The tremendous growth in digital marketing boggles the mind—especially for those of us in creative careers who marvel at the changes swirling about us.
Communications, technologies, processes and capabilities are part of the whirlwind. They provide new ways to work, collaborate, communicate and ultimately, play a critical role in the evolution of many creative careers.
TOP CREATIVE CAREERS FOR 2023
Here at Cella, we frequently speak with companies on the lookout for top talent to fill their creative, marketing and digital positions. Below, we’ve highlighted some of the most in-demand roles for 2023. If you’re looking to tap into your creativity while simultaneously surrounding yourself with the advancing tech and capabilities integral to digital marketing, take a look into the following roles.
Ready to advance your creative career?
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)
AI Engineer
These specialists develop, program and provide training on the complex algorithms that enable AI to function like a human brain. The role requires combined expertise in software development, programming, data science and data engineering.
Why this is a hot job: In step with the shift to automation, AI allows marketers to benefit from automated decisions/actions based on collected data and consumer behaviors. AI’s ability to impact marketing efforts is vital when speed is essential.
ANALYTICS
Digital Data Analyst
Digital Analysts examine and analyze both qualitative and quantitative data needed by marketers to make informed decisions. Their studies of campaign performance, investment analytics and industry trends provide insights and advice on new and modified ad campaigns, web designs and online strategies for reaching and converting consumers.
Why this is a hot job: Digital Analysts dig into large stores of data to uncover critical information for evaluating marketing programs. Their discoveries and analyses drive more accurate assessments of campaign performance—prompting the creative changes that will generate better responses (i.e., conversions) from target audiences.
CAMPAIGN MANAGEMENT
Campaign Manager
Campaign Managers collaborate on developing, coordinating and directing the calendar of integrated outbound campaigns. After presenting and recommending campaigns to clients and stakeholders, they manage approved campaigns from target definition and creative development through quality assurance of the final deliverable.
Why this is a hot job: Guiding all aspects of campaign strategy from ideation to execution, Campaign Managers are relied on for their sound knowledge of marketing, channel selection and the creative process—factors that are gaining in importance daily.
CONTENT DEVELOPMENT
Content Strategist
Content Strategists have key responsibilities in the new era of growth marketing and SEO emphasis. They collaborate with the creative team to devise creative content, and oversee the writing of clear and persuasive communications for a seemingly unending variety of deliverables—from emails and blogs to speeches and videos. These strategists also write, edit and proofread content to ensure optimized keyword usage, format, and overall messaging consistency.
Why this is a hot job: At their best, words are powerful, convincing, and moving. Perhaps more than any other aspect of a campaign, well-written content can set the brand apart and encourage customer loyalty. Yet at their weakest, words can leave prospects unimpressed. Content Strategists help ensure intentional, meaningful, and compelling writing.
DIGITAL VIDEO
Digital Video Producer
Video Producers collaborate with staff and clients to ideate original, thematic and appropriate concepts for digital video projects, weaving together message elements for effective storytelling. They manage the pulse of workflow to ensure finished projects are on time, within budget and of high quality.
Why this is a hot job: Creative careers in video production are hot because video use continues to skyrocket. In fact, 81% of businesses are incorporating video into their marketing and digital plans, according to Cella research.
DIGITAL STRATEGY
Digital Marketing Strategist/Manager
These marketing specialists manage a variety of paid digital campaigns, from concept to creation to execution, with the goal of helping to achieve business objectives. They are responsible for staying on top of SEO trends and innovations, and they recommend future campaign optimizations based on their analysis of digital campaign performance.
Why this is a hot job: The world is constantly living online. Digital Marketing is booming with online advertising and marketing efforts that range from platforms, devices, mediums, data and technology. Every type of company can benefit from leveraging digital channels including social media, email marketing, search engines, websites, and much more. This role is responsible for overseeing all digital channels and uses them to drive brand awareness and generate leads.
EMAIL DEVELOPMENT
Email and Marketing Automation Manager
These valuable professionals are the subject matter experts on using email to achieve strategic marketing goals. They manage the design and implementation of a wide range of campaigns, working collaboratively on creative and technical development, list management and segmentation strategies, as well as metrics design, testing, execution, tracking the results of creative iterations.
Why this is a hot job: Email gives marketers the broadest reach of any channel available to them. And email still delivers significant ROI. Studies show email marketing can deliver a return of $30-$45 for every $1 invested. As such, savvy email and marketing automation managers with the right mix of skills continue to be in high demand.
MOTION GRAPHICS
Senior Motion Designer
Providing design and art direction, the Senior Motion Designer develops and executes visual concepts that involve static images and videos caught on shoot. Their contributions range from adding motion and music, to video editing and compositing, to 2D animation and more— engaging audiences across social and paid digital media channels.
Why this is a hot job: The versatile skills required for this position, and the Motion Designer’s understanding of how different design fields relate to each other, keep these pros in high demand.
MARKETING TECHNOLOGY
Marketing Technologist
The Marketing Technologist role is situated at the intersection of information technology and marketing. With automation and big data integration making such a huge impact on customer acquisition and retention, it’s imperative to have someone who knows how both of them work.
Why this is a hot job: Technology, advertising platforms, targeted communication capabilities, and competition are constantly advancing. This specialized role helps to keep the brand in step with the changes by bridging two previously separate industries. It’s a combination that’s needed now more than ever.
SEO
SEO/SEM Specialist
This individual is responsible for implementing strategies that provide long-term traffic growth via search engines, organic marketing efforts and paid search campaigns. A key aspect of the role is monitoring daily performance metrics to understand the performance of SEO strategy and SEM efforts, and define measurable goals and tactics that can help drive improvements in marketing results.
Why this is a hot job: SEO and SEM remain highly cost-effective for marketers, adding significant value through a model of continuously reaching target audiences at different points in the sales and marketing funnel.
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT
Social Media Strategist/Manager
Social Media experts are responsible for planning, developing and implementing the company's overall social media strategy to improve its online presence and digital marketing efforts. A vital aspect of this role is defining the most important social media KPIs, overseeing social media content and monitoring the performance of campaigns on each social media platform. These individuals usually stay updated with the latest social media best practices, trends and platforms.
Why this is a hot job: Billions worldwide use social media to stay connected or share information online. Social media offers companies a way to stay connected with their target audience and nurture audience members into customers. It’s more important than ever to have a solid social media presence to generate brand awareness and increase online growth and leads that could turn into sales and revenue.
CX AND UX DESIGN
CX Designer and UX Designer
Whether their business card reads Customer Experience (CX) or User Experience (UX), the goals of these designers are the same: make everyone’s online interaction with the brand pleasant, engaging and rewarding (for the visitor and the company). To satisfy these requirements, the designers identify problems, propose solutions, implement enhancements and expertly develop improvements.
Why this is a hot job: CX and UX professionals are needed because more companies today understand that it’s absolutely essential to have an engaging and intuitive website or app. Those that don’t invest in UX and CX are at a significant disadvantage. Why? Studies show online consumers are far less likely to return to a site after just one bad experience—and they’ll stop using an app (or remove it altogether) if they feel it has poor design or performance.
PRODUCT DESIGN
Product Designer
To solidify a product’s long-term direction—while helping short-term sales stay ahead of competitors—product designers conduct thorough qualitative and quantitative user research. Based on the results, they then produce designs, mock-ups, prototypes, wireframes, visuals and user flows that will guide engineers and other cross-functional teams throughout development and beyond.
Why this is a hot job: Thoughtful, curious, empathetic and seasoned Product Designers help to shape users’ experiences with branded products and services (as well as their ongoing loyalty to the brand).
ACCOUNT/PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Project Manager
Professionals who fill this essential role lead the production of multichannel projects that fall within the mid-level range of size or complexity. They are ultimately responsible for the delivery of high-quality marketing assets that power client satisfaction, meet business requirements, and balance client/agency economics.
Why this is a hot job: A strong, organization-wide commitment to effective project management can mean long-term business value and a competitive edge for the company—and the person in this role is key to making it all happen.
VISUAL DESIGN
User Interface/Visual Designer
Visual Designers blend their creativity with technical mastery to make user interfaces a welcoming entrée into the selling and learning portions of websites. Their eye-catching originality is evident in a wide range of projects including product and sales campaigns, persuasive merchandising and eCommerce platforms, as well as day-to-day updates. Working with the UX Designer, they ensure that the look and feel of what the viewer sees, as well as the ease that a user feels when moving through the site, are altogether pleasing and optimized.
Why this is a hot job: As the internet becomes an even bigger part of everyday life, hundreds of thousands of websites and messages vie for attention. It takes a designer with multidisciplinary skills, an understanding of how people work and respond to technology, and a talent for presenting them with an appealing experience—one that’s distinguished by its aesthetics from the rest of the crowd—to build appreciation and loyalty for a product or brand. This is the unique work of Visual Designers, and why they’re in such demand.
WANT TO SEE SALARIES FOR THESE CREATIVE CAREERS AND OTHER HOT JOBS?
Download Cella’s 2023 Creative, Marketing and Digital Salary Guide. And be sure to check out our Salary Calculator to see salary ranges for positions in your location!
