Open any freelancing group, and you’ll see every other person striving to make a living via online service provision as a digital marketer in Pakistan. Don’t you agree?
But do you think the field is still lucrative with everyone diving into it? Or is it super simple to make people jump into it without thinking?
The answer to the first question is yes, it is still lucrative, and people are making thousands of dollars as their monthly income alone through the provision of digital marketing services. But is it easy? I don’t have an exact answer to it.
For me, it is easy because I know the gimmicks after being in the industry for years. But for you, it might not be because you are still standing at the first step. But with constant effort and learning, you’ll make it one day.
Anyways, as far as those freelancing group digital marketers are concerned, I don’t consider them real marketers. Most, but not all, have decided to try their luck without skill and started selling themselves as digital marketers.
So now the question is how to become a real digital marketer in Pakistan. The person who can get clients, provide services, and satisfy them! I’ll address that in today’s article.
Before you can think of becoming a digital marketer, you must understand the scope of digital marketing before acquiring the skills. So, let me define that scope. I won’t start with the definition. I believe today, everyone knows that part, even if you haven’t been in the digital marketing field.
What is included in digital marketing?
You can divide digital marketing into eight different categories. I’ll mention them all here to help you make your choice:
Search Engine Optimization – deals with applying strategies to rank the website organically on search engines.
Pay Per Click – also known as Google Ads marketing. In this sub-category, you run ads on Google and its platforms.
Social Media Marketing – covers ads on all social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, etc.
Content Marketing – writing blogs and other forms of content to promote the website/product
Email Marketing – sending emails to customers and potential customers
Mobile Marketing – using mobile apps, websites, etc. to target customers
Marketing Analytics – using the data generated through different means for improving the customer experience and creating targeted strategies
Affiliate Marketing – promoting a product or service owned by others through your marketing skills
Step-by-step process to becoming a digital marketer:
Learn the basic skills:
Whatever sub-category of digital marketing you decide to pursue in your career, you’ll have to learn the basic skills. Internationally, you’ll find many universities offering these skills as degree courses. But unfortunately, this isn’t the case in Pakistan.
You can use YouTube as your learning source or move towards online courses from the experts. YouTube helps you set the ground for the basics. So, if you are just entering the industry, start using YouTube as a learning source.
But once you have the basic skill, I believe you should get some specialized training from a proven expert. At Aamir Ahmer Academy, I teach Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and Copywriting. So, if you have chosen any of the fields related to these skills, you can get in touch and get further guidance from the team.
Test your knowledge:
While in the learning phase, you can’t go to a client’s ads account or website and start experimenting. You must know what you are doing.
Once you start applying the learned knowledge, you’ll face many difficulties. Things might not work exactly the way you have been taught. There can be bugs and errors.
Besides, most digital marketing skills need intuition and specific service provision for each client. It means you’ll have to change strategies often depending upon your client. In all these situations, you must have experience.
Many of you will ask how you can get experience if you are not hiring clients. Well, the simple answer is to bring in clients for yourself using the same marketing strategy you’ll later use for your clients.
It will prove you to be one of the best digital marketers in Pakistan. But it will also give you better exposure in the international market.
Build your portfolio:
If you get good results for yourself, you are doing things right. You can include your business stats as a case study to build your portfolio. Some other methods include working as an intern for an agency or an expert or partnering up with an individual who has exposure to clients.
With all these methods, you’ll have something tangible to share with clients. Make sure you present it well. Use data to back up your claim. Always share the KPIs and the customer review (if available) as screenshots.
Hunt clients and provide them quality services:
Now when you are sure and have run some tests for yourself, it is time for real client hunting through multiple channels. You must create an account on Upwork, Fiverr, & other freelancing platforms and acquire clients through LinkedIn and social media channels. Working with different clients will boost your confidence and will give you an idea of how the market works and what’s the best niche to focus on.
You can either pick a niche or simply get clients from different industries. There is no hard and fast rule to proceed. But one thing you must ensure is that always over-deliver the client and communicate effectively. You must not put the reputation of Pakistani freelancers or digital marketers at stake. If you can’t handle something, share it in advance and elaborate on what you’ll be doing at what price.
Now you are a Digital Marketer:
People usually skip all these steps. They just watch a few videos on YouTube and claim they are a marketing expert. Usually, you can find them in different hiring posts claiming some BIG results.
In reality, they have never done anything similar. Such self-proclaimed marketers procrastinate and leave the practical part to the time when dealing with a client.
Firstly, it is difficult to get a client as such. Secondly, even if they get lucky, they ruin the opportunity because watching does not always resolve your queries. There are multiple things you’ll have to find an answer to when you start the actual work. So, practice is essential.
But once you have completed all these stages, you have become a digital marketer.
How long does it usually take to become a digital marketer in Pakistan?
If you want to follow all these steps, it won’t take you more than three months to earn your first dollar. But you cannot expect any earnings while not doing anything in this period. You’ll have to apply different techniques and be perseverant. Only then, you can expect success in this field.
Tips to become a successful digital marketer in Pakistan:
You won’t like to be a random digital marketer. It is always a dream to be recognized and acknowledged for your services. So, here are some tips to help you achieve that level:
Focus on networking:
Networking is a skill that only a few people use. With this skill, you can get solutions to all your problems. You’ll even get an immense amount of work through this skill.
It is not only physical networks you should focus on; instead, build online networks too. Interact with people, help them find solutions, and you’ll be good to go.
Never quit learning:
Another crucial thing to note is to never stop learning. You cannot be perfect, and there is always room to grasp more. Learn from powerful brands and digital marketing experts. They’ll always have something to tell you.
Keep your knowledge updated:
Redundant knowledge is of no use in the digital world. So, make sure you are constantly aware of the new trends and things going on in the industry.
It will not only present you with more opportunities but also result in finding quick solutions to the client’s problems, thus ensuring higher satisfaction levels.
Summing up:
Becoming a digital marketer in Pakistan is not difficult, but you’ll have to acquire skills wholeheartedly. Besides, practice is needed. And you cannot let go of this stage to direct client acquisition. Keep things in mind.
If you want to know more about what we cover in our digital marketing course At Aamir Ahmer Academy and what kind of support you get for your lifetime, do not hesitate to visit our website or post your questions in the group. You’ll surely find valuable insights from being a beginner to the actual client acquisition stage.
Are you ready to be a digital marketer in Pakistan?
