Easy Marketing Work Experience You Didn't Know You Could Get
Not all work experience has to be gained in an office so if you're fighting a losing battle trying to nab a marketing internship, don't panic.
Chances are if you're interested in marketing, you've got the relevant skills already; it's just a case of identifying which ones are important to the industry. Writing great content, working out how to think innovatively and understanding the basics of creative web design are key skills which go a long way here and motivating yourself to act on them independently is a hugely employable trait...
LEARN TO USE WORDPRESS
Don't be put off by the jargon! You don't have to be a web techie to work out CMS. This simply stands for "content management systems" - a back-end template which website content is typed into. With one quick click this can be uploaded onto the public pages, appearing in the design that web techies will have created.
These tools are used in marketing on a daily basis so are a valuable skill to pick up. Wordpress is a great place to start and once you've figured out one, you'll have a head start on whichever system your new company uses - one less thing for a new employer to talk you through on your first day.
All you need to know is the basics of how to get around, tagging key words, getting to grips with simple things like adding a new blog post, linking images and customising layouts. It might take a little while to work out the different tools, so starting up your own blog is the best way to get into it; which brings us onto our next section nicely...
TIME TO START BLOGGING
Thought all of that essay writing wouldn't come in useful? Do not underestimate the value of being able to write high quality, grammatical content for a variety of purposes. Creating your own blog and experimenting with different writing styles will help practice your web copy style (website text), proof and editing techniques on your CMS and an approachable, appropriate writing tone for your audience. Plus you create a natural space for any previous work to be displayed as a portfolio. Put the URL on your CV and they can instantly see what you can do. Sorted.
These skills matter hugely for company blog management, search engine optimisation, guest posting on other company sites, engaging new traffic, developing easy social media fuel, displaying industry expertise, researching new ideas, reaching out to new networks of professionals... it goes on, all of which sit at the heart of content and digital marketing.
SOCIAL MEDIA LIKE A PRO
You may do a bit of casual tweeting and have yourself smartly positioned on LinkedIn but it's time to ramp up the volume. Do some research, read some of the endless how-to blogs and get yourself up to speed with every current social media platform trending. Each plays a different and entirely individual purpose for a business and understanding you approach each one in the same way is where so many companies struggle. This means the likes of Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, FourSquare - even if you never have to use them, at least you'll know your way around.
Meanwhile, browse successful businesses on Facebook and see which content generates discussion and which posts fall flat; corporate Facebook is completely different to your daily activity. You either want people talking about your posts or sharing them, and working out an effective way to strategise this is half the battle.
Drum up some attention on twitter, make conversation and try to build a follower base that proves you know how to draw in the crowds. Remember those epic blog posts you've been writing...? Also practice with scheduling software on something like Buffer, Tweet Deck or HootSuite which save masses of time in a company.
USE YOUR COMMON SENSE
Finally, a huge part of marketing is working out what makes an audience tick, researching how to approach it and using your common sense the rest of the way. All the information you need is out there and if in doubt, blog posts are your new best friend. Good luck!
Guest post by Charlee Owen,
