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Top 5 Marketing Skills for 2021 and Beyond
Taylor Tunnison • Sep 16, 2021

Digital marketing is essential for businesses to succeed in the 21st century. From branding and websites to social media and search engine optimization (SEO), various methods exist to connect, provide value, communicate a shared vision, and engage directly with diverse global audiences. One major advantage of these tools is their unparalleled accessibility, and while some platforms offer distinct advantages over others, it’s important to stay on top of current and emerging trends to keep the pace with ever-increasing amounts of competition. The following top marketing skills will continue to remain relevant in the coming years.

1. Brand Strategy

For some, marketing is a general catch-all term which is confusing and hard to define. In reality, marketing encompasses strategic goals involving sales, identity, and consistent communication. The first priority of modern businesses should invariably be developing their brand so potential clients know precisely who they are, what they consider important, and exactly why they do what they do. A solid brand strategy will set a business apart from those that simply sell products and services, and notable industry leaders will ultimately evoke a strong emotional response from their loyal customers.

2. Content Marketing

Audiences across the world surf the internet for countless reasons. While online, they expect to be engaged while learning and enjoying their favorite entertainment. Content continues to be king, as we covered extensively in a previous post, The Value of Content, and providing fun, valuable, and informative subject matter to audiences will improve their opinion of your brand, making them more likely to do business with you now and later. Consider sharing email newsletters, publishing blog content regularly, or offering resources like tips, tricks, or free eBooks. Attention is basically worth its weight in gold, so to speak, and if you can capture and hold people’s interest, it’s highly probable that they will become a customer who recommends your content to friends, family, and coworkers.

3. Data Analytics

It hopefully comes as no surprise that data has been referred to as the new oil. Users are continually leaving a trail of digital breadcrumbs wherever they go online which savvy marketers can then follow to streamline their strategies. Without data on what customers prefer and what’s happening in your business, you’re basically flying blind. Social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn have different embedded tools to assist with this, as do most affordable customer relationship manager (CRM) platforms. Using and understanding data analytics is already a gamechanger for most companies, but it will become unavoidable when planning upcoming marketing campaigns in the near future.

4. Customer Insights

Good marketing always involves knowing and defining different audiences. Robust data analytics provides insight into customer values, actions, and preferences, allowing the precise targeting of creative campaigns. Marketing to a large, vague group of people may have worked with print, radio, and TV advertising, but it won’t be an option for much longer. An intimate appreciation for individuality is imperative if companies seek to attract the right kind of customers moving forward. Age, profession, location, education, and other valuable user demographics should factor into any marketing campaign to maximize engagement, efficiency, and return on investment (ROI).

5. Automation

This skill can be as basic or as complicated as you wish to make it. At its core, automation simply means reducing or eliminating manual human effort from certain tasks, wherever helpful and possible. Scheduling social media content, ad promotions, and email campaigns are all great ways of working smarter rather than harder, and businesses can scale this strategy almost endlessly. For example, many free tools like Facebook Business Manager exist which allow marketers to plan and organize posts far in advance. It’s worth doing a little research to find the proper platform to support your exact goals and needs.


Digital technologies offer so many advantages to professionals that it may be hard to keep up. Fortunately, countless resources are available which can help bridge the gap between learner and leader for little to no cost. If you’re interested in leveraging more high-tech marketing strategies in the short- or long-term, we hope you’ll reach out with questions and ideas. We look forward to helping your brand successfully navigate far into the future.

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