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Take Your Marketing Skills Online with an Internet Marketing Degree

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internet marketing degree professional

By Gianni Truzzi

Of the many specialties that marketing degree students can pursue in the field, none is quite as exciting as Internet marketing. In fact, students may discover that the career they begin training for in college will have changed by graduation time.

Like anyone with a marketing degree, Internet marketers drive sales by identifying potential customers and attract them with compelling information about a company and its products. They specialize in using the tools of the online world through email, websites, banner ads, search engines and social networks to accomplish their goals.

 
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Reach Millions Online

The field's fast pace of change reflects the nature of the Internet itself, which has grown from 16 million users in 1995 to nearly 1.7 billion users—almost a quarter of the world's population—in just 15 years.

That extraordinary number of people seeking information creates opportunities for businesses wanting to spread the word about their goods and products, and to connect with customers. Online sales totaled $131 billion in 2007, and are expected to grow another 38 percent in 2012. Out of all advertising expenditures, it is expected that 15 percent will be from online marketing strategies.

Internet Marketing Degree Options

A growing number of colleges offering a marketing degree also support specialties in Internet marketing, some of which can be completed online.

  • Associate's Degree: A 2-year associate's degree qualifies graduates for entry-level positions in Internet marketing, with technical skills in search engine optimization and web analytics.
     
  • Bachelor's Degree: A 4-year bachelor's degree qualifies graduates for entry-level positions in Internet marketing, such as a search engine specialist, business development associate or e-commerce marketing assistant.
     
  • Master's Degree: Increasingly, MBA degree programs in marketing include Internet marketing as a component or specialty. An MBA program will include the traditional techniques and concerns of creating and managing marketing campaigns, as well as developing and cultivating a brand. A master's marketing degree will also prepare you to hold a management position.

Necessary Skills

Here are some of the skills you'll need to enter the world of Internet marketing:

  • Attention to detail
  • Computer savvy
  • Ability to accumulate and analyze large quantities of data generated by the behavior of online customers
  • Patience and persistence—marketers spend long hours studying results and developing strategies
  • Good communication skills are also important, both in person and in writing
  • Willingness to keep up with new technologies as they emerge
  • Avid curiosity about what is new—and the ability to adapt to it quickly

Internet Career Options for Marketers

Internet marketers work as part of a marketing team to fulfill a broad-based marketing strategy in which the data collection and networking power of the Internet will play a part. Specialty positions can include:

  • Internet Marketing Consultant – Provides expertise to create strategies that use the Internet to optimize business results.
  • E-Commerce Manager – Develops plans to drive traffic to websites and convert viewers into customers, and assesses technology needs to fulfill goals.
  • Internet Public Relations Strategist – Monitors the company's reputation as reflected online, and uses Internet media (social networks, blogs and websites) to broaden positive awareness of the company brand.
  • Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Strategist – Develops and implements strategies to increase the volume of traffic to a website by improving its ranking in search engine results.
  • Social Media Manager – Develops strategies for, and relationships with, social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, blogs and other communal Internet media to advance marketing, sales and public relations goals.
 
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