Target Internet and the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) conducted a benchmarking test of digital marketing skills of more than 7,000 marketing professionals.
The study found that, unlike many other sectors, most digital marketing skills stagnated or declined during the pandemic. This decline was observed across almost all sectors and at all job levels, with Analytics & Data falling the most, followed by Content Marketing and Social Media.
Previous data from CIM’s “Impact of Marketing 3” report found 60% of marketers who were furloughed used the downtime on personal development, with their focus shifting to upskilling in areas like copywriting, brand and strategy. The research further found that the only discipline to significantly improve over the last 18 months was “general marketing”.
These numbers indicate that this report should act as a warning for both employers and employees. CIM’s director of marketing, Gemma Butler said, “Employers must invest in the ongoing development of their marketing teams.”
[4 minute read]
