As someone who started their digital marketing journey in the infancy of the industry, in 1999, the pace of change that seemed meteoric then now feels supersonic, faster-than-light.

5 years ago, through your ad platform partners like Google Ads (Search, Shopping, YouTube) and Meta Ads (Instagram and Facebook placements), you had many optimization options. Even 10 years ago, you could walk into a prospective client or new job, and lay out a dozen levers you could pull to improve their accounts. 10 years earlier, we could audit Google accounts and present 2 hours' worth of slides on strategies (probably overkill).

Now, messaging, image, and video ad assets are all thrown together into a black box. You choose your automatic “enhancements.” Give it a target ROAS. And step slowly away from the box.

(What’s in the BOX???!!!)

Strategic plus numbers focused. KPI driven, plus knowing where to deploy resources and what platforms to deploy those assets on. Being able to grind in an ad platform or spend hours in spreadsheets looking for insights is no longer required, or soon won’t be.

These are the durable skills of a modern senior in-house digital marketer, fractional CMO, or digital marketing consultant:

• Marketing Strategy

• Digital Content Deployment

• Retention

• KPIs / Analytics

• Attribution

• Understanding when and where to deploy AI

Curiosity, passion for digital, flexibility, and staying ahead of trends were always how the best marketers won. Now, it’s required for survival.

AI alone can’t help grow your brand. Critical thinking and deep digital marketing experience can.