Top Digital Marketing Skills Every Employer Wants in 2025

Introduction

Digital marketing in 2025 is evolving faster than ever. Companies are investing heavily in online marketing – global digital marketing spending is projected to reach $786.2 billion by 2026 ama.org – and they need professionals with the right skill sets to maximize that investment. Recent LinkedIn data shows that the most in-demand skills for marketing hires include social media marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), Adobe design tools, email marketing, and market research marketingprofs.com. In short, employers across industries are hunting for marketers who are tech-savvy, data-driven, and creative. Below, we break down the top digital marketing skills every employer wants in 2025 and how each one boosts your employability.

1. Social Media Marketing

Why it’s in demand: Social media remains one of the most powerful channels for customer engagement and brand awareness. In 2025, over 5.4 billion people worldwide use social media sproutsocial.com, and social platforms are a primary source of product discovery for younger consumers. In fact, 53% of shoppers discover products on social platforms salesforce.com, a figure that jumped from 46% in 2023. It’s no surprise that social media marketing is the #1 most in-demand skill for marketers on LinkedIn marketingprofs.com. Employers want professionals who can build a compelling social presence and drive real results through posts, engagement, and paid ads.

Key elements of social media expertise:

• Platform proficiency & community management: Knowledge of major platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, TikTok) and how to grow followers and handle interactions professionally.

• Content creation: Ability to craft engaging posts, images, and short-form videos. (Short video is huge – 78% of people prefer learning about products via short videos sproutsocial.com.)

• Social media advertising: Experience with paid campaigns and targeting tools (e.g., Facebook Ads Manager). Social ad spend is booming – projected to reach $276.7 billion in 2025 sproutsocial.comsproutsocial.com – so knowing how to optimize ROI on social platforms is invaluable.

• Analytics: Familiarity with social media insights (reach, clicks, conversions) to measure success and continually improve strategy.

2. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Why it’s in demand: Search engines are still the starting point for most online activity – a whopping 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine ama.org. That means if a business doesn’t appear in search results, it’s missing out on customers. SEO skills are critical for helping companies rank higher on Google, drive organic traffic, and capture high-intent leads. LinkedIn data consistently ranks SEO among the top skills for marketing roles marketingprofs.com, and companies of all sizes are eager to hire SEO specialists to boost their visibility.

Key elements of SEO expertise:

• Keyword research: Identifying the search terms potential customers use and optimizing content around those terms.

• On-page optimization: Crafting pages (titles, meta descriptions, headers, etc.) with relevant keywords and user-friendly formatting.

• Technical SEO: Improving site performance (page speed, mobile-friendliness, site structure) so search engines can crawl and index effectively.

• Content and link strategy: Creating high-quality content that attracts backlinks and satisfies user intent, in alignment with SEO goals.

• SEO tools & analytics: Proficiency with Google Analytics, Search Console, and SEO platforms (SEMrush, Ahrefs) to track rankings and traffic, and to demonstrate how SEO efforts boost business results.

3. Content Marketing & Copywriting (with Video Skills)

Why it’s in demand: Content is the fuel that drives digital marketing. Whether it’s blog articles, social media posts, videos, or email newsletters, compelling content attracts and retains customers. Employers seek marketers who can produce content that truly resonates with target audiences. This includes strong copywriting abilities and, increasingly, the ability to create or coordinate video content. 86% of businesses use video marketing to increase brand engagement ama.org, and consumers are hungry for it – 89% of people want to see more video from brands backlinko.com. Being skilled in content creation, especially video and storytelling, is a major plus in 2025.

Key elements of content marketing expertise:

• Copywriting & storytelling: Strong writing skills for blogs, ads, and social media, combined with the talent to craft stories that connect with people. Creative storytelling helps a brand stand out in a crowded marketplace.

• Video production basics: Ability to script, shoot, or edit short videos (even smartphone-quality). Knowing how to create engaging short-form videos (reels, TikToks, YouTube shorts) is highly valuable as video content dominates online platforms ama.org.

• Content strategy: Planning content calendars and campaigns aligned with business goals and SEO insights – knowing what topics and formats will attract your audience at each stage of their journey.

• Design and editing sense: Basic skills in graphic design (e.g., using Canva or Photoshop) and video editing. In fact, graphic design know-how is so useful that Adobe Photoshop was listed among the top skills in marketing job hires on LinkedIn marketingprofs.com. Marketers who can both create and distribute content have an edge in the job market.

4. Data Analytics and Marketing Metrics

Why it’s in demand: Modern marketing is all about data-driven decision making. Employers want marketers who not only execute campaigns, but also measure performance and glean insights to optimize results. Being comfortable with analytics is essentially a requirement now – 88% of marketers use analytics and measurement tools as part of their work salesforce.com. Demonstrating that you can turn data into actionable strategies will make you invaluable to any marketing team.

Key elements of analytics expertise:

• Web analytics: Proficiency in Google Analytics (GA4) to monitor website traffic, user behavior, and conversion paths. Understanding metrics like bounce rate, time on page, and conversion rate is crucial.

• KPI tracking and insight generation: Familiarity with key performance indicators (ROI, click-through rates, cost per acquisition, customer lifetime value, etc.) and the ability to generate reports explaining what the numbers mean.

• Data-driven optimization: Using insights to tweak campaigns – for example, adjusting ad spend if certain channels show better cost per lead, or refining email subject lines based on open rate data. Knowing how to run A/B tests and interpret the results falls under this skill as well.

• Dashboard tools: Experience with data visualization or BI tools (e.g., Data Studio, Tableau) to help stakeholders quickly grasp campaign performance and make informed decisions.

Employers love candidates who can demonstrate real results from past work (like “increased email click-through rate by 25% by segmenting our list and personalizing content”). Showing you can connect marketing efforts to data and business outcomes is one of the surest ways to prove your value.

5. Email Marketing & CRM

Why it’s in demand: Email may be one of the oldest digital channels, but it remains a powerhouse for ROI. In fact, for B2C companies, email marketing still delivers the highest return on investment of any channel hubspot.com. Employers need marketers who can nurture leads and engage customers through well-crafted email campaigns. Similarly, knowledge of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems goes hand-in-hand with email skills – companies want to efficiently manage leads and automate communication to the right people at the right time.

Key elements of email marketing expertise:

• Email campaign creation: Ability to write and design effective emails – from attention-grabbing subject lines to persuasive body copy and calls-to-action.

• Segmentation and automation: Skills in dividing an email list into targeted segments and setting up automated workflows. Using tools like Mailchimp, HubSpot, or Sendinblue to send the right message to the right people at the right time is a huge advantage.

• CRM proficiency: Familiarity with CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot CRM) to organize leads and track interactions. 86% of marketers use a CRM system today salesforce.com, so employers expect you to be comfortable with managing customer data.

• Metrics and deliverability: Understanding email performance metrics (open rates, click rates, conversion rates) and strategies to improve them. Also, knowing how to maintain good deliverability (avoiding spam filters, proper list hygiene) is important for ensuring your emails actually reach inboxes.

Done right, email marketing builds loyalty and drives repeat sales. Employers know this, which is why they highly regard marketers who can demonstrate successful email campaigns and a strong grasp of CRM data management.

6. Paid Advertising (PPC & SEM)

Why it’s in demand: While SEO and organic social media are vital, most companies also invest heavily in paid advertising to get immediate visibility and results. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising – including Google Ads (search engine marketing) and social media ads – is a core component of digital strategies. Digital ad spend keeps growing annually; for example, U.S. paid search spending is projected to hit $124.6 billion in 2024 salesforce.com, and globally, social media ad spending will be well over $270 billion by 2025 sproutsocial.comsproutsocial.com. Employers need marketers who can manage these budgets effectively and generate a strong return.

Key elements of PPC/SEM expertise:

• Google Ads skills: Knowledge of how to research keywords, set up Google Ads campaigns, and optimize them. This includes understanding Quality Score, match types, bidding strategies, and writing effective ad copy for search ads.

• Social media ads: Experience creating and managing ads on platforms like Facebook/Instagram, LinkedIn, or TikTok. Each has its own ad system – being adept with one or more (e.g., Facebook Ads Manager) is a big plus.

• Campaign optimization: Ability to monitor ad performance and adjust targeting, budgets, and creatives to improve results (e.g., lowering cost-per-click or raising conversion rates). The best PPC marketers constantly test and refine their campaigns to hit targets.

• Landing page alignment: Ensuring that the traffic you’re paying for converts. This means collaborating on or creating landing pages that match your ads’ messaging and provide a smooth path to purchase or sign-up.

Having proven PPC/SEM skills on your resume shows that you can drive traffic and acquisitions on demand – a critical capability when companies are looking to scale quickly.

7. Marketing Automation & AI Tools

Why it’s in demand: As marketing technology (MarTech) advances, companies are adopting automation and artificial intelligence tools to work smarter and faster. In 2025, a marketer who can leverage AI and automation has a competitive edge. Over half of marketers (51%) are already using or experimenting with generative AI in their work salesforce.com – for tasks like content creation, idea generation, and even data analysis. Likewise, marketing automation platforms (for email, social scheduling, lead scoring, etc.) are now common in businesses of all sizes. Employers want digitally savvy marketers who can navigate these tools and continuously improve efficiency.

Key elements of automation/AI expertise:

• Marketing automation platforms: Experience with tools such as HubSpot, Marketo, or Pardot to automate campaigns, manage leads, and integrate marketing activities. This could involve setting up drip email series, scoring leads based on engagement, or automating social media posting.

• AI content tools: Familiarity with AI-powered tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Jasper) that can assist in writing copy, generating ideas, or creating basic visuals. Knowing how to use these responsibly (as a boost to productivity, not a replacement for original strategy) is key.

• Analytics AI: Using AI or machine learning features in analytics tools (like predictive analytics dashboards or AI-driven customer insights). For example, some CRM systems use AI to predict which leads are most likely to convert.

• Chatbots and conversational AI: Understanding how to implement chatbots on websites or social media to handle customer inquiries can be a plus, as many businesses are adopting AI-driven customer service.

• Continuous learning: The AI/automation landscape is new and evolving. Showing that you stay updated on the latest tools – and have a mindset to learn and adapt – will signal to employers that you can help them innovate. (Notably, 54% of marketers say training in generative AI is important for success in their role salesforce.com, yet 70% of companies don’t provide it, so taking the initiative in learning AI is a smart move.)

Conclusion

Digital marketing is a broad field, but certain core skills have become “must-haves” for anyone aiming to succeed in 2025. Employers today look for well-rounded marketers – people with a solid grasp of the fundamentals and specific expertise in high-impact areas. By developing the skills above, you’ll cover the bases that most digital marketing roles require.

The best part is how these skills complement each other. For example, your social media and content strengths will amplify your SEO, and your analytics skills will help you refine your email and PPC campaigns. Marketers who can wear multiple hats – creative, analytical, and technical – are in especially high demand.

Ready to future-proof your marketing career? Start building these in-demand skills through hands-on practice and training. Delphin Digital Academy offers programs covering all of these areas – from SEO workshops to comprehensive digital strategy courses. With expert-led training, you can quickly gain the experience and confidence you need to impress employers. Equip yourself with the digital marketing skills employers want, and you’ll be well on your way to a thriving career.