify. I built 1 website, in exchange of payment so far, and the owner of the business paid me $9,500 for it. WordPress website. That's also a good skill to have and not hard to learn. If you can get decent at all these facets of marketing, you'll be a rare gem to the eyes of many companies.
For me, that's all stuff that I'm interested in and love doing. If that's the case for you too, YOU GOT THIS! Easy!
🤜🤛
N2thydeep
9.5 K including services or just specifically from one site build
DigiGuy
Just for building the website. Nothing complicated. I took my time, and it took me 2 weeks to complete. It was a big liquor store that carries international imports. I put her onventory online. It's a transactional website (using WooCommerce for checkout) I installed a plugin that calculates the shipping cost.
And that's it really. I handed it to the owner, amd she was going to get an employee trained to maintain the website.
N2thydeep
Oh okay, that makes sense. Still that's a really nice chunk!
DigiGuy
Indeed. It wasn't through the agency I was with. That's a business that I approached myself, so that money was like 99% profit. It cost me my time, which is all I had at that time. Haha.
I asked for $7,000, and the business owner said yes sooo fast, that I instantly thought, I could've said 8 or $9,000, easy.
Then, once the website was pretty much almost done, she asked me if I could add all of her inventory to the website, with prices and descriptions, for an extra $2,500. So, $9,500 is what I got in total for that website.
N2thydeep
Wow yeah, profit and sounds like a good referral/ resume addition as well. Just learning my way around WordPress. Profits are so varied out there, thanks for breaking it down for me. Very inspiring!
DigiGuy
Very welcome!
I enjoy sharing my experiences, so anyone here, feel free to ask anything!
Shymink
Ha ha ha no matter the marketing we are one of the first budgets slashed. 😄
Well, if a company owner slashes marketing first, respectfully, that business owner probably knows very little about business and marketing.
As Bill Gates famously once said: If I was down to my last dollar, I'd put it towards marketing and Public Relations (PR).
Without marketing, you have no customers. Without customers, you have no sales. Without sales, you have no company.
Shymink
Agree agree agree.
ADA-Accessible
Brother, that just sounds like you're already defeated before you even got started.
couldbutwont
What is your background?
I have background in working on social media. I've also had the chance to create and work on my own website. I do have an understand of digital marketing. My only issue is that I need more hands on work and have a deeper understanding.
You are almost certainly overthinking how much is needed to break in and discounting your valuable experience. Read some books and go for a good paying job in a field/discipline you want. Go into an interview as an analytical and goal-oriented person and make it happen. Like someone else said, we need bodies. Good luck
Yazim
On the community/organic side? Or on paid
Icicle
Dude, you already know more than some people I hired at an agency. Polish up that resume and start applying. Just be ready to learn on the job.
SubjectAd
not too late bro. i turned 30 literally a couple days ago. i got into digital marketing in april of this year – i took a course off a guy on YouTube – took another course that was a lot better – landed my first gig as a Digital Marketing Strategist at 60k a year in July – I have only been at the company for about 4 months now and I just left work because I was discussing the management promotion and raise that will be going along with it tonight – It's definitely possible man. Gluck
Very curious my bro. None of the courses you did were through official merit? Like schooling and post secondary? You just took some courses till you had a base level understanding that could be developed and got the job? This is something that would make me happy
Correct. Colleges can't teach this field accurately due to how frequently the industry and Google update. All the dms I know are self taught, and I like that it's a merit based field. If you study the skills and know what you're doing you will get a job in a heartbeat. You will outshine an MBA if u can accurately describe how Search Engine Optimization (SEO) works or best strategies for paid search. They just don't teach those skills in college. There's 200,000 something jobs on LinkedIn alone currently for digital marketing. I'm personally looking to hire 4 people at the moment. It's an awesome and life changing field for me. I doubled my salary with my first job and will probably have tripled it before my first year is up. Good luck man. Lots of great resources out there to learn. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and ppc are the two primary jobs in marketing maybe with social media quickly rising. I'd recommend choosing one or the other to start and diving in learning everything you can. There's a lot to take in. I took two courses. Check out a guy on YouTube called Seth Jared ~ he's got a lot of testimonials on his page from average people who made the career switch
Seymor
100% you can. I did it at 33.
Agencies don't care about your age as much as factors like: are you easy to work with, teachable, etc.
There's favoritism like any field.
But in general I've noticed the most skilled specialists rise the fastest.
Dendron
No. I took a summer internship at 33! I was paid $26 per hour, though, and I was a teacher at the time so that all worked out for me in ways I know it might not for others. It was very low risk for me since I still had another job. I was offered a position at the company I had the internship with, stayed for 2.5 years learning the ropes (seriously everything since we were a dept of 3) and now I'm at a large tech company.
If you can get your foot in the door and just start learning, you'll be amazed how quickly you can grow.
Taco
Never too late. Unrelated field, but I got into photography when I was about 28, bought my first camera/had never even touched one before, didn't even book my first shoot until age 29, and now I'm 30 working on production/film sets as a photographer! Not full time, but you know, made good progress while finding this craft "late" in life. And hopefully one day will do it full time! It's all a process. I was hesitant to buy my first camera too when I wanted to. What I've learned is nobody cares what age you are as long as you're good at your work and easy to work with. Good luck!
Z-A-T
31 and just entered digital marketing. Use your past experience to position your self in a new industry. It will be a tough chance, but don't settle for an entry level if you have years of experience. Bank on transferable skills.
Keep trying and one will click. Aim to work in smaller companies where you can have a multi hat role and utilise your past strengths.
Ofcourse, learn about the industry, do free certification to boost your profile.
Connect with people on LinkedIn in the position you are looking at, for an informative chat. Most people will be glad to guide you on their job and industry. Don't connect in pretext of a referal or job.
Connect or follow HR in preferred industries, opt in for LinkedIn premium learners account so you can track applications and see insights.
All the best.
Gein
No. I started right out of college 4 1/2 years ago making $15/hr at an internship and then $42k a year as an associate. I now make $117k+10% and am in the last round of interviews for a role as an individual contributor that would be about $140k+15%. I do paid media and live in a mid cost of living city.
Basically you can grow a career fairly quickly in this industry so it's still worth it to start late.
Tewet
Digital marketing is all about: You want to be a master? Learn Human behavior, triggers, its basically all psychology. Learn psychology, understand How humans work Also digital marketing is a lot of things here's some
• copywriting
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• social media marketing
• Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
• funnels
• its all about taking a customer through a customer journey
• e-mail marketing
• content creation / User Generated Content (UGC)
• web design
• affiliate marketing (its also free to start)
• social media manager
• marketing automations
• Pay Per Click (PPC)
• influencer marketing
I'm sure there is more. But That's some.
I would take a lot of free courses on their own websites, Google has, meta has like There's a lot, also YouTube is a great ressource. Books Can be good also, buy from a mentor course is also good Udemy has cheap courses
There is soo much stuff available at the finger tips. You Can easily start as a freelancer on upwork or Fiverr if u want or join meta groups or Discord servers. Its not that hard. Just takes time to sell, if you are good at Selling even shorter. But also Selling through e-mail or any social platform if you go freelancer Way and you possibly allready has some interrested in your life
But an internship is also a good Way for the foot in the door.
Its all about just getting started
Great comment. As a 25+ year marketing (veteran?), I concur on human behavior and writing. The channels and tools come second to knowing what and how to communicate.
Thank you appreciate it. Yeah. That's why some people get rekt when They keep using stuff that worked 2 years ago. You need to be up to date, But in the end humans are all the same, biases, triggers, psychology, perusasion, sales, closing, marketing in it self.
Abook
It's never too late! I fell into marketing by accident and have two totally unrelated degrees in history. I started as a freelancer in contract roles and have since moved my way up the foodchain, so to speak. I also still freelance and run a small digital consultancy on the side.
If you're looking to add some legitimacy behind your name as you're pivoting, Digital Marketing Institute's courses as a great way to get a breadth of knowledge and a certification at the end. However, it costs $$ compared to free options like Udemy or Cybrary. HubSpot Inbound Marketing is also a FANTASTIC resource for someone looking to break into the field!
If you want to network or chat about your potential transition, don't hesitate to message me and we could do a 1:1 session outside Reddit. I LOVE mentoring and helping those new into the industry decide if it's right for them.
My Official Title Is Digital Marketing Strategist
Entry-level Marketing Role
To Start Writing Content for an Affiliate Marketing Website
$450k Income From Copywriting for Clients
Making Money Through Blogging From Even Just Cents
My Supplier Wants to Sell His Business to Me
