Futuristic ads

Ashish Bahukhandi

The lines between digital marketing and digital advertising are so blurred, many people believe the terms ultimately refer to the same thing. This is true to some degree because the two work closely together, but technically speaking, digital advertising is meant to make audiences aware of a brand while digital marketing is about developing a brand. 

Contrary to some popular opinions, traditional media isn't going away for good. However, as the whole world is slowly moving online, digital advertising is booming like never before. As things stand, the classic marketing concept and digital marketing are currently so intertwined they will soon become synonymous.

It's clear that brands are pouring more resources into digital advertising than just a few years ago. I honestly can't recall the last startup that chose to promote itself on traditional media rather than using digital advertising.

But where is the digital advertising industry headed? Well, considering the fact that US digital ad spending has already surpassed TV ad spending, it's safe to say digital advertising is both the present and the future of marketing.

What’s yet to come

Although there are still many unknowns if we are taking into account the regular innovations that are shaping the digital advertising industry, one trend will surely stick during the following years-All targetable advertising will move to the digitised world. Methodologies may change, but the digital platform is surely here to stay. The imminent scope of digital advertising is highly dependent on future developments that will help in integrating as many platforms as possible. As stated above, traditional media is here to stay, so there's a good chance we will find ways to integrate the old platforms with this huge digital platform.

In fact, where already seeing evidence of this with the second screen practice. A huge percent of traditional media consumers is now engaging with the new media (Facebook, Twitter, mobile gaming, etc.) while watching a TV show. 

Digital advertising is also evolving to wearable and IOT devices, so digital devices will be a major influence in human buying behavior in the future.

With this evidence, is clear that innovation will be the name of the game. The biggest winners will be the marketers with extensive knowledge of synthesis, community, and creativity.

The shift towards mobile

Nevertheless, ads will remain the spearhead of the marketing industry.  Every other big web-based platform is making billions from digital ads- Facebook and Google are just a two examples. However, everything is slowly moving from the web to mobile, and that's a fact. 

With this new developments, it's increasingly difficult for a company to decide on placing their ads on the right platform.That's anything but bad news for digital advertisers. Their expertise will prove critical in the years to come as businesses are in dire need of specialists capable of building and deploying the right ads to the right platform.

Career opportunities

As this industry grows and grows, it opens up tremendous career opportunities with good monetary prospects. But digital advertising is a vast domain with a variety of dissimilar segments that make use of diverse sets of skills. Thus, an individual trying to work in this industry should specialise in a particular area of digital advertising. 

Sure, it's advisable to get a firm grasp on the most important know-hows regarding the industry as a whole, but specializing in a field is the way to go.

Here are some specialisations that students can consider:

• Digital buyer
• Digital analyst
• Digital planner
• Ad trafficker 
• Media coordinator
• Programmatic Strategist
• Digital media strategist
• Niche content specialist
• Creative account manager
• Digital media supervisor

Sound advice

Look for an internship and conduct extensive research on the agency you're applying to. Learn everything there is to know about their work history, the people who work there and their most treasured clients. Of course, you should also find a way to convey all this to the hiring manager without forcing anything into a conversation. 

The last word

Digital is the future, there's no question about it, but digital advertising is no longer a new thing. As audiences move to the digital world, digital advertising is slowly but surely approaching its maturing point. Digital skills are in high demand but digital marketing professionals are still hard to come by. Who knows? With the right set of skills and dedication, you might get to set the future trends in digital advertising.

Work profile

Although the title may differ from place to place, the responsibilities are more or less the same. Before you decide to start investing time in preparing for a job like this, you should know that digital advertising (and traditional advertising for that matter) is a little more than a regular job. A vast majority of people who currently work in high-paid digital advertising positions weren't hired because they simply wanted a day job. Top tier agencies look for people who are truly passionate about advertising, live and breathe creativity and are capable of constantly adapting to the norm. Even if your middle name is creativity, preparing for a job in digital advertising is excruciating if you've never worked in the industry before. You should look beyond learning the latest trends and buzzwords if you want to work this industry. What is trending and innovative today can be old hat practice by tomorrow.

— The writer is Chief Executive Officer, Appsdiscover