We asked a digital marketer what they really do all day

The art of content creation.

For today’s ambitious millennial, choosing a career path has never been so difficult.

It’s not that we’re lazy or would rather spend all day eating smashed avo, we just have triple the options our parents ever had.

Wind back the clock a decade and try and tell someone what a content creator is. Or an influencer. To be honest, I still have trouble with that second one, but that’s a problem for another day.

The point is, just like your parents, there’s probably a host of roles out there that you don’t quite understand. One such role is that of a digital marketer, one that I now confidently comprehend having interviewed Shelley Friesen, director of Melbourne Social Co.

And no, unfortunately it isn’t all just fun photos and Instagram.

Here’s what it’s really like to work in a boutique digital marketing agency, as told by someone who runs one.

Hi Shelley, can you tell us a little bit about Melbourne Social Co?

Melbourne Social Co is a boutique creative agency that offers social media and digital marketing services for both businesses and personal brands.

What kind of people do you work with?

The fashion industry was one of the first to embrace social media as a business tool, so we started out as an agency with clientele predominantly in that space.

These days, however, we work with clients across a broad range of industries from fashion, beauty, food and retail to property, law, health and pet care.

What’s a typical 9-5 like?

Being digital, there’s a perception that those in the industry work from home in their pyjamas – but that’s very rarely the case (perhaps once a year, if I’m sick!)

A usual work day for me involves meeting clients on-site to discuss their digital marketing needs, briefing account managers about new clients, workshopping brand awareness strategies with our content team and reviewing campaigns to make sure we’re meeting our client’s goals and objectives.

I’m almost always scrolling through Instagram or checking Facebook notifications simultaneously too (the odd pet video gets a play as well!)

You scroll through Instagram all day? That sounds fun.

It’s not quite The Devil Wears Prada, but it’s definitely fast-paced and not a traditional 9-5!

Social media never sleeps, so you could say that as an agency we’re switched on 24/7. While we try to forward plan, the digital space is very much a reactive and responsive environment.

Therefore, we’re constantly working to tight deadlines as an agency and super swift turnaround times. The atmosphere is always lively and on most given days, there’ll be cake.

So what does digital marketing actually involve?

We offer our clients digital marketing strategies, content creation (comprising images, videos and copy), content distribution (via social media, website content and EDMs), social media advertising (recommendations and ads management), online community and reputation management and finally, influencer collaborations and digital PR.

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to amplifying a brand’s presence online.

Where do I start?

Getting into digital marketing is the same as getting into any creative industry – train and study in your craft, build up a portfolio of published work and then be happy to start at the bottom and work your way up.

OK, so how did you start?

I got into digital marketing through identifying a need for businesses to embrace it.

From my experience working in the editorial department of a fashion magazine and as a marketing manager for an Australian fashion and accessories label, I could see that social media was a tool businesses could adopt and utilise to connect with their consumers.

Despite people’s hesitance at the time to take a leap of faith on such an emerging field, I decided to start my own digital marketing agency.

What did you study at uni?

I studied Arts at Melbourne University, specialising in Professional Writing.

A little birdy told me you offer your own courses too?

In response to the demand for Melbourne Social Co’s services, in 2017 we launched a training academy to share our digital marketing insights and social media learnings with the masses.

Featuring the likes of our popular Social Media Masterclass, The Social Co Academy upskills students in the areas of social media strategy, content creation and content distribution via conveniently self-paced online courses, individually tailored face-to-face workshops and one-on-one consulting sessions.

Any advice for young creatives starting out?

If you’re wanting to work in social media and digital marketing, skill yourself in more than one area to give yourself an edge over the competition.

If you’re a copywriter, try your hand at styling and shooting flatlays. Or if you’re a community manager, learn how to craft and measure successful Facebook ads.

Don’t be a jack-of-all-trades and master of none, however – focus on a couple of areas of expertise and nail them.

melbournesocialco.com.au