Alex Rascanu delivered the "Digital Marketing in Canada, an Introduction" presentation on March 15, 2014 at the Summit 2014 conference, organized by the Rotman Commerce Marketing Association in Toronto. More details about the presentation: http://www.alexrascanu.com/digital-marketing-canada-introduction

1. Digital Marketing in Canada, an
Introduction
Alex Rascanu
Digital Marketing Strategist
alex@alexrascanu.com l @alexrascanu
Rotman Commerce Marketing Association’s Annual Summit
March 2014

2. Alex Rascanu, digital marketing strategist
- Head of Marketing at Powered by Search, a digital marketing
agency
- Formerly Global Consumer Insights Analyst for Kraft Foods
(England), Marketing Analyst for Yoshida SKT & Co. (Japan),
and Legislative Assistant for a federal Member of Parliament

3. This Is a Problem
And an Opportunity

5. What we’ll cover in today’s workshop:
1. Why work in digital marketing
2. Roles and salary expectations
3. How digital marketing drives sales
4. Skills you need

6. 1. WHY WORK IN DIGITAL MARKETING

7. Canada’s advertising
industry:
• 6.6% year-over-year
growth in advertising spend
(2011-2012)
• At 23% share of revenue,
digital marketing is rapidly
closing the gap with TV
(27.3%) for the largest
share
Source: Media Digest 2013/14

9. The Hottest Marketing Jobs Are in the Digital Space
Source: Marketing Magazine, November 2013

10. The Hottest Marketing Jobs Are in the Digital Space
Source: Marketing Magazine, November 2013

11. 2. ROLES & SALARY EXPECTATIONS

12. Source: Marketing Magazine, November 2013
Digital Salaries by Agency Size

13. Source: Marketing Magazine, November 2013
Digital Salaries by Agency Size

14. The Hottest & Highest-Paying Digital Disciplines
1. Digital designers
Designing for the web, social and mobile experiences, they are passionate about taking concepts and
executing with inspiring creative design.
2. Creative technologists and programmers
With a growing emphasis on newer Java Script libraries, such us Ember.js, Backbone. js, Node.js and
Angular.js, those who can navigate the new world and master Web 2.0 technology are in especially high
demand. Innovation across mobile, tablet, social, gaming, wearable technology platforms and more
requires technology pioneers with an insatiable appetite for the next big thing.
3. User experience specialists
These hybrid strategist, researchers and designers focus on customer experience. With short attention
spans and little appetite for online experiences that don’t deliver on time, every time, keeping fickle
customers happy is paramount. One bad experience can mean a lost customer, making user experience
specialists critical to e-commerce, retail or any web-based business. At the core, they understand
customers’ needs and give them what they want.
Source: Marketing Magazine, November 2013

15. The Hottest & Highest-Paying Digital Disciplines
4. Information architects
Known as the “art and science” of organizing and labeling websites, mobile, social media, software,
etc., information architects do more than draw boxes—it’s all about analyzing and understanding
content, users and context to create seamless and engaging experiences. It’s part of the field of user
experience, but as far as hot jobs go, it stands alone.
5. Digital content specialists
If content is king, then digital content specialists rule as they develop and create digital content to drive
web traffic, build brand equity and enhance the user experience to ultimately increase customer
acquisition and the bottom line.
6. Digital strategist
Digital strategists who actually know their stuff are in a category of their own. These are the people who
approach digital holistically and help companies deliver a digital presence that goes way beyond simple
social media.
Source: Marketing Magazine, November 2013

16. The Hottest & Highest-Paying Digital Disciplines
7. Shopper marketers
Marketing highlighted this as the future hot job two years ago and shopper marketing has arrived, with
high demand on both agency and client side. With an ever-changing
and increasingly competitive retail landscape that’s experiencing buyout and a U.S. invasion,
manufacturers are looking for insight and strategies to win on the retail floor.
8. Analytics/data scientists
There’s a strong thirst for people who can synthesize data and help marketers make better, more
insightful, strategic decisions. Then there’s the analytics whiz who knows how to track and measure digital
campaigns, shining a light on the ultimate challenge: RO I. With all things analytical in demand, the geeks
are poised to inherit the earth, or at least command the highest salaries.
9. Chief strategic officers
The right hand to the CEO, this relatively new position is designed for experienced “doers” who have the
eye and influence for creating, communicating, executing and sustaining a company’s strategy, both
internally and externally. These high-level visionaries have a proven track record and a knack for turning
strategy into reality.
Source: Marketing Magazine, November 2013

17. 3. HOW DIGITAL MARKETING DRIVE SALES

18. The Customer Journey to Online Purchase
Marketing channels influence the customer at different
points in the path to purchase.
Image source: Google

19. Each channel plays a different role in the customer journey.
Google’s findings in Canada, across all industries:
Image source: Google

20. Customer Journey to Purchase: All Industries in Canada
Image source: Google

21. Customer Journey to Purchase: Canada’s Tech. Industry
Image source: Google

22. Customer Journey to Purchase: Canada’s Travel Industry
Image source: Google

23. Customer Journey to Purchase: Canada’s Retail Industry
Image source: Google

24. 4. SKILLS YOU NEED

25. Source: Moz

26. 1. Branding
Know how to increase your brand’s equity and differentiate it
in the marketplace. Understand how to attract the audience
that would benefit the most from your product or service.
Where to learn branding:

27. 2. Business Development
Business development involves partnering with one or more
other companies to help you both grow faster. In a way, it’s more
difficult than making a sale because it involves not only putting
together a deal, but also coordinating and implementing it
successfully.
Where to learn business development:
Paul
Graham

28. 3. Pitching
As a marketer, you’ve got to be pitching constantly. This could
involve emailing a newspaper about writing an article for
them, convincing a conference organizer to let you talk at a
his event, speaking with a market research firm about
partnering up to do a major study, or putting together a grant
proposal to develop a new online tool.
Where to learn pitching:

29. 4. Customer Service
You should be constantly interacting with customers. Learn how
to communicate well via email, phone, chat, social media and in
person.
Where to learn customer service:

30. 5. SEO
Understand of how to generate traffic for your site via on
page optimization, high quality content, targeted keywords,
and link building.
Where to learn SEO:

31. 6. Content Marketing
Know how to create compelling content that’s relevant to your
market and drives conversions. This includes blog posts,
whitepapers, infographics, videos and any other form of content
that drives links and traffic to your website. Knowing how to
distribute this content online for it to be highly shared is also
critical.
Where to learn content marketing:

32. 7. Paid Search Marketing
To get started, learn how to leverage Google Adwords and
social media marketing (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) in
driving customer acquisition. Be able to write copy, design ads
and test their performance over time.
Where to learn paid search marketing:

33. 8. Marketing Automation
Know how to turn site visitors into leads, customers, and then
promoters of your brand. Understand how to drive customer
engagement and reconnect with customers using content, social
media, and email. Know how to A/B test your offerings to figure out
which one converts the best.
Where to learn marketing automation:

34. 9. Social Media Marketing
Understand how to build a community and drive engagement on
the biggest social networks: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn,
as well as any other social networks that are important for your
target audience. Learn how to connect with influential people in
different niches.
Where to learn social media marketing:

35. 10. Media Relations
Be able to get the attention of bloggers and journalists. Build
relationships so that over time your product is consistently in
the press.
Where to learn media relations:

36. 11. Web Analytics
In the digital space, we’ve gotten much better at figuring out which
marketing efforts are driving the most conversions. Practical
knowledge of web analytics will help you focus your company’s
efforts on that’s working and stop spending money on what isn’t.
Where to learn analytics:
Avinash Kaushik
Digital Marketing Evangelist
Google

37. 12. Conversion Rate Optimization
Conversion rate optimization refers to the process of
adjusting the copy, design and value proposition featured
on your site’s pages to increase their performance against
key metrics. After reviewing your analytics and A/B testing,
optimize your landing pages by tweaking your headlines,
keywords, layout, offering, and colors.
Where to learn conversion rate optimization:

38. 13. Web Development
Knowing how to get your hands dirty with web development
will make you a more effective marketer than one who always
has to rely on a developer. Learning HTML and CSS will let
you iterate quicker without distracting the development team.
Where to learn HTML & CSS:

39. 14. Event Planning
Organize events and conferences relating to the niche you’re
most passionate about. You’ll get to meet the influencers in that
space, connect employers to job prospects and contractors, and
establish yourself as an important asset for any company that’s in
the niche you’re playing in.
Where to learn about event planning:

40. Recap of the Skills You Need
1. Branding
2. Business Development
3. Pitching
4. Customer Service
5. SEO
6. Content Marketing
7. Paid Search Marketing
8. Marketing Automation
9. Social Media Marketing
10. Media Relations
11. Web Analytics
12. Conversion Rate Optimization
13. Web Development
14. Event Planning

41. FINAL NOTE:
The best learning comes from doing.

42. Alex Rascanu
Digital Marketing Strategist
Marketing Manager at Powered by Search
alex@alexrascanu.com l @alexrascanu
www.alexrascanu.com
THANK YOU!

43. Sources:
http://dx3.uberflip.com/h/i/6857524-comscore-advertising-media
Canadian Media Digest 2013/2014
Marketing Magazine, November 2013 edition
http://www.marketingmag.ca/news/jobzone-news/salary-benchmarks-hot-jobs-and-the-digital-divide-95358
http://www.google.ca/think/tools/customer-journey-to-online-purchase.html
http://wadefoster.net/post/42802176600/full-stack-marketing