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Marketing Manager

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What Is a Marketing Manager? How to Become One, Salary, Skills.

Marketing managers handle the strategy, content creation, budgeting and collaboration involved in developing marketing campaigns. Marketing managers may also oversee a team of marketers who use their specialties to execute campaign requirements. Here’s what to know about a marketing manager’s salary, needed skills and how to become one.

What Is a Marketing Manager?

Marketing managers are responsible for establishing and maintaining a company’s marketing strategies and campaigns. Marketing managers can be found across industries and work in a variety of mediums ranging from digital to print to media. The main objective of marketing managers is to spread awareness of their brand’s products or services and grow the customer base.

What Do Marketing Managers Do?

Marketing managers work closely with a team of marketers to help develop marketing strategies, create content and measure marketing performance metrics.

Marketing Manager Responsibilities

• Create and manage marketing campaigns for their company or organization. 
• Create campaigns across digital platforms as well as print and media campaigns.
• DeveIop and implement various marketing strategies. 
• Collaborate with other departments, including product development, sales and customer service. 
• Measure marketing performance metrics and report findings to leadership.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities of Marketing Manager 

• Collaborate, manage and coordinate marketing staff.
• Conduct market research to identify current trends of products and services. 
• Create and manage ad campaigns. 
• Monitor performance metrics of current campaigns. 
• Work with the marketing team to continue to develop strategies for new and ongoing campaigns.

 Marketing Manager Within a Company

Marketing managers are typically mid-level roles within a company’s marketing department. This role may report to a senior marketing manager, director of marketing or VP of marketing . Although they are often individual contributors, sometimes they manage direct reports. They may work closely with sales and product teams to establish marketing strategies and track the success of campaigns. 

Importance of Marketing Manager

Marketing managers are essential to a company’s growth strategy , as they help run advertising campaigns and develop and manage content creation, promotions and social media.

What Skills Are Needed to Be a Marketing Manager?

Qualifications to be a marketing manager.

• Understanding of marketing best practices.
• Ability to manage multiple projects within budget.
• Familiarity with market research practices and tools.
• Familiarity with the latest marketing tools and software.

 Marketing Manager Prerequisites

• Marketing managers often have a bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, public relations or a related field. 
• Strong portfolio of past marketing campaigns, including but not limited to paid ads and search, market research and SEO writing.

Marketing Manager Hard Skills

• Market research. 
• Writing skills.
• Basic SEO skills.
• Basic design skills. 
• Data analytics. 
• PPC advertising.

Marketing Manager Soft Skills

• Communication and presentation skills. 
• Time management skills.
• Collaboration and teamwork skills. 
• Creative thinking and problem solving skills.

Tools and Programs Marketing Manager Use

• Google Analytics
• Microsoft Dynamics

How to Become a Marketing Manager

Marketing manager education and experience.

Marketing manager positions usually require a bachelor’s degree in marketing or a related field. Besides earning a degree, having a portfolio and previous marketing experience is essential to becoming a successful marketing manager. Building a portfolio of ad campaigns, SEO writing and social media experience is an important step for an aspiring marketing manager. 

Marketing Manager Certificates and Courses

• Content Marketing Courses & Webinars to Know
• Digital Marketing Accelerator
• Meta Marketing Analytics
• Digital Marketing Strategies: Data, Automation, AI & Analytics
• Digital Marketing Certification

Marketing Manager Career Path

Many marketers use internships as the first step in their career. After that, they may take on roles such as marketing associate, marketing coordinator or marketing manager. Some marketing managers may go on to become a senior marketing manager, director of marketing or VP of marketing. 

Marketing Manager Salary and Job Outlook

The outlook for professionals working in digital marketing is promising. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that there will be an average of 35,000 marketing jobs open each year from 2021 to 2031.

The full compensation package for a marketing manager depends on a variety of factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s experience and geographic location. See below for detailed information on the average marketing manager’s salary.

In addition to a bachelor’s degree and marketing certifications, marketing managers require several years of working experience to be successful in their careers.

To be considered qualified for a marketing manager role, marketing professionals should begin by strengthening their educational background. A bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications or another related field will prepare candidates for their future responsibilities with courses that teach how to conduct research, build ideal customer profiles and perform other essential marketing tasks. Furthering one's education by earning a marketing certification from providers like Udacity can reinforce this knowledge and strengthen the resume of graduates looking to breaking into the marketing field.

Before reaching the marketing manager position, candidates will need to accumulate several years of experience in the marketing field. Entering the industry as a marketing associate , junior copywriter or another entry-level role will provide professionals with exposure to common marketing demands and allow them to develop their skills in the most productive manner possible. From here, volunteering to lead projects and developing strong people management can provide candidates with the managerial know-how required to successful lead a team.

Marketing managers play a critical role in the success of organizations across industries and earn an average base salary of $88,850 in the U.S. as of 2022.

According to Built In, a marketing manager’s average base salary in the U.S. is $88,850 as of 2022. Marketing managers in the United States also earn an average of $7,777 in additional cash compensation, raising their average total compensation to $96,627.  Those who exceed expectations have the potential to earn as much as $210K with the right blend of experience, skill set and proven results.

Marketing managers must pair an expert-level, well-rounded marketing skill set with strong leadership and collaboration abilities.

By building out their education and gaining work experience, marketing managers will develop a versatile marketing skill set that they will be put to work in a marketing manager role. Strong copywriting , digital marketing, market research , interactive marketing and content marketing abilities are just a few of the many skills that marketing managers will be required to have an expert's knowledge of. A deep understanding of customer needs and SEO principles are also two top marketing skills that marketing managers should have at the ready when beginning any project.

Additionally, the marketing manager position requires a great deal of both cross-team collaboration and time spent guiding team members through the requirements of a project. Marketing managers must feel confident in their ability to determine workflows and coordinate with internal and external partners to make best use of the resources their company has at their disposal. Quick-but-informed decision-making is crucial for keeping marketing campaigns on schedule and budget while avoiding analysis paralysis so marketing activations can be executed and evaluated in a timely manner By being communicative and decisive, marketing managers can become essential not just in the marketing department but across the entire organization.

Expand Your Marketing Manager Career Opportunities

Raise your marketing skill set to the next level by completing Udemy’s online marketing courses.

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Marketing Manager Certifications + Programs

Build a foundation for the next phase of your career by securing marketing certifications through Udacity.

This digital marketing course is designed for students with a range of professional experiences — including beginners. You’ll take a deep dive into the essential channels and tactics behind effective campaigns. Get hands-on experience with social media, search strategy, conversion optimization, Google Analytics, and more.

You will concentrate on the most important tools for executing digital marketing strategies on the job. The program’s content is curated by the General Assembly digital marketing advisory board so that you are able to meet the evolving employer demands of a digital marketer. 

What you'll accomplish

This course will equip you with the skills you need to be a productive and effective marketer and keep pace with an evolving digital landscape. You’ll learn current tools and best practices to drive sales leads, boost customer engagement, and help your brand stand out in a crowded market. Throughout this expert-designed program, you’ll:

• Use a full arsenal of digital marketing tools, including Google AdWords and Facebook.
• Design and execute comprehensive marketing plans through channels such as social media, search, email, and paid advertising.
• Execute marketing strategy that’s powered by data and customer insight.
• Measure and optimize performance for campaign success using Google Analytics.
• Apply what you’ve learned to create a portfolio project: an end-to-end campaign that addresses a real-world growth problem.

Why General Assembly

Since 2011, General Assembly has graduated more than 40,000 students worldwide from the full time & part time courses. During the 2020 hiring shutdown, GA's students, instructors, and career coaches never lost focus, and the KPMG-validated numbers in their Outcomes report reflect it. *For students who graduated in 2020 — the peak of the pandemic — 74.4% of those who participated in GA's full-time Career Services program landed jobs within six months of graduation. General Assembly is proud of their grads + teams' relentless dedication and to see those numbers rising. Download the report here .

Your next step? Submit an application to talk to the General Assembly Admissions team

Note: reviews are referenced from Career Karma - https://careerkarma.com/schools/general-assembly

In this program, you’ll learn foundational data skills, gain an in-depth understanding of Google Analytics and marketing analytics. You’ll learn to analyze data and build models with Excel, Data Studio, and create informative data visualizations with Tableau.

Learn to create marketing content, use social media to amplify your message, make content discoverable in search, run ad campaigns and advertise on Facebook. Additionally, learn how display and video ads work and how to market with email, and measure and optimize with Google Analytics.

Careers Related to Marketing Manager

Related marketing jobs, companies hiring marketing managers, most common skills for marketing manager, related marketing careers.

How To Become A Marketing Manager

Updated: Jan 2, 2024, 3:24pm

Marketing managers play a key role in the success of a business by leading a team and creating a marketing strategy that meets the organization’s goals, either by maximizing profits or building brand recognition. Many marketing management positions require applicants to have a bachelor’s degree in marketing , business, communications or a business-related field.

If you have strong analytical skills and a knack for knowing what consumers want, becoming a marketing manager could be a great career path for you.

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What Does a Marketing Manager Do?

While duties may vary by company and industry, a marketing manager can expect to lead a small team and oversee the development, implementation and evaluation of a successful marketing strategy for an organization’s product or service.

Marketing managers will engage in market research to determine the demand of products or services they offer. This market research may include trend analysis to ensure the longevity of the profitability of their products. They will also create a pricing scheme for products that fits the needs of the organization.

A marketing manager works with other departments such as advertising and promotion managers, the legal team and the product development team to meet the objectives of a marketing strategy.

Marketing Manager Job Outlook

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects marketing management positions will grow by 7% from 2022 to 2032, more than double the average growth for all occupations. The BLS projects a total increase of 23,700 openings for these positions.

In May 2022, marketing managers reported earning a median salary of $140,040. The highest-paying positions were in company and enterprise management, followed by finance and insurance.

Top Skills for a Marketing Manager

Marketing managers need both soft and hard skills to be successful. A marketing manager should have a deep comprehension of analytics and advertising to best understand their customer base and meet their objectives.

Since marketing managers often lead or work within a team, strong communication skills are a must-have, both online and in-person. Managers must be effective listeners and speakers to help their team understand their requirements and that their input is valued.

A marketing manager should be adaptable and able to think critically to find the best solution. Having strong organizational skills is essential to success since managers need to meet goals and deadlines.

Steps to Becoming a Marketing Manager

The path to becoming a marketing manager is not unlike other professions that generally require a degree.

As the position title suggests, a marketing manager is a management position that will require not only knowledge through your coursework but also years of experience in the field in entry-level positions.

Earn a Bachelor’s Degree

To become a marketing manager you will need to earn an undergraduate degree. Marketing is a good major because it delves into specific skills, such as advertising, product pricing, market research, consumer behavior, professional sales and online retailing. However, while earning a marketing degree is the most straightforward choice, it isn’t the only option.

A bachelor’s in communications or business management might suit your needs, too. These related degrees cover pertinent skills for your career in business, and they can help make your résumé more versatile. Additionally, taking courses in other fields, especially those in technology or visual arts, will broaden your knowledge base and make you more adaptable in meeting the desires of a diverse consumer base.

Lastly, it is highly recommended to complete an internship during your degree as it will provide experience in the field. Internships allow students to better understand the various fields in marketing and identify interests.

Consider an M.B.A. Program

While an M.B.A. is not required to become a marketing manager, a higher degree can help individuals stand out. An M.B.A. in general management will give you a broader understanding of finance, leadership, human resources and more. Students can also look for programs that offer concentrations in marketing. An M.B.A. in marketing may offer courses on supply chain management, new product development or brand management.

Find Employment

Before becoming a manager, you will likely need experience in other marketing roles . Some entry-level include marketing specialists, marketing analysts or marketing and sales associates. After gaining experience in these roles, you will better understand the functions of a successful marketing manager.

Marketing managers can work in many industries such as business and finance, healthcare, education, software, architecture and engineering, legal, the arts and food service. With more experience, you can become a marketing director .

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Does marketing require a degree.

Marketing management positions typically require a bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, communications or a business-related field. An M.B.A. is not often required, but may allow for advanced career growth. Completing an internship alongside your degree will also make you a more desirable applicant.

What is the highest paying marketing job?

Some of the highest-paying jobs have titles such as chief marketing officer or vice president of marketing. These roles oversee entire marketing departments. According to BLS, some of the highest-paying marketing jobs are in the oil and gas extraction industry, where the mean salary of a marketing manager is $254,080.

How long does it take to become a marketing manager?

You can expect to take six to eight years to become a marketing manager after completing your undergraduate degree. In addition to a four-year degree, many employers prefer three to five years of experience in sales, marketing or related fields before landing a management position.

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Brandon Galarita is a freelance writer and K-12 educator in Honolulu, Hawaii. He is passionate about technology in education, college and career readiness and school improvement through data-driven practices.

Module 6: Marketing Information and Research

The marketing research process, learning objectives.

• Identify the steps of conducting a marketing research project

A Standard Approach to Research Inquiries

Marketing research is a useful and necessary tool for helping marketers and an organization’s executive leadership make wise decisions. Carrying out marketing research can involve highly specialized skills that go deeper than the information outlined in this module. However, it is important for any marketer to be familiar with the basic procedures and techniques of marketing research.

It is very likely that at some point a marketing professional will need to supervise an internal marketing research activity or to work with an outside marketing research firm to conduct a research project. Managers who understand the research function can do a better job of framing the problem and critically appraising the proposals made by research specialists. They are also in a better position to evaluate their findings and recommendations.

Periodically marketers themselves need to find solutions to marketing problems without the assistance of marketing research specialists inside or outside the company. If you are familiar with the basic procedures of marketing research, you can supervise and even conduct a reasonably satisfactory search for the information needed.

Step 1: Identify the Problem

The first step for any marketing research activity is to clearly identify and define the problem you are trying to solve. You start by stating the marketing or business problem you need to address and for which you need additional information to figure out a solution. Next, articulate the objectives for the research: What do you want to understand by the time the research project is completed? What specific information, guidance, or recommendations need to come out of the research in order to make it a worthwhile investment of the organization’s time and money?

It’s important to share the problem definition and research objectives with other team members to get their input and further refine your understanding of the problem and what is needed to solve it. At times, the problem you really need to solve is not the same problem that appears on the surface. Collaborating with other stakeholders helps refine your understanding of the problem, focus your thinking, and prioritize what you hope to learn from the research. Prioritizing your objectives is particularly helpful if you don’t have the time or resources to investigate everything you want.

To flesh out your understanding of the problem, it’s useful to begin brainstorming actual research questions you want to explore. What are the questions you need to answer in order to get to the research outcomes? What is the missing information that marketing research will help you find? The goal at this stage is to generate a set of preliminary, big-picture questions that will frame your research inquiry. You will revisit these research questions later in the process, but when you’re getting started, this exercise helps clarify the scope of the project, whom you need to talk to, what information may already be available, and where to look for the information you don’t yet have.

Applied Example: Marketing Research for Bookends

To illustrate the marketing research process, let’s return to Uncle Dan and his ailing bookstore, Bookends. You need a lot of information if you’re going to help Dan turn things around, so marketing research is a good idea. You begin by identifying the problem and then work to set down your research objectives and initial research questions:

Step 2: Develop a Research Plan

Once you have a problem definition, research objectives, and a preliminary set of research questions, the next step is to develop a research plan. Essential to this plan is identifying precisely what information you need to answer your questions and achieve your objectives. Do you need to understand customer opinions about something? Are you looking for a clearer picture of customer needs and related behaviors? Do you need sales, spending, or revenue data? Do you need information about competitors’ products, or insight about what will make prospective customers notice you? When do need the information, and what’s the time frame for getting it? What budget and resources are available?

Once you have clarified what kind of information you need and the timing and budget for your project, you can develop the research design. This details how you plan to collect and analyze the information you’re after. Some types of information are readily available through  secondary research and secondary data sources. Secondary research analyzes information that has already been collected for another purpose by a third party, such as a government agency, an industry association, or another company. Other types of information need to from talking directly to customers about your research questions. This is known as primary research , which collects primary data captured expressly for your research inquiry.   Marketing research projects may include secondary research, primary research, or both.

Depending on your objectives and budget, sometimes a small-scale project will be enough to get the insight and direction you need. At other times, in order to reach the level of certainty or detail required, you may need larger-scale research involving participation from hundreds or even thousands of individual consumers. The research plan lays out the information your project will capture—both primary and secondary data—and describes what you will do with it to get the answers you need. (Note: You’ll learn more about data collection methods and when to use them later in this module.)

Your data collection plan goes hand in hand with your analysis plan. Different types of analysis yield different types of results. The analysis plan should match the type of data you are collecting, as well as the outcomes your project is seeking and the resources at your disposal. Simpler research designs tend to require simpler analysis techniques. More complex research designs can yield powerful results, such as understanding causality and trade-offs in customer perceptions. However, these more sophisticated designs can require more time and money to execute effectively, both in terms of data collection and analytical expertise.

The research plan also specifies who will conduct the research activities, including data collection, analysis, interpretation, and reporting on results. At times a singlehanded marketing manager or research specialist runs the entire research project. At other times, a company may contract with a marketing research analyst or consulting firm to conduct the research. In this situation, the marketing manager provides supervisory oversight to ensure the research delivers on expectations.

Finally, the research plan indicates who will interpret the research findings and how the findings will be reported. This part of the research plan should consider the internal audience(s) for the research and what reporting format will be most helpful. Often, senior executives are primary stakeholders, and they’re anxious for marketing research to inform and validate their choices. When this is the case, getting their buy-in on the research plan is recommended to make sure that they are comfortable with the approach and receptive to the potential findings.

Applied Example: A Bookends Research Plan

You talk over the results of your problem identification work with Dan. He thinks you’re on the right track and wants to know what’s next. You explain that the next step is to put together a detailed plan for getting answers to the research questions.

Dan is enthusiastic, but he’s also short on money. You realize that such a financial constraint will limit what’s possible, but with Dan’s help you can do something worthwhile. Below is the research plan you sketch out:

Step 3: Conduct the Research

Conducting research can be a fun and exciting part of the marketing research process. After struggling with the gaps in your knowledge of market dynamics—which led you to embark on a marketing research project in the first place—now things are about to change. Conducting research begins to generate information that helps answer your urgent marketing questions.

Typically data collection begins by reviewing any existing research and data that provide some information or insight about the problem. As a rule, this is secondary research. Prior research projects, internal data analyses, industry reports, customer-satisfaction survey results, and other information sources may be worthwhile to review. Even though these resources may not answer your research questions fully, they may further illuminate the problem you are trying to solve. Secondary research and data sources are nearly always cheaper than capturing new information on your own. Your marketing research project should benefit from prior work wherever possible.

After getting everything you can from secondary research, it’s time to shift attention to primary research, if this is part of your research plan. Primary research involves asking questions and then listening to and/or observing the behavior of the target audience you are studying. In order to generate reliable, accurate results, it is important to use proper scientific methods for primary research data collection and analysis. This includes identifying the right individuals and number of people to talk to, using carefully worded surveys or interview scripts, and capturing data accurately.

Without proper techniques, you may inadvertently get bad data or discover bias in the responses that distorts the results and points you in the wrong direction. The module on Marketing Research Techniques discusses these issues in further detail, since the procedures for getting reliable data vary by research method.

Applied Example: Getting the Data on Bookends

Dan is on board with the research plan, and he’s excited to dig into the project. You start with secondary data, getting a dump of Dan’s sales data from the past two years, along with related information: customer name, zip code, frequency of purchase, gender, date of purchase, and discounts/promotions (if any).

You visit the U.S. Census Bureau Web site to download demographic data about your metro area. The data show all zip codes in the area, along with population size, gender breakdown, age ranges, income, and education levels.

The next part of the project is customer-survey data. You work with Dan to put together a short survey about customer attitudes toward Bookends, how often and why they come, where else they spend money on books and entertainment, and why they go other places besides Bookends. Dan comes up with the great idea of offering a 5 percent discount coupon to anyone who completes the survey. Although it eats into his profits, this scheme gets more people to complete the survey and buy books, so it’s worth it.

For a couple of days, you and Dan take turns doing “man on the street” interviews (you interview the guy in the red hat, for instance). You find people who say they’ve never been to Bookends and ask them a few questions about why they haven’t visited the store, where else they buy books and other entertainment, and what might get them interested in visiting Bookends sometime. This is all a lot of work, but for a zero-budget project, it’s coming together pretty well.

Step 4: Analyze and Report Findings

Analyzing the data obtained in a market survey involves transforming the primary and/or secondary data into useful information and insights that answer the research questions. This information is condensed into a format to be used by managers—usually a presentation or detailed report.

Analysis starts with formatting, cleaning, and editing the data to make sure that it’s suitable for whatever analytical techniques are being used. Next, data are tabulated to show what’s happening: What do customers actually think? What’s happening with purchasing or other behaviors? How do revenue figures actually add up? Whatever the research questions, the analysis takes source data and applies analytical techniques to provide a clearer picture of what’s going on. This process may involve simple or sophisticated techniques, depending on the research outcomes required. Common analytical techniques include regression analysis to determine correlations between factors; conjoint analysis to determine trade-offs and priorities; predictive modeling to anticipate patterns and causality; and analysis of unstructured data such as Internet search terms or social media posts to provide context and meaning around what people say and do.

Good analysis is important because the interpretation of research data—the “so what?” factor—depends on it. The analysis combs through data to paint a picture of what’s going on. The interpretation goes further to explain what the research data mean and make recommendations about what managers need to know and do based on the research results. For example, what is the short list of key findings and takeaways that managers should remember from the research? What are the market segments you’ve identified, and which ones should you target?  What are the primary reasons your customers choose your competitor’s product over yours, and what does this mean for future improvements to your product?

Individuals with a good working knowledge of the business should be involved in interpreting the data because they are in the best position to identify significant insights and make recommendations from the research findings. Marketing research reports incorporate both analysis and interpretation of data to address the project objectives.

The final report for a marketing research project may be in written form or slide-presentation format, depending on organizational culture and management preferences. Often a slide presentation is the preferred format for initially sharing research results with internal stakeholders. Particularly for large, complex projects, a written report may be a better format for discussing detailed findings and nuances in the data, which managers can study and reference in the future.

Applied Example: Analysis and Insights for Bookends

Getting the data was a bit of a hassle, but now you’ve got it, and you’re excited to see what it reveals. Your statistician cousin, Marina, turns out to be a whiz with both the sales data and the census data. She identified several demographic profiles in the metro area that looked a lot like lifestyle segments. Then she mapped Bookends’ sales data into those segments to show who is and isn’t visiting Bookends. After matching customer-survey data to the sales data, she broke down the segments further based on their spending levels and reasons they visit Bookends.

Gradually a clearer picture of Bookends’ customers is beginning to emerge: who they are, why they come, why they don’t come, and what role Bookends plays in their lives. Right away, a couple of higher-priority segments—based on their spending levels, proximity, and loyalty to Bookends—stand out. You and your uncle are definitely seeing some possibilities for making the bookstore a more prominent part of their lives. You capture these insights as “recommendations to be considered” while you evaluate the right marketing mix for each of the new segments you’d like to focus on.

Step 5: Take Action

Once the report is complete, the presentation is delivered, and the recommendations are made, the marketing research project is over, right? Wrong.

What comes next is arguably the most important step of all: taking action based on your research results.

If your project has done a good job interpreting the findings and translating them into recommendations for the marketing team and other areas of the business, this step may seem relatively straightforward. When the research results validate a path the organization is already on, the “take action” step can galvanize the team to move further and faster in that same direction.

Things are not so simple when the research results indicate a new direction or a significant shift is advisable. In these cases, it’s worthwhile to spend time helping managers understand the research, explain why it is wise to shift course, and explain how the business will benefit from the new path. As with any important business decision, managers must think deeply about the new approach and carefully map strategies, tactics, and available resources to plan effectively. By making the results available and accessible to managers and their execution teams, the marketing research project can serve as an ongoing guide and touchstone to help the organization plan, execute, and adjust course as it works toward desired goals and outcomes.

It is worth mentioning that many marketing research projects are never translated into management action. Sometimes this is because the report is too technical and difficult to understand. In other cases, the research conclusions fail to provide useful insights or solutions to the problem, or the report writer fails to offer specific suggestions for translating the research findings into management strategy. These pitfalls can be avoided by paying due attention to the research objectives throughout the project and allocating sufficient time and resources to do a good job interpreting research results for those who will need to act on them.

Applied Example: Bookends’ New Customer Campaign

Your research findings and recommendations identified three segments for Bookends to focus on. Based on the demographics, lifestyle, and spending patterns found during your marketing research, you’re able to name them: 1) Bored Empty-Nesters, 2) Busy Families, and 3) Hipster Wannabes. Dan has a decent-sized clientele across all three groups, and they are pretty good spenders when they come in. But until now he hasn’t done much to purposely attract any of them.

With newly identified segments in focus, you and Dan begin brainstorming about a marketing mix to target each group. What types of books and other products would appeal to each one? What activities or events would bring them into the store? Are there promotions or particular messages that would induce them to buy at Bookends instead of Amazon or another bookseller? How will Dan reach and communicate with each group? And what can you do to bring more new customers into the store within these target groups?

Even though Bookends is a real-life project with serious consequences for your uncle Dan, it’s also a fun laboratory where you can test out some of the principles you’re learning in your marketing class. You’re figuring out quickly what it’s like to be a marketer.

Well done, rookie!

Check Your Understanding

Answer the question(s) below to see how well you understand the topics covered in this outcome. This short quiz does  not  count toward your grade in the class, and you can retake it an unlimited number of times.

Use this quiz to check your understanding and decide whether to (1) study the previous section further or (2) move on to the next section.

• Revision and Adaptation. Authored by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
• Chapter 3: Marketing Research: An Aid to Decision Making, from Introducing Marketing. Authored by : John Burnett. Provided by : Global Text. Located at : http://solr.bccampus.ca:8001/bcc/file/ddbe3343-9796-4801-a0cb-7af7b02e3191/1/Core%20Concepts%20of%20Marketing.pdf . License : CC BY: Attribution
• Urban life (Version 2.0). Authored by : Ian D. Keating. Located at : https://www.flickr.com/photos/ian-arlett/19313315520/ . License : CC BY: Attribution

6.3 Steps in a Successful Marketing Research Plan

Learning outcomes.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• 1 Identify and describe the steps in a marketing research plan.
• 2 Discuss the different types of data research.
• 3 Explain how data is analyzed.
• 4 Discuss the importance of effective research reports.

Define the Problem

There are seven steps to a successful marketing research project (see Figure 6.3 ). Each step will be explained as we investigate how a marketing research project is conducted.

The first step, defining the problem, is often a realization that more information is needed in order to make a data-driven decision. Problem definition is the realization that there is an issue that needs to be addressed. An entrepreneur may be interested in opening a small business but must first define the problem that is to be investigated. A marketing research problem in this example is to discover the needs of the community and also to identify a potentially successful business venture.

Many times, researchers define a research question or objectives in this first step. Objectives of this research study could include: identify a new business that would be successful in the community in question, determine the size and composition of a target market for the business venture, and collect any relevant primary and secondary data that would support such a venture. At this point, the definition of the problem may be “Why are cat owners not buying our new cat toy subscription service?”

Additionally, during this first step we would want to investigate our target population for research. This is similar to a target market, as it is the group that comprises the population of interest for the study. In order to have a successful research outcome, the researcher should start with an understanding of the problem in the current situational environment.

Develop the Research Plan

Step two is to develop the research plan. What type of research is necessary to meet the established objectives of the first step? How will this data be collected? Additionally, what is the time frame of the research and budget to consider? If you must have information in the next week, a different plan would be implemented than in a situation where several months were allowed. These are issues that a researcher should address in order to meet the needs identified.

Research is often classified as coming from one of two types of data: primary and secondary. Primary data is unique information that is collected by the specific researcher with the current project in mind. This type of research doesn’t currently exist until it is pulled together for the project. Examples of primary data collection include survey, observation, experiment, or focus group data that is gathered for the current project.

Secondary data is any research that was completed for another purpose but can be used to help inform the research process. Secondary data comes in many forms and includes census data, journal articles, previously collected survey or focus group data of related topics, and compiled company data. Secondary data may be internal, such as the company’s sales records for a previous quarter, or external, such as an industry report of all related product sales. Syndicated data , a type of external secondary data, is available through subscription services and is utilized by many marketers. As you can see in Table 6.1 , primary and secondary data features are often opposite—the positive aspects of primary data are the negative side of secondary data.

There are four research types that can be used: exploratory, descriptive, experimental, and ethnographic research designs (see Figure 6.4 ). Each type has specific formats of data that can be collected. Qualitative research can be shared through words, descriptions, and open-ended comments. Qualitative data gives context but cannot be reduced to a statistic. Qualitative data examples are categorical and include case studies, diary accounts, interviews, focus groups, and open-ended surveys. By comparison, quantitative data is data that can be reduced to number of responses. The number of responses to each answer on a multiple-choice question is quantitative data. Quantitative data is numerical and includes things like age, income, group size, and height.

Exploratory research is usually used when additional general information in desired about a topic. When in the initial steps of a new project, understanding the landscape is essential, so exploratory research helps the researcher to learn more about the general nature of the industry. Exploratory research can be collected through focus groups, interviews, and review of secondary data. When examining an exploratory research design, the best use is when your company hopes to collect data that is generally qualitative in nature. 7

For instance, if a company is considering a new service for registered users but is not quite sure how well the new service will be received or wants to gain clarity of exactly how customers may use a future service, the company can host a focus group. Focus groups and interviews will be examined later in the chapter. The insights collected during the focus group can assist the company when designing the service, help to inform promotional campaign options, and verify that the service is going to be a viable option for the company.

Descriptive research design takes a bigger step into collection of data through primary research complemented by secondary data. Descriptive research helps explain the market situation and define an “opinion, attitude, or behavior” of a group of consumers, employees, or other interested groups. 8 The most common method of deploying a descriptive research design is through the use of a survey. Several types of surveys will be defined later in this chapter. Descriptive data is quantitative in nature, meaning the data can be distilled into a statistic, such as in a table or chart.

Again, descriptive data is helpful in explaining the current situation. In the opening example of LEGO , the company wanted to describe the situation regarding children’s use of its product. In order to gather a large group of opinions, a survey was created. The data that was collected through this survey allowed the company to measure the existing perceptions of parents so that alterations could be made to future plans for the company.

Experimental research , also known as causal research , helps to define a cause-and-effect relationship between two or more factors. This type of research goes beyond a correlation to determine which feature caused the reaction. Researchers generally use some type of experimental design to determine a causal relationship. An example is A/B testing, a situation where one group of research participants, group A, is exposed to one treatment and then compared to the group B participants, who experience a different situation. An example might be showing two different television commercials to a panel of consumers and then measuring the difference in perception of the product. Another example would be to have two separate packaging options available in different markets. This research would answer the question “Does one design sell better than the other?” Comparing that to the sales in each market would be part of a causal research study. 9

The final method of collecting data is through an ethnographic design. Ethnographic research is conducted in the field by watching people interact in their natural environment. For marketing research, ethnographic designs help to identify how a product is used, what actions are included in a selection, or how the consumer interacts with the product. 10

Examples of ethnographic research would be to observe how a consumer uses a particular product, such as baking soda. Although many people buy baking soda, its uses are vast. So are they using it as a refrigerator deodorizer, a toothpaste, to polish a belt buckle, or to use in baking a cake?

Select the Data Collection Method

Data collection is the systematic gathering of information that addresses the identified problem. What is the best method to do that? Picking the right method of collecting data requires that the researcher understand the target population and the design picked in the previous step. There is no perfect method; each method has both advantages and disadvantages, so it’s essential that the researcher understand the target population of the research and the research objectives in order to pick the best option.

Sometimes the data desired is best collected by watching the actions of consumers. For instance, how many cars pass a specific billboard in a day? What website led a potential customer to the company’s website? When are consumers most likely to use the snack vending machines at work? What time of day has the highest traffic on a social media post? What is the most streamed television program this week? Observational research is the collecting of data based on actions taken by those observed. Many data observations do not require the researched individuals to participate in the data collection effort to be highly valuable. Some observation requires an individual to watch and record the activities of the target population through personal observations .

Unobtrusive observation happens when those being observed aren’t aware that they are being watched. An example of an unobtrusive observation would be to watch how shoppers interact with a new stuffed animal display by using a one-way mirror. Marketers can identify which products were handled more often while also determining which were ignored.

Other methods can use technology to collect the data instead. Instances of mechanical observation include the use of vehicle recorders, which count the number of vehicles that pass a specific location. Computers can also assess the number of shoppers who enter a store, the most popular entry point for train station commuters, or the peak time for cars to park in a parking garage.

When you want to get a more in-depth response from research participants, one method is to complete a one-on-one interview . One-on-one interviews allow the researcher to ask specific questions that match the respondent’s unique perspective as well as follow-up questions that piggyback on responses already completed. An interview allows the researcher to have a deeper understanding of the needs of the respondent, which is another strength of this type of data collection. The downside of personal interviews it that a discussion can be very time-consuming and results in only one respondent’s answers. Therefore, in order to get a large sample of respondents, the interview method may not be the most efficient method.

Taking the benefits of an interview and applying them to a small group of people is the design of a focus group . A focus group is a small number of people, usually 8 to 12, who meet the sample requirements. These individuals together are asked a series of questions where they are encouraged to build upon each other’s responses, either by agreeing or disagreeing with the other group members. Focus groups are similar to interviews in that they allow the researcher, through a moderator, to get more detailed information from a small group of potential customers (see Figure 6.5 ).

Link to Learning

Focus groups.

Focus groups are a common method for gathering insights into consumer thinking and habits. Companies will use this information to develop or shift their initiatives. The best way to understand a focus group is to watch a few examples or explanations. TED-Ed has this video that explains how focus groups work.

You might be asking when it is best to use a focus group or a survey. Learn the differences, the pros and cons of each, and the specific types of questions you ask in both situations in this article .

Preparing for a focus group is critical to success. It requires knowing the material and questions while also managing the group of people. Watch this video to learn more about how to prepare for a focus group and the types of things to be aware of.

One of the benefits of a focus group over individual interviews is that synergy can be generated when a participant builds on another’s ideas. Additionally, for the same amount of time, a researcher can hear from multiple respondents instead of just one. 11 Of course, as with every method of data collection, there are downsides to a focus group as well. Focus groups have the potential to be overwhelmed by one or two aggressive personalities, and the format can discourage more reserved individuals from speaking up. Finally, like interviews, the responses in a focus group are qualitative in nature and are difficult to distill into an easy statistic or two.

Combining a variety of questions on one instrument is called a survey or questionnaire . Collecting primary data is commonly done through surveys due to their versatility. A survey allows the researcher to ask the same set of questions of a large group of respondents. Response rates of surveys are calculated by dividing the number of surveys completed by the total number attempted. Surveys are flexible and can collect a variety of quantitative and qualitative data. Questions can include simplified yes or no questions, select all that apply, questions that are on a scale, or a variety of open-ended types of questions. There are four types of surveys (see Table 6.2 ) we will cover, each with strengths and weaknesses defined.

Let’s start off with mailed surveys —surveys that are sent to potential respondents through a mail service. Mailed surveys used to be more commonly used due to the ability to reach every household. In some instances, a mailed survey is still the best way to collect data. For example, every 10 years the United States conducts a census of its population (see Figure 6.6 ). The first step in that data collection is to send every household a survey through the US Postal Service (USPS). The benefit is that respondents can complete and return the survey at their convenience. The downside of mailed surveys are expense and timeliness of responses. A mailed survey requires postage, both when it is sent to the recipient and when it is returned. That, along with the cost of printing, paper, and both sending and return envelopes, adds up quickly. Additionally, physically mailing surveys takes time. One method of reducing cost is to send with bulk-rate postage, but that slows down the delivery of the survey. Also, because of the convenience to the respondent, completed surveys may be returned several weeks after being sent. Finally, some mailed survey data must be manually entered into the analysis software, which can cause delays or issues due to entry errors.

Phone surveys are completed during a phone conversation with the respondent. Although the traditional phone survey requires a data collector to talk with the participant, current technology allows for computer-assisted voice surveys or surveys to be completed by asking the respondent to push a specific button for each potential answer. Phone surveys are time intensive but allow the respondent to ask questions and the surveyor to request additional information or clarification on a question if warranted. Phone surveys require the respondent to complete the survey simultaneously with the collector, which is a limitation as there are restrictions for when phone calls are allowed. According to Telephone Consumer Protection Act , approved by Congress in 1991, no calls can be made prior to 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m. in the recipient’s time zone. 12 Many restrictions are outlined in this original legislation and have been added to since due to ever-changing technology.

In-person surveys are when the respondent and data collector are physically in the same location. In-person surveys allow the respondent to share specific information, ask questions of the surveyor, and follow up on previous answers. Surveys collected through this method can take place in a variety of ways: through door-to-door collection, in a public location, or at a person’s workplace. Although in-person surveys are time intensive and require more labor to collect data than some other methods, in some cases it’s the best way to collect the required data. In-person surveys conducted through a door-to-door method is the follow-up used for the census if respondents do not complete the mailed survey. One of the downsides of in-person surveys is the reluctance of potential respondents to stop their current activity and answer questions. Furthermore, people may not feel comfortable sharing private or personal information during a face-to-face conversation.

Electronic surveys are sent or collected through digital means and is an opportunity that can be added to any of the above methods as well as some new delivery options. Surveys can be sent through email, and respondents can either reply to the email or open a hyperlink to an online survey (see Figure 6.7 ). Additionally, a letter can be mailed that asks members of the survey sample to log in to a website rather than to return a mailed response. Many marketers now use links, QR codes, or electronic devices to easily connect to a survey. Digitally collected data has the benefit of being less time intensive and is often a more economical way to gather and input responses than more manual methods. A survey that could take months to collect through the mail can be completed within a week through digital means.

Design the Sample

Although you might want to include every possible person who matches your target market in your research, it’s often not a feasible option, nor is it of value. If you did decide to include everyone, you would be completing a census of the population. Getting everyone to participate would be time-consuming and highly expensive, so instead marketers use a sample , whereby a portion of the whole is included in the research. It’s similar to the samples you might receive at the grocery store or ice cream shop; it isn’t a full serving, but it does give you a good taste of what the whole would be like.

So how do you know who should be included in the sample? Researchers identify parameters for their studies, called sample frames . A sample frame for one study may be college students who live on campus; for another study, it may be retired people in Dallas, Texas, or small-business owners who have fewer than 10 employees. The individual entities within the sampling frame would be considered a sampling unit . A sampling unit is each individual respondent that would be considered as matching the sample frame established by the research. If a researcher wants businesses to participate in a study, then businesses would be the sampling unit in that case.

The number of sampling units included in the research is the sample size . Many calculations can be conducted to indicate what the correct size of the sample should be. Issues to consider are the size of the population, the confidence level that the data represents the entire population, the ease of accessing the units in the frame, and the budget allocated for the research.

There are two main categories of samples: probability and nonprobability (see Figure 6.8 ). Probability samples are those in which every member of the sample has an identified likelihood of being selected. Several probability sample methods can be utilized. One probability sampling technique is called a simple random sample , where not only does every person have an identified likelihood of being selected to be in the sample, but every person also has an equal chance of exclusion. An example of a simple random sample would be to put the names of all members of a group into a hat and simply draw out a specific number to be included. You could say a raffle would be a good example of a simple random sample.

Another probability sample type is a stratified random sample , where the population is divided into groups by category and then a random sample of each category is selected to participate. For instance, if you were conducting a study of college students from your school and wanted to make sure you had all grade levels included, you might take the names of all students and split them into different groups by grade level—freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior. Then, from those categories, you would draw names out of each of the pools, or strata.

A nonprobability sample is a situation in which each potential member of the sample has an unknown likelihood of being selected in the sample. Research findings that are from a nonprobability sample cannot be applied beyond the sample. Several examples of nonprobability sampling are available to researchers and include two that we will look at more closely: convenience sampling and judgment sampling.

The first nonprobability sampling technique is a convenience sample . Just like it sounds, a convenience sample is when the researcher finds a group through a nonscientific method by picking potential research participants in a convenient manner. An example might be to ask other students in a class you are taking to complete a survey that you are doing for a class assignment or passing out surveys at a basketball game or theater performance.

A judgment sample is a type of nonprobability sample that allows the researcher to determine if they believe the individual meets the criteria set for the sample frame to complete the research. For instance, you may be interested in researching mothers, so you sit outside a toy store and ask an individual who is carrying a baby to participate.

Collect the Data

Now that all the plans have been established, the instrument has been created, and the group of participants has been identified, it is time to start collecting data. As explained earlier in this chapter, data collection is the process of gathering information from a variety of sources that will satisfy the research objectives defined in step one. Data collection can be as simple as sending out an email with a survey link enclosed or as complex as an experiment with hundreds of consumers. The method of collection directly influences the length of this process. Conducting personal interviews or completing an experiment, as previously mentioned, can add weeks or months to the research process, whereas sending out an electronic survey may allow a researcher to collect the necessary data in a few days. 13

Analyze and Interpret the Data

Once the data has been collected, the process of analyzing it may begin. Data analysis is the distillation of the information into a more understandable and actionable format. The analysis itself can take many forms, from the use of basic statistics to a more comprehensive data visualization process. First, let’s discuss some basic statistics that can be used to represent data.

The first is the mean of quantitative data. A mean is often defined as the arithmetic average of values. The formula is:

A common use of the mean calculation is with exam scores. Say, for example, you have earned the following scores on your marketing exams: 72, 85, 68, and 77. To find the mean, you would add up the four scores for a total of 302. Then, in order to generate a mean, that number needs to be divided by the number of exam scores included, which is 4. The mean would be 302 divided by 4, for a mean test score of 75.5. Understanding the mean can help to determine, with one number, the weight of a particular value.

Another commonly used statistic is median. The median is often referred to as the middle number. To generate a median, all the numeric answers are placed in order, and the middle number is the median. Median is a common statistic when identifying the income level of a specific geographic region. 14 For instance, the median household income for Albuquerque, New Mexico, between 2015 and 2019 was $52,911. 15 In this case, there are just as many people with an income above the amount as there are below.

Mode is another statistic that is used to represent data of all types, as it can be used with quantitative or qualitative data and represents the most frequent answer. Eye color, hair color, and vehicle color can all be presented with a mode statistic. Additionally, some researchers expand on the concept of mode and present the frequency of all responses, not just identifying the most common response. Data such as this can easily be presented in a frequency graph, 16 such as the one in Figure 6.9 .

Additionally, researchers use other analyses to represent the data rather than to present the entirety of each response. For example, maybe the relationship between two values is important to understand. In this case, the researcher may share the data as a cross tabulation (see Figure 6.10 ). Below is the same data as above regarding social media use cross tabulated with gender—as you can see, the data is more descriptive when you can distinguish between the gender identifiers and how much time is spent per day on social media.

Not all data can be presented in a graphical format due to the nature of the information. Sometimes with qualitative methods of data collection, the responses cannot be distilled into a simple statistic or graph. In that case, the use of quotations, otherwise known as verbatims , can be used. These are direct statements presented by the respondents. Often you will see a verbatim statement when reading a movie or book review. The critic’s statements are used in part or in whole to represent their feelings about the newly released item.

Infographics

As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. For this reason, research results are often shown in a graphical format in which data can be taken in quickly, called an infographic .

Check out this infographic on what components make for a good infographic. As you can see, a good infographic needs four components: data, design, a story, and the ability to share it with others. Without all four pieces, it is not as valuable a resource as it could be. The ultimate infographic is represented as the intersection of all four.

Infographics are particularly advantageous online. Refer to this infographic on why they are beneficial to use online .

Prepare the Research Report

The marketing research process concludes by sharing the generated data and makes recommendations for future actions. What starts as simple data must be interpreted into an analysis. All information gathered should be conveyed in order to make decisions for future marketing actions. One item that is often part of the final step is to discuss areas that may have been missed with the current project or any area of further study identified while completing it. Without the final step of the marketing research project, the first six steps are without value. It is only after the information is shared, through a formal presentation or report, that those recommendations can be implemented and improvements made. The first six steps are used to generate information, while the last is to initiate action. During this last step is also when an evaluation of the process is conducted. If this research were to be completed again, how would we do it differently? Did the right questions get answered with the survey questions posed to the respondents? Follow-up on some of these key questions can lead to additional research, a different study, or further analysis of data collected.

Methods of Quantifying Marketing Research

One of the ways of sharing information gained through marketing research is to quantify the research . Quantifying the research means to take a variety of data and compile into a quantity that is more easily understood. This is a simple process if you want to know how many people attended a basketball game, but if you want to quantify the number of students who made a positive comment on a questionnaire, it can be a little more complicated. Researchers have a variety of methods to collect and then share these different scores. Below are some of the most common types used in business.

Is a customer aware of a product, brand, or company? What is meant by awareness? Awareness in the context of marketing research is when a consumer is familiar with the product, brand, or company. It does not assume that the consumer has tried the product or has purchased it. Consumers are just aware. That is a measure that many businesses find valuable. There are several ways to measure awareness. For instance, the first type of awareness is unaided awareness . This type of awareness is when no prompts for a product, brand, or company are given. If you were collecting information on fast-food restaurants, you might ask a respondent to list all the fast-food restaurants that serve a chicken sandwich. Aided awareness would be providing a list of products, brands, or companies and the respondent selects from the list. For instance, if you give a respondent a list of fast-food restaurants and ask them to mark all the locations with a chicken sandwich, you are collecting data through an aided method. Collecting these answers helps a company determine how the business location compares to those of its competitors. 17

Customer Satisfaction (CSAT)

Have you ever been asked to complete a survey at the end of a purchase? Many businesses complete research on buying, returning, or other customer service processes. A customer satisfaction score , also known as CSAT, is a measure of how satisfied customers are with the product, brand, or service. A CSAT score is usually on a scale of 0 to 100 percent. 18 But what constitutes a “good” CSAT score? Although what is identified as good can vary by industry, normally anything in the range from 75 to 85 would be considered good. Of course, a number higher than 85 would be considered exceptional. 19

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) and Customer Effort Score (CES)

Other metrics often used are a customer acquisition cost (CAC) and customer effort score (CES). How much does it cost a company to gain customers? That’s the purpose of calculating the customer acquisition cost. To calculate the customer acquisition cost , a company would need to total all expenses that were accrued to gain new customers. This would include any advertising, public relations, social media postings, etc. When a total cost is determined, it is divided by the number of new customers gained through this campaign.

The final score to discuss is the customer effort score , also known as a CES. The CES is a “survey used to measure the ease of service experience with an organization.” 20 Companies that are easy to work with have a better CES than a company that is notorious for being difficult. An example would be to ask a consumer about the ease of making a purchase online by incorporating a one-question survey after a purchase is confirmed. If a number of responses come back negative or slightly negative, the company will realize that it needs to investigate and develop a more user-friendly process.

Knowledge Check

It’s time to check your knowledge on the concepts presented in this section. Refer to the Answer Key at the end of the book for feedback.

• Defining the problem
• Developing the research plan
• Selecting a data collection method
• Designing the sample
• you are able to send it to all households in an area
• it is inexpensive
• responses are automatically loaded into the software
• the data comes in quickly
• Primary data
• Secondary data
• Secondary and primary data
• Professional data
• It shows how respondents answered two variables in relation to each other and can help determine patterns by different groups of respondents.
• By presenting the data in the form of a picture, the information is easier for the reader to understand.
• It is an easy way to see how often one answer is selected by the respondents.
• This analysis can used to present interview or focus group data.

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How to Become a Market Research Manager

Step 1: Understand the job description and responsibilities of a Market Research Manager

What does a market research manager do.

A Market Research Manager manages market research efforts for the organization. Sets policies and practices for gathering research on market conditions, competitors and consumer trends. Being a Market Research Manager analyzes and presents gathered research to sales, research and development, and management. Requires a bachelor's degree in area of specialty. Additionally, Market Research Manager typically reports to a head of a unit/department. The Market Research Manager manages subordinate staff in the day-to-day performance of their jobs. True first level manager. Ensures that project/department milestones/goals are met and adhering to approved budgets. Has full authority for personnel actions. Extensive knowledge of department processes. To be a Market Research Manager typically requires 5 years experience in the related area as an individual contributor. 1 to 3 years supervisory experience may be required.

Market research managers give advertising directors focus, and help lead successful marketing efforts.

Market research managers help teams to define the goals of a product or service, and allow marketers to see how those goals fit into the bigger picture of the marketplace.

They head up teams of both qualitative and quantitative researchers, gathering information about a market segment and reporting that data to creative marketing managers.

In this case, the manager might be responsible for assembling a large cross section of the population who can watch the ad to determine whether it conveys a good message about the brand or to determine whether it entices them to purchase the product.

A market research manager who works for a television network may also assemble focus groups to determine whether a pilot show receives laughs and good reviews or whether the market as a whole will respond poorly to it.

Step 2: Learn best tips to become a Market Research Manager

Best tips for those who want to become a market research manager.

Here are some tips to become a Market Research Manager.

Use a balance of qualitative and quantitative information.

Comprehend secondary information sources effectively.

Seek continuous learning, self education, and networking opportunities.

Choose visuals over text to present your foreign market research.

Choose Quantitative or Qualitative Data or Both.

Step 3: View best colleges and universities for Market Research Manager

Best colleges and universities for market research manager.

• Butler University
• Carroll College
• Cooper Union
• High Point University
• Princeton University
• Providence College

Step 4: Think about whether is it worth to be a Market Research Manager

Is being a market research manager worth it.

Were growing, and we encourage you to apply! Apples WW Product Marketing team is looking for a leader with vision in market Research to support the insights needs of our key B2B verticals.

This position will own the consumer research and analytics practice and lead all aspects of the design, strategy, implementation and communication in.

Using current and new data sources and techniques, you will lead data reporting for Market Research that drives brand/product performance and potential.

You have 10+ years of experience leading consumer and market research, delivering insights, and optimizing across a wide variety of product categories and developing businesses.

You have a multidisciplinary background in insights across the complex spectrum of hybrid qualitative and quantitative research including new methodologies such as AI.

Step 5: Prepare relevant skills for being a Market Research Manager

What skills do you need to be a market research manager.

A manager is often judged based on the success of their team and those working below them, as such, many skills are needed.  Success in this role depends on a critical ability in the following: Competitor Analysis, Market Analysis, Market Research.  Experience in the following is fundamental to this role: General Data Analysis Software.  Skills may vary from job-to-job, but these skills are the ones most commonly associated with this role.

Market research managers are highly analytical, and have developed research skills for a number of years in lower level positions.

5+ years of relevant work experience within market research.

Have a proven ability and expertise in insight generation with over 5 years’ experience in market research (preferably with agency experience).

Experience of designing and running research programs, including web-based questionnaires (ConfirmIT experience particularly advantageous) and undertaking analysis.

At least 5 years’ relevant experience working in lower level or similar positions in applied market research or customer insights roles including at least 1 years’ experience at the Manager level.

Step 6: View average salary for Market Research Manager

How much does a market research manager make.

The average salary range for a Market Research Manager is from $114,273 to $140,560. The salary will change depending on your location, job level, experience, education, and skills.

Average salary for Market Research Manager jobs

• Market Research Supervisor
• Market Research Analyst I
• Market Research Analyst II
• Market Research Analyst III
• Entry Market Research Analyst
• Intermediate Market Research Analyst
• Senior Market Research Analyst

Step 7: Find relevant Market Research Manager jobs, and apply.

Looking for market research manager jobs.

Here are some Market Research Manager jobs in the United States.

Step 8: Explore Career Path of Market Research Manager

Market Research Manager LinkedIn Guide

Explore Market Research Manager LinkedIn headlines, summary examples, and profile tips.

Getting Started as a Market Research Manager

• What is a Market Research Manager
• How to Become
• Certifications
• Tools & Software
• LinkedIn Guide
• Interview Questions
• Work-Life Balance
• Professional Goals
• Resume Examples
• Cover Letter Examples

Standing Out on LinkedIn as a Market Research Manager

What to include in a market research manager linkedin profile, headline and summary, experience and projects, skills and endorsements, recommendations and accomplishments, education and continuous learning, linkedin headline tips for market research managers, market research manager linkedin headline examples, why we like this:.

• Specialization: Highlights a focus on consumer behavior, a critical area in market research.
• Expertise Highlight: Shows the ability to turn research data into actionable business strategies.
• Value Proposition: Suggests a direct impact on business decisions, which is appealing to potential employers.
• Methodological Expertise: Emphasizes knowledge in both quantitative and qualitative research, showcasing versatility.
• Leadership Role: The word 'Lead' indicates experience in managing projects or teams.
• Industry Insight: The mention of competitive intelligence positions the individual as a strategic asset.
• Industry Focus: Specifies expertise in the tech industry, which is highly dynamic and valuable.
• Experience Level: 'Senior' denotes a high level of experience and responsibility.
• Technical Proficiency: Indicates the ability to handle big data, an increasingly important skill in market research.
• Role Clarity: Clearly defines the dual focus on strategy and management within market research.
• Outcome-Oriented: Focuses on the end goal of uncovering growth opportunities, which is compelling to employers.
• Brand Development: Shows a direct link between market research and brand success.
• Executive Presence: Communicates a high level of seniority and decision-making authority.
• Data-Driven Leadership: Highlights a commitment to using data for strategic decisions, a key demand in the market research field.
• Business Impact: Connects market research outcomes with improved customer insights and return on investment.

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Market Research Manager LinkedIn Summary Examples

How to optimize your market research manager linkedin profile, showcase your impact on business decisions, engage with market research communities, incorporate evidence of your work, collect endorsements and recommendations, linkedin faqs for market research managers, how often should a market research manager update their linkedin profile, what's the best way for a market research manager to network on linkedin, what type of content should market research managers post on linkedin to increase their visibility.

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What They Do

What does a Market Research Manager do?

A market research manager is responsible for identifying goals, products, or services through market research. You will lead and oversee a team of researchers, collecting information and data about market segments and reporting them to marketing managers. Your duties will include assisting in the design and evaluation of a marketing campaign in collaboration with other marketing staff, researching and developing strategies on customer retention. Other duties include investigating market conditions, defining and measuring key performance indicators on customer satisfaction.

• Responsibilities
• Skills And Traits
• Comparisions
• Types of Market Research Manager

Market research manager responsibilities

A market research manager is responsible for various tasks such as developing strategic research plans, managing market research budgets, and conducting primary and secondary research. They analyze and interpret data to provide insights and recommendations for business operations and strategic planning. Additionally, they manage relationships with outside research vendors and produce quarterly market reports. According to Dr. Claire Gilliland , Assistant Professor of Sociology at Furman University, "The skills we prioritize in sociology (generating research questions, thinking critically, examining social systems, analyzing multiple types of data) are all skills that are well-suited to multiple different careers, but it may require some translation to match the priorities of a particular field."

Here are examples of responsibilities from real market research manager resumes:

• Manage syndicated data (Nielsen).
• Manage Nielsen syndicate contract ($ 2.5MM annually), and four client team on-sites.
• Lead customer and competitor research, functional acquisition due diligence, and portfolio management of existing products/services and new investments.
• Work with clients to design research and analyze data using SAS statistical software.
• Design and implement SAS routines to create mailing lists in support of various marketing campaigns.
• Reconcile data between new and old platforms, utilizing SQL queries on large data sets.
• Help to migrate firm's primary client delivery platform from proprietary UNIX system to SQL data warehouse.
• Study used regression techniques in SPSS to determine likelihood of Microsoft service adoption and likely impact on ISP customer loyalty.
• Assist in analyzing and interpreting quantitative and qualitative data using SPSS.
• Analyze nuclear and diagnostic imaging secondary data and publish written and PowerPoint reports.
• Design and present PowerPoint presentations on study findings, market-competitive insights, implications, and recommendations across organization.
• Conduct quantitative analysis of financial data to forecast revenue, identify future trends and assess risk associate with portfolio.
• Conduct interviews with technology leaders, financial heads and other managers of major healthcare organizations regarding administrative and information technology issues.
• Create budgetary protocol and project proposals that are successfully implement by Bloomberg.
• Add value to products including regression analysis to identify software features that strongly contribute to customer satisfaction and target outcomes.

Market research manager skills and personality traits

We calculated that 6 % of Market Research Managers are proficient in PowerPoint , SPSS , and Data Analysis . They’re also known for soft skills such as Detail oriented , Analytical skills , and Communication skills .

We break down the percentage of Market Research Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

Analyzed nuclear and diagnostic imaging secondary data and published written and PowerPoint reports.

Assisted in analyzing and interpreting quantitative and qualitative data using SPSS.

Utilized data analysis proprietary databases to quantify, and define consumer behavior to determine advertising strategies.

Introduced online data collection for custom research and conducted online survey programming and data collection services for small-scale internal projects.

Conducted interviews with technology leaders, financial heads and other managers of major healthcare organizations regarding administrative and information technology issues.

Developed research design, managed tactical execution and reconciled budget trade-offs within and across research projects.

Common skills that a market research manager uses to do their job include "powerpoint," "spss," and "data analysis." You can find details on the most important market research manager responsibilities below.

Detail oriented. One of the key soft skills for a market research manager to have is detail oriented. You can see how this relates to what market research managers do because "market research analysts must pay attention to minutiae to evaluate data." Additionally, a market research manager resume shows how market research managers use detail oriented: "worked with nivea on detailed market research assignment to launch nivea cream in the pakistani market. "

Analytical skills. Another essential skill to perform market research manager duties is analytical skills. Market research managers responsibilities require that "market research analysts must evaluate large amounts of data and information related to market conditions." Market research managers also use analytical skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "conducted cross-market analysis of higher education process examining functions across markets to understand present and future telecommunication needs. "

Communication skills. market research managers are also known for communication skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to market research manager responsibilities, because "market research analysts must be able to clearly convey information when gathering material, interpreting data, and presenting results to clients." A market research manager resume example shows how communication skills is used in the workplace: "collaborated with sales, marketing, communications, and management teams to identify needs and design market research projects. "

Most common market research manager skills

The three companies that hire the most market research managers are:

• Deloitte 226 market research managers jobs
• G2 Partners 50 market research managers jobs
• Pwc 42 market research managers jobs

Choose from 10+ customizable market research manager resume templates

Compare different market research managers

Market research manager vs. product specialist.

A product specialist is required to have excellent knowledge about a product and work with a business unit to ensure excellent product delivery. Product specialists perform product demonstrations to customers and other stakeholders and assist in their promotions and product releases. To gain increased revenue, product specialists must be able to identify new market opportunities. They are required to conduct product and sales training for the marketing team. They must also provide reports about their product-related activities to the management.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a market research manager are more likely to require skills like "spss," "data analysis," "data collection," and "healthcare." On the other hand, a job as a product specialist requires skills like "customer service," "product knowledge," "sales floor," and "patients." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

Market research manager vs. Marketing associate

A marketing associate's responsibility is to perform comprehensive market research to identify the latest trends that would provide opportunities to improve the business' marketing strategies. A marketing associate's duties also include creating sales reports and advertising materials, coordinating with the sales team for promotional events, assists with the planning and execution of marketing strategies, evaluating customer satisfaction, and handling administrative tasks as needed. Marketing associates must also have excellent communication skills to help in managing client inquiries and resolve complaints immediately.

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that market research manager responsibilities requires skills like "spss," "data analysis," "data collection," and "healthcare." But a marketing associate might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "customer service," "marketing campaigns," "email marketing," and "email campaigns."

Market research manager vs. Marketing specialist

A marketing specialist's primary responsibility revolves around conducting thorough market research and analysis to acquire extensive knowledge and understanding of a brand and how it will work in the consumer market. They must determine and come up with strategies and utilize this to develop various programs or campaigns that would be vital in bringing more awareness to the brand, thus boosting sales and improving client base. Furthermore, a marketing specialist must also use their expertise to figure out new opportunities and trends that will work for the company.

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from market research manager resumes include skills like "spss," "data analysis," "data collection," and "healthcare," whereas a marketing specialist is more likely to list skills in "marketing campaigns," "email marketing," "customer service," and "strong project management. "

Market research manager vs. Marketing internship

Marketing interns are usually marketing students or fresh graduates who are interested in getting actual work experiences before taking on a full-time job. They usually have an interest or academic background related to marketing. They assist marketing teams in most of their daily activities, sit in their meetings, record minutes of these meetings, take note of action plans, and attend other events related to marketing. They also assist in preparing collateral and other marketing materials, join brainstorming sessions, or any other activity that will help enrich their experience.

Even though a few skill sets overlap between market research managers and marketing interns, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a market research manager might have more use for skills like "spss," "data collection," "healthcare," and "research design." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of marketing interns require skills like "facebook," "marketing campaigns," "press releases," and "twitter. "

Types of market research manager

• Market Manager

Research Manager

Research director.

Updated April 25, 2024

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

What Similar Roles Do

• What a Data Research Analyst Does
• What a Market Manager Does
• What a Market Research Analyst Does
• What a Market Researcher Does
• What a Marketing Assistant Does
• What a Marketing Associate Does
• What a Marketing Consultant Does
• What a Marketing Coordinator Does
• What a Marketing Internship Does
• What a Marketing Representative Does
• What a Marketing Research Analyst Does
• What a Marketing Specialist Does
• What a Product Specialist Does
• What a Research Analyst Does
• What a Research Director Does

Market Research Manager Related Careers

• Data Research Analyst
• Market Research Analyst
• Market Researcher
• Marketing Assistant
• Marketing Associate
• Marketing Consultant
• Marketing Coordinator
• Marketing Department Internship
• Marketing Internship
• Marketing Representative
• Marketing Research Analyst
• Marketing Specialist
• Product Specialist
• Research Analyst

Market Research Manager Related Jobs

Resume for related jobs.

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Market research vs. marketing research — What’s the difference?

Have you ever wondered whether there's a difference between market research and marketing research? Although these two terms are often used interchangeably, they have some qualities that differentiate them.

The four Ps of marketing

To understand the difference between market research and marketing research, you first have to understand the ‘ marketing mix ’, otherwise known as the Four Ps of Marketing :

• Product (goods or service)
• Price (how much the customer pays)
• Place (where the product is marketed)
• Promotion (advertising and PR)

These are the four essential key factors involved in marketing goods or services. They all need to function optimally together for those goods or services to be a success in the marketplace.

What is market research?

Market research studies a target market. It collects data about that marketplace and the consumers within it.

It deals with only one P of Marketing – Place . Place in this context means a specific market or segment .

Market research gathers, analyzes and interprets data about:

• that specific market
• a product, service or developing concept to be offered for sale in that market
• customers (present, past and future) for that product, service or concept

Market research delves into a variety of the target market’s areas: needs, wants, spending habits and characteristics. It can also make comparisons with the competition and industry standards. Market research is the first port of call for a business to assess how viable new goods or service are for their target market. In the process, it can often reveal new target markets and customer wants and needs.

A typical market research process is as follows:

• An issue gets identified
• Decide who will conduct the research (in-house or an external agency)
• Choose appropriate market research techniques
• Gather data
• Organize, interpret and analyze data
• Report back findings

What is marketing research?

Marketing research is much broader. It deals with all four Ps of Marketing – including Place. It covers diverse areas, some of which market research wouldn’t touch, and others where it would only touch lightly:

• New product research
• Product development
• Advertising research
• Customer research
• Distribution methods
• Public relations

In essence, marketing research covers the conception, development, placement and evolution of a product or service, its growing audience and its branding – all the way from brand awareness to, we hope, brand equity .

Market research, because it emphasizes Place, is an integral part of marketing research. We could sum it up like this: market research is a subset of marketing research.

A typical marketing research process is as follows:

• Identify an issue, discuss alternatives and set out research objectives
• Develop a research program
• Gather information
• Organize and analyze information and data
• Present findings
• Make a decision based on the research

Free ebook: Guide to Modern Agile Research

The differences between marketing research and market research

Although market research informs marketing research, the table below compares the considerable differences between them.

The similarities between marketing research and market research

• crucial for a business’s success.
• research projects, and as such produce valuable data.
• useful for quantitative and qualitative tools and techniques such as surveys, focus groups, questionnaires and interviews to gather information
• effective for making decisions regarding type and quality of products and services offered to customers, suitable locations for the business, the best advertising, and the most efficient distribution channels and networks.

We offer research services for both marketing research and its subset, market research. Run any customer, brand, or product research project with confidence.

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Table of Contents

Responsibilities, requirements, salary ranges for market research managers, similar roles to market research manager, get more market research manager job description inspiration, hire better, more affordable marketers, market research manager job description template.

We’re looking for a Market Research Manager to organize, coordinate, and supervise the execution of market research, the results of which will be used to reevaluate and optimize existing and seek new business opportunities.

You will be in charge of choosing the qualitative and quantitative research methods, organizing and supervising the execution of the fieldwork, analyzing the data you acquire, and preparing it for presentation. You will communicate with different company departments to ensure all processes related to the creation, distribution, and sale of a product are optimized according to the results of your research.

The research data should be actionable and give an insight into our target audience’s pain points and consumer demand. Your research will also play a major role in the proper distribution of company resources (staff, budget, and products) while ensuring the best return on investment (ROI).

Our ideal candidate is a Master of Business Administration or has a Master’s degree in a Business subfield (Sales Management, Marketing, Human Resources, etc.). At least 5 years of experience in market research is also a necessity.

• Decide on or develop special research methods depending on the data needed
• Organize and supervise the fieldwork
• Familiarize yourself with the company and departmental goals to conduct research that will help achieve them
• Communicate with different departments to get relevant input that will help determine the purpose of the research
• Prioritize research requests
• Analyze and prepare the gathered data for presentation to different departments
• Give your opinion and participate in decision-making regarding product manufacturing, distribution, and advertising from start to finish
• Interpret data, write reports, and recommend departmental improvements
• MBA or Master’s degree in a Business-related field
• [x] years of experience working in market research or a similar field
• [x] years of industry experience
• Proficiency in analytical software
• Advanced knowledge and implementation of statistical techniques, such as Monadic, Conjoint, and MaxDiff
• Strong presentation and communication skills

The salary of a Market Research Manager depends on their work experience, educational background, amount of research organized, performed, and analyzed, and the location and size of the company they work for.

According to Glassdoor , this is how Market Research Managers’ salaries vary across the United States:

It’s not enough to copy a template to hire the ideal Market Research Manager for your company.

You will receive dozens of job applications from unqualified candidates, which will cost time and money to process. A template covers essential responsibilities and requirements but lacks specifics.

To attract top candidates and discourage the unqualified ones from applying, you need to write a job description that details the sector/industry-specific requirements and includes a complete list of responsibilities.

Did you know that the role of a Market Research Manager has several titles? Some of the most used alternative ones are:

• Market Research and Insights Manager
• Market Research Analyst
• Research Manager

If you’re not sure whether a Market Research Manager would be the right fit for your team, check out these similar roles and our job description templates for them:

• Marketing Analytics Manager
• Performance Marketing Manager
• Marketing Surveyor
• Market Research Director
• Email Marketing Analyst
• Web Content Analyst
• Brand Planner
• Digital Business Analyst
• Market Development Manager
• Performance Improvement Coordinator
• Junior Market Analyst
• Senior Marketing Analyst
• Market Risk Analyst
• Performance Improvement Manager

Attracting exceptional candidates is easier if you take a look at how other companies do it. To help you start working on your job ad, we picked out some of the best Market Research Manager job description examples available on:

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The Top 5 Marketing Challenges Expected Globally in 2024, And How to Overcome Them [Data + Expert Tips]

Published: November 28, 2023

2023 was a whirlwind.

For one, there were the enormous strides in AI that resulted in massive shifts across the marketing industry. (Many marketers compare AI innovations to the industrial revolution . No big deal or anything.)

Besides AI, there have been massive shifts in how content ranks on search engines due to Google's new EEAT search ranking factors .

Consumer buying behavior has changed drastically, as well, with an increasing number of consumers turning to social media to shop. In fact, Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X actually prefer finding products on social media over any other channel.

As we approach 2024, it's critical to pause for a moment and reflect on the biggest challenges marketers feel they faced this year.

Below, let's review the current global marketing issues impacting the industry, according to data from HubSpot’s 2024 State of Marketing Report (coming January 2024) and insights from marketing experts.

Or jump to whichever top challenge you're most curious about:

• Facilitating sales and marketing alignment
• Hiring top talent
• Knowing the social issues your audience cares about 
• Creating content that generates leads
• Gaining and keeping followers on social media

Top Challenges Marketers' Faced in 2023, Ranked — Plus, Expert Insights on How to Navigate Those Challenges in 2024

1. facilitating strong sales and marketing alignment.

Strong sales and marketing alignment is critical for any successful organization. And yet, it's undeniably challenging to facilitate strong communication to help these two teams work better together.

Which is why a whopping one-third (35%) of marketers say a lack of effective communication between sales and marketing is their top challenge.

Why It's a Challenge

Many sales and marketing teams work in silos at larger organizations. Bridging the gap between the two teams — particularly when those teams have different priorities and are unclear of their shared goals — can be difficult, especially when neither team feels motivated to do so.

Additionally, the two teams might implement separate data and analytics processes, making it hard to share data consistently and retrieve insights that help both sales and marketing determine what's working and what isn’t.

But alignment is critical to your business' success in 2024. Organizations with tightly aligned sales and marketing teams see 27% faster profit growth , and 36% higher customer retention .

What You Can Do

To explore how you can foster stronger sales and marketing alignment, I spoke with Monica Elgemark , Chief Marketing Officer at Oneflow .

She told me, “To address this challenge, it's imperative to define clear goals and objectives that both sales and marketing teams can rally behind. Clear goals and objectives that differentiate between awareness and revenue should be considered in order for both sales and marketing to understand the values different campaigns bring. It is a mutual dependency between these areas that needs respect.”

Beyond identifying shared goals, Elgemark emphasizes the importance of transparent communication between teams. Regular meetings and collaboration tools are helpful, but they're just that – tools. To truly facilitate alignment, your team needs to implement and continuously nourish a collaborative culture.

Data plays a key role, as well. As Elgemark puts it, “Sharing data and analytics represents an essential facet of this alignment process. Implementing a robust customer relationship management (CRM) system, accessible to both teams, allows for the exchange of invaluable customer data. This data not only informs marketing strategies but also empowers sales teams to better comprehend and engage with leads.”

Finally, Elgemark encourages marketers to seek out feedback from the sales team. Ask your sales team about the quality and readiness of your leads, which will ultimately help you hone in on the marketing activities that drive the most revenue for the business.

2. Hiring Top Talent

The strength of your marketing team starts and ends with the talent you employ.

While it's one of the most important components of a strong marketing team, it’s also one of the most challenging aspects.

In fact, when it comes to hiring, 35% of marketers report finding candidates with the right skillset is their top challenge.

2023 saw some major challenges when it came to hiring. For one, there was higher demand for skilled workers, which led to higher wages and benefits for workers and increased competition among employers to attract top talent.

Additionally, many employees have shifted their priorities and now seek out companies with strong work-life balance and company culture. Many also prefer the option for remote or hybrid work. If your organization doesn't offer these benefits, you’ll likely find it harder to attract top talent.

These challenges will continue to infiltrate hiring and retention in 2024.

HubSpot's Senior Recruiter Kaleigh Hoffman told me a strong partnership between the hiring managers and talent acquisition team is critical for attracting top talent iA 2024.

She says, "A recruiter’s best email or InMail message is never as flattering as direct outreach from a hiring manager, so if you are willing to write a personalized note — it really goes a long way. During a time when AI is making it easier and faster to write anything, personalized outreach can make the difference in someone responding or not. If you are writing to a 'rockstar' candidate, keep in mind that they want to know why you are reaching out to them, so be sure to include why you are interested in their profile, specifically."

Hoffman adds that specific job profiles with clearly defined attributes will help set your job descriptions apart from others in the market, which might skew more general. 

It's important to remember that recruiting is similar to selling. So, as Hoffman puts it, "If you are speaking with a strong candidate, specifically asking them what they are excited about or looking for in their next role can help you close them in later conversations. Reminding candidates of their motivators in final conversations — whether it’s benefits, flexibility, or something else — can really help seal the deal." 

Hoffman adds that its important not to get too discouraged if a candidate decides not to pursue a role. Instead, look at rejection as an opportunity to ask that candidate if they have anyone else in their network they think could be a good fit for the role. 

As Hoffman puts it, "Recruiting is a long-term initiative. Nurturing the relationships you develop by checking in from time to time is a great way to build a pipeline of super-talented candidates for 2024 and beyond."

3. Knowing the Social Issues Your Audience Cares About

Consumers want brands to be socially responsible — in fact, 45% of people think that brands need to do more to advocate for social justice issues.

The brands that take a stance on social issues that matter to their audience will have an easier time connecting with their prospects and customers. People want to buy from brands that care about things that matter to them.

Consider Warby Parker. I've been purchasing sunglasses from Warby Parker for years. I won’t go anywhere else. Why? Because of their Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program, which donates one pair of glasses per pair bought and, to date, has distributed over 10 million glasses.

Roughly one-third (28%) of marketers say their biggest challenge is a lack of information on the social causes their target audience cares about (e.g. environmentalism, racial justice).

Simply put, it can be difficult to discern which social causes matter most to your target audience. This information is a little more nuanced than age, gender, or location.

Additionally, you want the cause to align with your brand values. Your audience might care deeply about climate change, but that cause might not have a natural connection with your brand personality. To authentically connect with your audience around social issues, it's critical that they make sense for your business, as well.

Like most marketing activities, the key to success here lies in market research. 

You'll want to conduct thorough research to better understand your customers on a deeper level – including what they value most. 

Surveys can be strong opportunities to explore these more nuanced conversations with your buyer persona and understand what matters to them. However, people aren't always going to feel comfortable sharing the social issues they care most about, since they are often very personal.

In these cases, leveraging social listening tools to glean insights into the social issues your audience discusses the most on social media could be a strong first step. 

HubSpot's Manager of Community Strategy & Operations Jenny Sowyrda told me, "My number one tip for understanding what your community values is to listen to your community. Your community is telling you what they care about through every interaction — from clicking links in an email to re-sharing a social post."

Sowyrda adds, "Additionally, you should actively listen by connecting with your community members directly. Start a list of members, both the loudest and the quietest folks in the room, and build trust with them through individual conversations focused on learning what they care about. By combining your understanding of your community members with your unique expertise, you can provide value and cater to their needs."

Once you've determined what your community values, you'll want to figure out which social issues overlap with your brand. Authenticity here is key, and so is action. For instance, perhaps you consider partnering with a non-profit that also supports that social issue to show you're willing to walk the walk. Again, ensuring the social issue makes sense for your brand to support is critical, as well.

Patagonia is a good example here. Their brand emphasizes the importance of environmental sustainability, and it works because a) the social issue is a good match for Patagonia's target audience (active, outdoors-y people), while also aligning well with their brand values; and b) they've invested in environmental and social responsibility programs to demonstrate a true, genuine desire to create change. 

4. Creating Content That Generates Leads

24% of marketers say their top challenge is creating content that generates leads . And yet, it's one of the most important functions of marketing: To ensure the content we create is high-quality, but also impacts the company’s bottom line.

In 2024, we'll see some major changes when it comes to marketers’ content creation strategies.

Creating lead-generating content has always been a challenge for marketers, but there are some particular reasons why it's especially difficult now.

In 2023, Google released its new EEAT search quality evaluator guidelines. Why is this significant? Because they added an “E” for experience — which means now, ensuring your content is written by someone with credible, first-hand experience on the topic is vital for increasing your website's value.

AI also greatly transformed how people consume content. Now, people don't have to Google “How can I go viral on TikTok?” — then can ask an AI chatbot. Which means many marketers likely saw major decreases in traffic on some of their more generalized topics in 2023.

AI and EEAT have greatly shifted how we, at HubSpot, create lead-generating content . We've been working to ensure the topics we cover are written by authors with first-hand experience.

We've leaned into personality-driven content, since personality is one thing AI doesn’t have.

And we've begun re-focusing our overarching strategy on more niche topics that pertain directly to our products and services, rather than covering too many broad topics — since a brand that is an expert on “everything” is likely actually an expert on, well … nothing.

To learn how you can create strong lead-generating content in 2024, I spoke to Zack Khan , the Co-Founder of Feathery and former marketing leader at Hightouch.

He told me, “The challenge and opportunity in 2024 is writing quality content with insights from subject matter experts. There is so much low quality content out there, increased by AI writing tools. The novel ideas and voice ('hot takes') that generate leads require a deep connection to the reader's problem that the content is hoping to solve.”

During Khan's eary days at Hightouch, he solved for this challenge by hiring "data evangelists". These were people in Slack communities who were already sharing their opinions on the latest data trends. Khan recognized the importance in arming himself with writers’ who could share personal insights, rather than simply summarizing the data.

He says, “The hardest part was hiring the right team of subject matter experts, and getting them excited to write content full-time. I expect this to be just as hard to find in 2024. But audiences are starving for unique, opinionated content in 2024 and the work to recruit a team of subject matter experts does pay off”.

Monica Elgemark believes another key strategy to generating leads in 2024 involves leveraging AI. As she puts it, “A creative and holistic approach is essential for generating traffic and leads. AI-powered personalization delves deeper than surface-level marketing. Using AI algorithms, marketers can predict and cater to individual prospect interests, and create personalized content that resonates profoundly with the target audience.”

Elgemark also encourages marketers to consider how they might incorporate more interactive content — like quizzes, assessments, or webinars — into their existing strategies to retain traffic and provide additional value.

Elgemark promises: "By delving into these strategies, marketers can confidently navigate the dynamic landscape, remain at the forefront of trends, engage effectively, and ultimately thrive in the ever-evolving realm of B2B marketing." 

5. Gaining and Keeping Followers on Social Media

Nowadays, your audience spends a large portion of their time on social media. And yet, social media is also more oversaturated than ever before.

Which leads us to our fifth challenge: Gaining – and keeping – followers on social media.

18% of marketers report it's a major challenge for them to gain and keep followers on social media.

This makes sense: Time is precious. Each social media user is going to be selective when it comes to which brands they follow. If they don't feel they’re getting consistent value from your social media content, they'll quickly unfollow to free up their feed for other users’ content.

Amrita Mathur , VP of Marketing at ClickUp , symphasizes with this challenge and recognizes the importance of audience-building in 2024 and beyond.

Her solution to social media is simple, and yet oftentimes underutilized: Leverage the power of your employees as influencers.

She told me, “While so far, I’ve mostly seen brands working with influencers and creators to further their message and cause, I can see company employees turning into these influencers.”

She continues, “Brands need to recognize that there is no tried-and-tested playbook that works every single time. In my opinion there is one single truth: the answer lies in having a point of view, and knowing how to illustrate that POV in a striking and memorable way. When you combine this and couple it with tactics for both first time and repeat engagement, you get magic. That repeat engagement is what will turn into buying behavior down the road (assuming product-market fit).”

As she points out, the word 'influencer’ can make some marketers believe their internal employees don't make the cut. But influencers can be big or small, niche or broad, and they can also be channel-specific (like Instagram alone) or not.

Mathur adds, “If you haven't already, start thinking about which employees to leverage, curate their unique voice, and get on with the building of your modern-day media strategy.”

Logan Lyles , Evangelism & Content Marketing Manager at Teamwork.com , agrees with Mathur that incorporating 'evangelists' — including executives, employees, customers, influencers, and partners — into your marketing activities allows you to surround existing audiences with content from people they already trust. 

He told me, "Our strategy has involved co-creating content with influential names in the community of our ICP (agencies & professional service firms), as we tap them to guest on our podcast and speak on our Agency Life webinar series.  We've even partnered with different evangelists to both create and distribute our pillar content pieces via social media."

Here's a quick example of that strategy in action on LinkedIn , where Pete Caputa provided a reaction to data points from Teamwork.com's State of Agency Operations Report and then posted the video Teamwork.com and Pete created together on his personal LinkedIn profile.  

Lyles told me Pete's personal post generated nearly 200 combined engagements & comments — well beyond the engagement metrics Teamwork.com typically sees on an average Company Page post.

Navigating Challenges in 2024 and Beyond 

Ultimately, there is no easy solution to these complex, nuanced challenges.

Hopefully, these expert insights can get your team inspired and motivated to test out new strategies in 2024, iterate on existing strategies, and explore the best opportunities for your unique brand to combat these challenges. 

Remember -- you're not in this alone! 

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in November 2012 and has been updated annually to include new, exclusive HubSpot data and expert insights. 

Don't forget to share this post!

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How to Create a Social Media Marketing Strategy in 9 Easy Steps [Free Template]

Creating your social media marketing strategy doesn’t need to be painful. Create an effective plan for your business in 9 simple steps.

A social media marketing strategy is a summary of everything you plan to do and hope to achieve on social media. It guides your actions and lets you know whether you’re succeeding or failing.

The more specific your plan is, the more effective it will be. Keep it concise. Don’t make it so lofty and broad that it’s unattainable or impossible to measure.

In this post, we’ll walk you through a nine-step plan to create a winning social media strategy of your own. We’ve even got expert insights from Amanda Wood, Hootsuite’s Senior Manager of Social Marketing.

How to create a social media strategy:

Bonus: Get a free social media strategy template   to quickly and easily plan your own strategy. Also use it to track results and present the plan to your boss, teammates, and clients.

What is a social media marketing strategy?

A social media strategy is a document outlining your social media goals, the tactics you will use to achieve them and the metrics you will track to measure your progress.

Your social media marketing strategy should also list all of your existing and planned social media accounts along with goals specific to each platform you’re active on. These goals should align with your business’s larger digital marketing strategy.

Finally, a good social media plan should define the roles and responsibilities within your team and outline your reporting cadence.

Create. Schedule. Publish. Engage. Measure. Win.

Creating your own social media marketing strategy (video guide)

No time to read the whole article? Let Amanda, Hootsuite’s own Senior Manager of Social Media Marketing, guide you through our free social media marketing strategy template in less than 10 minutes:

How to create a social media marketing strategy in 9 steps

Step 1. choose goals that align to business objectives, set s.m.a.r.t. goals.

The first step to creating a winning social media strategy is to establish clear objectives and goals. Without goals, you have no way to measure success and return on investment (ROI) .

Each of your social media marketing goals should be SMART : s pecific, m easurable, a ttainable, r elevant and t ime-bound.

Psst: Need help getting started? We’ve got social strategy guides for small businesses , financial services , government , higher education , healthcare , real estate , law firms , and non-profits .

Oh, and if you need examples of smart social media goals , we’ve got you covered there too.

Once you’ve decided on your goals, track them in a social media strategy doc — grab our free template if you don’t have one already.

Track meaningful metrics

Vanity metrics like number of followers and likes are easy to track, but it’s hard to prove their real value. Instead, focus on things like engagement, click-through, and conversion rates.

For inspiration, take a look at these 19 essential social media metrics .

You may want to track different goals for different social media networks, or even different uses for each network.

For example, if you use LinkedIn to drive traffic to your website, you would measure click-throughs. If Instagram is for brand awareness, you might track the number of Instagram Story views. And if you advertise on Facebook, cost-per-click (CPC) is a common success metric.

Social media goals should align with your overall marketing objectives. This makes it easier to show the value of your work and secure buy-in from your boss.

Start developing a successful social media marketing plan by writing down at least three goals for social media.

“ It’s easy to get overwhelmed by deciding what to post and which metrics to track, but you need to focus on what you want to get out of social media to begin with,” says Amanda Wood, Hootsuite’s Senior Manager of Social Marketing. “Don’t just start posting and tracking everything: match your goals to your business, and your metrics to your goals.”

Step 2. Learn everything you can about your audience

Get to know your fans, followers, and customers as real people with real wants and needs, and you will know how to target and engage them on social media.

When it comes to your ideal customer, you should know things like:

• Average income
• Typical job title or industry

Here’s a simple guide and template for creating audience/buyer personas .

Don’t forget to document this information in your strategy doc!

Social media analytics can also provide a ton of valuable information about who your followers are, where they live, and how they interact with your brand on social media. These insights allow you to refine your strategy and better target your audience.

Jugnoo, an Uber-like service for auto-rickshaws in India, used Facebook Analytics to learn that 90% of their users who referred other customers were between 18- and 34-years-old, and 65% of that group was using Android. They used that information to target their ads, resulting in a 40% lower cost per referral.

Check out our guide to using social media analytics and the tools you need to track them .

Step 3. Get to know your competition

Odds are your competitors are already using social media, and that means you can learn from what they’re doing.

Conduct a competitive analysis

A competitive analysis allows you to understand who the competition is and what they’re doing well (and not so well). You’ll get a good sense of what’s expected in your industry, which will help you set social media targets of your own.

It will also help you spot opportunities and weaknesses you can document in your social strategy doc.

Maybe one of your competitors is dominant on Facebook, for example, but has put little effort into X (Twitter) or Instagram. You might want to focus on the social media platforms where your audience is underserved, rather than trying to win fans away from a dominant player.

Use social media listening

Social listening is another way to keep an eye on your competitors.

Do searches of the competition’s company name, account handles, and other relevant keywords on social media. Find out what they’re sharing and what other people are saying about them. If they’re using influencer marketing, how much engagement do those campaigns earn them?

Pro tip : Use Hootsuite Streams to monitor relevant keywords, hashtags and accounts in real-time.

Try Hootsuite for free. You can cancel anytime.

As you track, you may notice shifts in how your competitors and industry leaders are using social media. You may come across new, exciting trends. You might even spot specific social content or a campaign that really hits the mark—or totally bombs.

Use this kind of intel to optimize and inform your own social media marketing strategy.

Just don’t go overboard on the spy tactics, Amanda advises. “ Make sure you aren’t ALWAYS comparing yourself to the competition — it can be a distraction. I’d say checking in on a monthly basis is healthy. Otherwise, focus on your own strategy and results.”

Step 4. Do a social media audit

If you’re already using social media, take stock of your efforts so far. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What’s working, and what’s not?
• Who is engaging with you?
• What are your most valuable partnerships?
• Which networks does your target audience use?
• How does your social media presence compare to the competition?

Once you collect that information, you’ll be ready to start thinking about ways to improve.

We’ve created an easy-to-follow social media audit guide and template to walk you through each step of this process.

Your audit should give you a clear picture of what purpose each of your social accounts serves. If the purpose of an account isn’t clear, think about whether it’s worth keeping.

To help you decide, ask yourself the following questions:

• Is my audience here?
• If so, how are they using this platform?
• Can I use this account to help achieve my goals?

Asking these tough questions will keep your social media strategy focused.

Look for impostor accounts

During the audit, you may discover fake accounts using your business name or the names of your products.

These imposters can be harmful to your brand—never mind that they’re capturing followers that should be yours.

You may want to get your accounts verified too to ensure your fans know they are dealing with the real you.

Here’s how to get verified on:

• X (Twitter)

Step 5. Set up accounts and improve profiles

Decide which networks to use.

As you decide which social networks to use, you will also need to define your strategy for each.

Benefit Cosmetics’ social media manager, Angela Purcaro, told eMarketer : “For our makeup tutorials … we’re all about Snapchat and Instagram Stories. [X], on the other hand, is designated for customer service.”

Hootsuite’s own social team even designates different purposes for formats within networks. On Instagram, for example, they use the feed to post high-quality educational infographics and product announcements and Stories to cover live events or quick social media updates.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hootsuite 🦉 (@hootsuite)

Pro tip : Write out a mission statement for each network. A one-sentence declaration to keep you focused on a specific goal.

Example: “We will use X for customer support to keep email and call volumes down.”

Or: “We will use LinkedIn for promoting and sharing our company culture to help with recruitment and employee advocacy.”

One more: “We will use Instagram to highlight new products and repost quality content from influencers.”

If you can’t create a solid mission statement for a particular social media channel, you may want to ask yourself if it’s worth it.

Note : While larger businesses can and do tackle every platform, small businesses may not be able to — and that’s ok! Prioritize social platforms that will have the most impact on your business and make sure your marketing team has the resources to handle content for those networks. If you need help focusing your efforts, check out our 18-minute social media plan .

Set up your profiles

Once you’ve decided which networks to focus on, it’s time to create your profiles. Or improve existing ones so they align with your strategy.

• Make sure you fill out all profile fields
• Include keywords people would use to search for your business
• Use consistent branding (logos, images, etc.) across networks so your profiles are easily recognizable

Pro tip : Use high-quality images that follow the recommended dimensions for each network. Check out our always-up-to-date social media image size cheat sheet for quick reference.

We’ve also got step-by-step guides for each network to walk you through the process:

• Create a Facebook business page
• Create an Instagram business account
• Create a TikTok account
• Create a X (Twitter) business account
• Create a Snapchat account
• Create a LinkedIn Company Page
• Create a Pinterest business account
• Create a YouTube channel

Don’t let this list overwhelm you. Remember, it’s better to use fewer channels well than to stretch yourself thin trying to maintain a presence on every network.

Optimize your profiles (and content) for search

Never heard of social SEO ? It’s time to learn.

44% of Gen Z consumers use social platforms to research their purchase decisions, which means it’s extra critical that your channels are optimized for social search.

That means making sure your profile names are clear and descriptive, you’re including relevant hashtags and keywords in your bio and on every post, and you’re using features like alt text and captions to include your target keywords as naturally as possible.

Step 6. Find inspiration

While it’s important that your brand be unique, you can still draw inspiration from other businesses that are great on social.

“ I consider it my job to stay active on social: to know what’s trending, which campaigns are winning, what’s new with the platforms, who’s going above and beyond,” says Amanda. “This might be the most fun step for you, or the hardest one, but it’s just as crucial as the rest of them.”

Social media success stories

You can usually find these on the business section of the social network’s website. ( Here’s Facebook’s , for example.)

Case studies can offer valuable insights that you can apply to your own social media plan.

Award-winning accounts and campaigns

You could also check out the winners of The Facebook Awards or The Shorty Awards for examples of brands that are at the top of their social media game.

For learning and a laugh, check out Fridge-Worthy, Hootsuite’s bi-weekly awards show highlighting brands doing smart and clever things on social media.

Your favorite brands on social media

Who do you enjoy following on social media? What do they do that compels people to engage and share their content?

National Geographic, for example, is one of the best on Instagram, combining stunning visuals with compelling captions.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by National Geographic (@natgeo)

Then there’s Shopify. The ecommerce brand uses Facebook to sell themselves by showcasing customer stories and case studies.

And Lush Cosmetics is a great example of superior customer service on X. They use their 280 characters to answer questions and solve problems in an extremely charming and on-brand way.

Source: lushcosmetics on X

Notice that each of these accounts has a consistent voice, tone, and style. That’s key to letting people know what to expect from your feed. That is, why should they follow you? What’s in it for them?

Consistency also helps keep your content on-brand even if you have multiple people on your social media team.

For more on this, read our guide on establishing a compelling brand voice on social media .

Ask your followers

Consumers can also offer social media inspiration.

What are your target customers talking about online? What can you learn about their wants and needs?

If you have existing social channels, you could also ask your followers what they want from you. Just make sure that you follow through and deliver what they ask for.

Step 7. Create a social media content calendar

Sharing great content is essential, of course, but it’s equally important to have a plan in place for when you’ll share content to get the maximum impact.

Your social media content calendar also needs to account for the time you spend interacting with the audience (although you need to allow for some spontaneous engagement as well).

Set your posting schedule

Your social media content calendar lists the dates and times at which you will publish types of content on each channel. It’s the perfect place to plan all of your social media activities—from images, link sharing, and re-shares of user-generated content to blog posts and videos. It includes both your day-to-day posting and content for social media campaigns.

Your calendar also ensures your posts are spaced out appropriately and published at the best times to post .

Pro tip: You can plan your whole content calendar and get recommended best times to post on every network based on your past engagement rate, impressions, or link click data in Hootsuite.

Hootsuite’s Best Time to Publish feature

Determine the right content mix

Make sure your content strategy and calendar reflect the mission statement you’ve assigned to each social profile, so that everything you post is working to support your business goals.

(We know, it’s tempting to jump on every meme, but there should always be a strategy behind your social media marketing efforts!)

You might decide that:

• 50% of content will drive traffic back to your website
• 25% of content will be curated from other sources
• 20% of content will support lead-generation goals (newsletter sign-ups, ebook downloads, etc.)
• 5% of content will be about your company culture

Placing these different post types in your content calendar will ensure you maintain the right mix.

If you’re starting from scratch and you’re not sure what types of content to post, try the 80-20 rule :

• 80% of your posts should inform, educate, or entertain your audience
• 20% can directly promote your brand.

You could also try the social media content marketing rule of thirds :

• One-third of your content promotes your business, converts readers, and generates profit.
• One-third of your content shares ideas and stories from thought leaders in your industry or like-minded businesses.
• One-third of your content is personal interactions with your audience

Whatever you decide on, be sure to document it in your strategy doc.

Don’t post too much or too little

If you’re starting a social media marketing strategy from scratch, you may not have figured out how often to post to each network for maximum engagement yet.

Post too frequently and you risk annoying your audience. But, if you post too little, you risk looking like you’re not worth following.

Start with these posting frequency recommendations:

• Instagram (feed): 3-7 times per week
• TikTok: 3-5 times per week
• Facebook: 1-2 times per day
• X (Twitter): 1-5 times per day
• LinkedIn: 1-5 times per day

Pro tip : Once you have your social media content calendar planned out, use a scheduling tool to prepare messages in advance rather than updating constantly throughout the day.

We might be biased, but we think Hootsuite is the best social media management tool. You can schedule social media posts to every network and the intuitive calendar view gives you a full picture of all your social activity each week.

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Step 8. Create compelling content

Remember those mission statements you created for each channel in Step 5? Well, it’s time to go a bit deeper, a.k.a. provide some examples of the type of content you’ll post to fulfill your mission on each network.

If you’re not sure what to post, here’s a long list of social media content ideas to get you started. Or (to make it even easier) you can use an AI tool like OwlyWriter to generate on-brand content in a flash.

The idea here is to:

• Keep your content aligned with the purpose of each network;
• Show other stakeholders (if applicable) what kind of content they can expect to see on each network.

This last point especially will help you avoid any tension when your colleagues want to know why you haven’t posted their case study/whitepaper/blog post to TikTok yet. It’s not in the strategy, Linda!

Ideally, you will generate content types that are both suited to the network and the purpose you’ve set out for that network.

For example, you wouldn’t want to waste time posting brand awareness tweets if you’ve designated X/Twitter for primarily customer support. And you wouldn’t want to post super polished corporate video ads to TikTok, as users expect to see short, unpolished videos on that platform.

It might take some testing over time to figure out which type of content works best on which type of network, so prepare to update this section frequently.

We won’t lie: content creation isn’t as easy as everyone not on the social team seems to think. But if you’re struggling, Amanda suggests going back to basics.

The first question to ask is: is there cohesion between your content types? Is your content providing value? Do you have a good mix of entertaining, or educational content? What does it offer that makes a person stop and spend time? Creating a few different content pillars or categories that encompass different aspects of storytelling for your brand, and what you can offer your audience is a good start.

This brings us to Step 9.

Step 9. Track performance and make adjustments

Your social media marketing strategy is a hugely important document for your business, and you can’t assume you’ll get it exactly right on the first try.

As you start to implement your plan and track your results, you may find that some strategies don’t work as well as you’d anticipated, while others are working even better than expected.

That’s why it’s important to document your progress along the way.

Look at performance metrics

In addition to the analytics within each social network (see Step 2), you can use UTM parameters to track social visitors as they move through your website, so you can see exactly which social posts drive the most traffic to your website.

Benchmark your results

You’ve got your numbers, but how do they stack up to the competition in your industry? Industry benchmarks are a great way to evaluate your performance against other businesses in your category.

If you’ve got Hootsuite Analytics , you can use our built-in social media benchmarking tool to compare the performance of your social accounts against the average of brands in your industry with just a couple of clicks.

You can set up custom timeframes, switch between networks — Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and TikTok — and look up benchmarks for metrics like followers, audience growth rate, engagement rate, clicks, shares, and much more.

You’ll also find resources to improve your performance  right in the summary section:

Re-evaluate, test, and do it all again

Once this data starts coming in, use it to re-evaluate your strategy regularly. You can also use this information to test different posts, social marketing campaigns, and strategies against one another. Constant testing allows you to understand what works and what doesn’t, so you can refine your social media marketing strategy in real time.

You’ll want to check the performance of all your channels at least once a week and get to know the basics of social media reporting so you can track your growth over time.

Pro tip: If you use Hootsuite, you can review the performance of all your posts on every network in one place. Once you get the hang of checking your analytics, you may even want to customize different reports to show specific metrics over a variety of different time periods.

Surveys can also be a great way to find out how well your social media strategy is working. Ask your followers, email list, and website visitors whether you’re meeting their needs and expectations, and what they’d like to see more of. Then make sure to deliver on what they tell you.

Finalizing your social media strategy

Spoiler alert: nothing is final.

Social media moves fast. New networks emerge, others go through demographic shifts.

Your business will go through periods of change as well.

All of this means that your social media marketing strategy should be a living document that you review and adjust as needed. Refer to it often to stay on track, but don’t be afraid to make changes so that it better reflects new goals, tools, or plans.

When you update your social strategy, make sure to watch our 5-step video on how to updating your social media strategy for 2024:

Social media strategy template

Ready to start documenting? Grab your free social media strategy template below!

What’s next? When you’re ready to put your plan into action, we’re here to help…

Save time managing your social media marketing strategy with Hootsuite. From a single dashboard you can easily:

• Plan, create, and schedule posts to every network
• Track relevant keywords, topics, and accounts
• Stay on top of engagement with a universal inbox
• Get easy-to-understand performance reports and improve your strategy as needed

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Christina Newberry is an award-winning writer and editor whose greatest passions include food, travel, urban gardening, and the Oxford comma—not necessarily in that order.

Amanda Wood is a senior social marketing professional who combines analytical and creative thinking to build brands.

As head of social at Hootsuite, Amanda oversees the global social strategy encompassing organic and paid social on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and LinkedIn, a social engagement and listening strategy, and an employee advocacy program.

As the leader of a high-performing social team, she has extensive experience collaborating with creatives to bring campaigns to life on social and drive business results.

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Portland, OR Rental Market

Last updated June 6, 2024

Market Summary

The median rent for all bedrooms and all property types in Portland, OR is $1,695 .

Source: Zillow Rentals Data

Price Range

The price range for all bedrooms and all property types is $550 to $11,000 .

Median Rental Price over Time

In the last year, rent has decreased by $33 compared to the previous year.

Market Temperature

Market temperature is based on changes in renter demand compared to the national average. For example, a hot market has increasing demand.

Temperature is based on all bedrooms and all property types.

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Rent in Portland, OR is 21% lower than the national median .

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Frequently Asked Questions

1 . What is the average rent in Portland, OR?

The median rent in Portland, OR is $1,695.

2 . How much does it cost to rent a house in Portland, OR?

Houses in Portland, OR rent between $550 - $11,000 with a median rent of $1,695.

3 . How has the rent in Portland, OR changed in the last year?

The median rent price in Portland, OR for June 2024 is $1,695. This is $33 less than June 2023.

4 . How much has the rent in Portland, OR increased/decreased in the last month?

The median rent price in Portland, OR June 2024 is $1,695. This is $45 more than May.

5 . How many available rentals are there in Portland, OR?

There are currently 2,191 rentals available in Portland, OR.

6 . How do rent prices in Portland, OR compare with the national average?

The median rent in Portland, OR is $1,695. This is $442 less than the national median.

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15 Content Marketing Tactics You Can Try (With Tips and Inspiring Examples)

Camilla Salemme

Just a few years ago, digital marketers were constantly bombarded with the cry of “content is king!” 

Let’s face it, over the past decade, the internet has exploded in size and volume. In 2013, 9 zettabytes of data were generated online; by 2023, this figure had increased more than ten-fold, to 120 zettabytes!

So, while content may be king, it is also true that too much of a good thing can be…bad.

Information overload and banner blindness are real problems. At the same time that people’s attention spans are getting shorter , more content is being generated and promoted every day.

In a saturated marketplace with an oversupply of content and impatient audiences, how can you succeed with content marketing?

By being creative and mixing up your strategy with a variety of content types and tactics. Remember, if your content is exciting and interesting to you, it will also excite your readers. 

From infographics and webinars to evergreen posts, let’s cover 15 content marketing tactics you can use to engage your audience, boost your online presence, and achieve your marketing goals. 

1. Blog Posts

Blog posts are a must-have content marketing tactic. There are so many benefits to publishing blog posts: they are essential for SEO, great for brand building, and an excellent way to communicate with existing customers and potential customers. Another advantage of blog posts is how versatile they are: thought leadership articles, listicles, how-to blogs, long-form, short-form, vlogs (blogs in video format), and everything in between. The tough part is getting started with your first blog post , but once you’re up and running, you’ll soon see the positive impact.

Tactics for content marketing with blogs

• Boost your blog’s search rankings with an SEO optimization tool. Semrush, Ahrefs, and even Google’s Keyword Manager are examples of free resources for keyword research. 
• Continually analyze your posts to determine what’s performing well. Is there a particular post that got lots of traffic and high time on page? Try to recreate the results with a similar format on a different topic.  
• Don’t be afraid to give old posts a refresh. Pick a post from a couple of years back that performed well and optimize it with new data or talking points. Blog posts that already achieved good SEO rankings in the past should be kept up to date, and their value will only increase. 

A little inspiration

Check out this post at Of Dollars and Data, the personal finance blog. It’s well structured, there’s clear evidence of keywords, and it offers a unique and thoughtful point of view. 

2. Videos 

If content is king, then videos are right alongside it. Video has become the most popular content format, and there are several reasons why. Video is more emotionally engaging than text, and it is easier to consume. With people spending more time on mobile than ever, video is easier to engage with on a small screen, and more suitable for on-the-go content consumption. Plus, the ‘short’ video format popularized by TikTok and YouTube Shorts has ‘trained’ a generation of consumers to expect quick, easy videos when looking for products or checking out the latest news and entertainment.

Online video creation tools , including some incredible new developments in AI video generation, have reduced the investment needed to produce good-looking videos. Videos will become more cost-effective over time, so there is no reason not to focus on videos as a solid content marketing tactic.

Tactics for content marketing with videos

• Make sure your video titles and descriptions are optimized for search. They help you get found on search engines and are a great way to serve your SEO strategy.
• Videos are made to be shared, so share them. Share them on social media, your website, YouTube, or anywhere your target audience could be.
• Tell a story. Storytelling takes the viewer on the journey with you so they are more likely to keep watching to the end. Even short videos can have an engaging story.

We take a lot of inspiration from Nike’s videos; they are some of the most powerful brand-building devices we’ve ever seen. And the one below is a good example. The production value is high, the story is compelling, and it’s the type of video you watch and rewatch over and over. 

3. Infographics

Infographics are a popular content marketing tactic due to their visual appeal, which captures attention and simplifies complex information. Infographics are highly shareable across digital platforms, making them good vehicles for brand awareness and reach. Additionally, infographics offer SEO benefits by generating backlinks and improving web traffic. Use infographics to communicate different information at different points across the marketing funnel in an impactful and memorable way.

Tactics for content marketing with infographics

• Create infographics that are informative and simple to navigate, not cluttered with a bunch of symbols and images. 
• Make sure to optimize your infographic’s SEO for image search. Infographics are great magnets for search queries and can help drive traffic to your website. 
• Infographics can be used anywhere… and should be! Ensure you share them on social media and use them in blog posts to create engagement. 

At Outbrain, we wanted to explain the history of native advertising without getting bogged down in boring stats and facts. So we created an infographic about it that has stood the test of time.

4. Podcasts

The global podcast audience is over half a million people. Podcasts are one of the fastest-growing content types, and there are several reasons why people tune in, including learning about a topic, hearing different opinions on a topic, or having something to listen to while doing something else. Whatever the reason, creating podcast content might be a good tactic if you have a large potential audience that is eager to engage. With the right tools and setup , it is not difficult to record podcasts and distribute them without a fancy studio.

Tactics for content marketing with podcasts

• Include guest speakers as part of your podcast strategy. Consider inviting industry experts, thought leaders, and influencers who may have something to say that your audience will value. This will attract more listeners to your show.  
• Promote your podcast on various channels, including your blog and website, social media pages, and native ad campaigns. This ensures you draw the largest possible audience.
• Add a transcript of your podcast to your website. It makes for great SEO and provides an alternative way for people to consume the podcast if they can’t or don’t want to listen to it.

The Content Strategy Podcast is a great example of using an audio show to promote your brand. Kristina Halvorson is the CEO and founder of Brain Traffic, as well as the founder of both the Confab and Button conferences. Her show discusses all things content with special guests and is an excellent promotional tool for her business. 

5. E-books and Whitepapers

E-books and whitepapers are a favored content marketing tactic particularly for B2B companies, as they provide the space to dig deep into a topic and provide a lot of information, expertise, and value. E-books and whitepapers are useful for lead generation – people can download the content in exchange for their contact information, which is used in future marketing campaigns. People are often willing to provide their personal details if they feel they are receiving something worthwhile in return. The long-form, in-depth format is ideal for educational marketing strategies that nurture potential customers without hard selling. 

Tactics for content marketing with e-books and whitepapers

• An e-book or whitepaper demands more expertise and detail than a blog post, so recruit the right people from within the company to support you with relevant, valuable insights and information.
• If you decide to gate your content behind a form, make sure the process is easy and quick. If the user has to complete a lot of details, they may get turned off. It is not uncommon to require just an email address and nothing more. 
• Promote your whitepapers and e-books on social media networks where the audience is likely to spend their time. You can even create messaging campaigns on social to approach prospects individually or send the e-book to your existing email distribution list to encourage engagement. 

Great e-book content is ‘edutaining’. It provides a valuable resource for information while also being a little fun and engaging. We love this example of Guesty’s vacation rental marketing guide. The e-book is comprehensive, with 36 pages, but it is also easy to read and jam-packed with information in a cool, blue design. 

6. Case Studies

Case studies can showcase real-world applications of your business, which builds trust and credibility. At the same time, you can segment case studies for different customer types or goals, addressing specific markets. Case studies are very relatable and if you use a storytelling style, they can provide entertainment value too. Case studies may be the ultimate form of social proof, uplifting the brand by association. Creating a solid case study does not require a lot of resources or budget, but it does require a good relationship with customers who will agree to tell their success story for you.

Tactics for content marketing with case studies

• Think out of the box – try to choose customers who had an unusual or intriguing success with your company. Also, vary the theme of the case studies to include different products, working methods, and results. It is important to provide a holistic impression of the capabilities of your company.
• Make sure you’re using real customer testimonials and data. It may tempting to alter a quotation here and there or boost a number, but this is unethical, and being exposed as doing this will damage your brand beyond repair. 
• Share your case studies on your website and in sales presentations. They’re a fantastic sales tool and go a long way to building trust.

On the Outbrain case studies page, readers can filter by industry and/or business objective, so they can easily find a case study that is relevant to them. We love how Laura Geller Beauty brand achieved 174% ROAS (return on ad spend) with Outbrain ads . This customer’s story is just one of the many we highlight on our website, and it’s gone a long way to building customer trust.  

7. Webinars and Online Events

Webinars and online events are super valuable because they enable you to interact meaningfully with customers in real time, and also provide instant analytics about engagement and interest. While webinars are a more resource-heavy endeavor, the value of these insights is huge. Webinar content has a far longer shelf life than just the webinar itself. You can re-use sections and snippets to promote elsewhere, and you can feature the webinar recording on your website for later viewing by a broader audience. Webinars and online events can be attended by anyone, anywhere, so the audience is not limited by location. 

Tactics for content marketing with webinars

• Make sure your webinars feature a Q&A session. Guests love to hear an expert speak but also have a chance to understand how what that speaker has said will impact them. 
• Record the live webinar and repurpose the video as on-demand content.
• Collaborate with influencers or special guests to bring more attention and sign-ups to your webinar. 

The team at Wix.com are experts in running online events and educational webinars for their target audiences. For example, this webinar about technical SEO was a one-off investment to create and publish, but it continues to reap rewards, permanently featured on the WIXLearn website.

8. Interactive Content 

Interactive content includes things like quizzes, polls, and surveys, which encourage audience participation, making them much more engaging than static content. Creating interactive content requires an added layer of creativity. A poll that is relevant to the audience and perhaps even tackles a controversial issue will be naturally exciting to the audience, as they will be motivated to add their opinion and curious to see the opinions of others. Use online tools for content gamification to boost your audience’s interest and interaction with your content.

Tactics for content marketing with interactive content

• Audience engagement can only happen when your content is exciting and compelling. Make your quizzes and polls tricky (but not too tricky) and though provoking to draw the audience’s interest. 
• A side benefit of interactive content is the data it provides. For example, poll results and quiz responses provide important insights about the audience’s state of mind. Use that information to your advantage! 
• Share results and insights with your audience. This increases the interactivity and makes the connection with the audience even stronger.

Here’s an example of a LinkedIn poll by Maury Rogow , CEO of Rip Media Group. He asks the audience a simple yet personal question that is relevant to the industry and also provides insights into the opinions of individual respondents. This kind of interactive content takes only minutes to create but garners powerful engagement. 

9. User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) is the cornerstone of many brands’ content strategy. UGC is so powerful because it pretty much benefits everyone: 

• Customers express their views about a brand or product, raising their personal online profile.
• The wider audience hears about the brand or product from real users, gaining an authentic and unfiltered perspective.
• The brand gets a huge amount of content that can be leveraged to build brand strength and loyalty.

It also facilitates a high content turnover, which means your brand can keep promoting tons of content without spending a lot. 

Tactics for content marketing with user-generated content

• Incentivize your audience to create and share content about your brand by hosting UGC contests or challenges. Offer prizes, discounts, or recognition to motivate participation and increase engagement.
• Invite customers to contribute ideas, feedback, or suggestions for product features or marketing ideas through surveys, polls, or interactive Q&A sessions.
• Incorporate this feedback into your marketing campaigns, showing that you value the opinions of your customers, ultimately strengthening brand loyalty and engagement.

Apple’s “Shot on iPhone” is an amazing example of UGC. In this campaign, iPhone photographers were challenged to take macro photos using an iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. Check out a winning entry, “Sea Glass” by Guido Cassanelli, featured below. Spectacular! 

10. Email Newsletters

Email newsletters remain a cornerstone of effective content marketing. Although email is one of the ‘oldest’ digital marketing channels, it is hugely popular. People use email for just about everything, including work, bills, and interactions with brands and businesses. Email is a great way to communicate directly with your audience, and it is very cost-effective too. The main challenge is breaking through the clutter and getting good open rates. Remember that your audience gets tons of emails every day, so your newsletter needs to shine through all of the others that land in customers’ inboxes. 

Tactics for content marketing with email newsletters

• Segment your email list – not every customer wants (or needs) to be exposed to everything you offer unless it’s broad enough to fit them. Create newsletters that are specific to a certain time of year, feature, or customer need, like a “Holiday Season newsletter” or “Products of the Year newsletter.”
• Personalization is really important with email! Make sure your newsletter includes your customer’s name (yes, an email with “Hi Marty” instead of “Hi there” gets a lot more engagement). 
• Think about the goal and KPI of your email newsletter. This will completely impact the content and CTAs (calls to action) that you include in the newsletter.

We love Stacked Marketer , and especially their regular newsletter. It offers up the highlights of what’s happening in the world of digital marketing, is super shareable, and easily distinguishes itself from the myriad of other emails that land in our inboxes. 

11. Social media posts

Social media platforms are an indispensable content marketing tactic and the most direct way to regularly publish content for your audience. You can get pretty granular with your targeting strategy, defining audience segments based on things like location, interests, and demographics, and targeting them with specific messages and campaigns. This, combined with the sheer scale of social media’s reach, offers you a powerful way to engage with both existing and potential customers.

Tactics for content marketing with social media

• Tailor content to each platform’s audience and format. Social media is not a one-size-fits-all online hub. What works for Facebook doesn’t work for X (formerly Twitter) or TikTok. 
• Hashtags and trends can be powerful tools on social media. Make sure you’re using them effectively so that your content gets found and engaged with.
• Engage your community by posting regularly and encouraging comments and conversation. Also, comment and share others’ posts (relevant ones only of course) from your brand accounts to increase your exposure and build connections. 

Chipotle’s “Lid Flip” and “GuacDance” are some of the smartest TikTok campaigns we’ve seen. The first generated 240M video views by asking users to record themselves flipping a burrito bowl. As for the second, it got 430 million views in just six days by encouraging users to dance along to a song about, you guessed it, guacamole. 

12. Live Streaming

Live streaming is not just regular video content. It lets your business interact with your audience in real-time, so it’s a great way to ride trends, create buzz and conversation, and build a community around your products or services. Nearly a third of internet users watch live streams on a weekly basis , so there’s a fair amount of demand for it. The authentic and transparent nature of live streaming particularly appeals to younger demographics who prioritize genuine interactions with brands. 

Tactics for content marketing with live streaming

• Live streams are a great way to get people engaged. Don’t just talk; encourage questions and get the listeners involved. This can be done via live chat.
• Don’t be shy to monetize live streams, enabling people to show their appreciation for your content with donations. Be sure to give them a live shout-out in return. Of course, this tactic can only work once you have built a loyal following of viewers who love your content, but it’s something to aim for.
• Give exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpses or live product demos – people love to get access to content they wouldn’t get anywhere else! When the content is live-streamed, it feels even more exclusive and exciting.

Ikea’s live shopping shows are amazing live streams, offering customers (and potential customers) the opportunity to see what the brand has to offer and how its products can be put to good use. 

13. Advertorial Content

Advertorials are ads that take the form of editorial, journalistic content, so people are more likely to engage with them. Advertorials are a great format for narrative-driven content that takes a more article-like or storytelling form, yet like a digital ad, it can be targeted to specific audiences that are likely to be interested.  

Tactics for content marketing with advertorials

• Ensure your advertorial content is scannable. Use bold, italics, and bulleted lists to draw attention to key points. If you’re unsure where to start, check out this article about crafting powerful advertorials. 
• Include social proof. Testimonials, trust badges, and other social proof elements help build trust at a glance.  
• Make sure your advertorials direct your customers to a single place, such as a product page on your website or a dedicated landing page, where they can take the next steps and convert (ie. buy a product). 

The iconic footwear company Birkenstock ran a fantastic advertorial campaign that was a journalistic investigation about feet . The paid advertorials ran on the New York Times website over three ‘chapters’, with content exploring how our feet work and how to keep them healthy. The tagline? “Ugly for a Reason”, hinting that the best footwear is comfortable and healthy, not necessarily sexy.

14. Micro-Content 

Micro-content is bite-size, snackable content that caters to a reduced attention span. It is a quick, engaging format that encourages consumption. Think YouTube Shorts or TikTok feeds. Micro-content is ideal for social media platforms. In fact, social media algorithms tend to prioritize this type of content because it is so engaging and addictive, making it a must-have for your content marketing. 

Tactics for content marketing with micro-content

• Short attention-grabbing content can have a big message. Communicate your point quickly before users can swipe or click away.
• Use platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube Shorts, which are built for bite-sized engagement. 
• You can also promote short snackable content with Outbrain Clip ads. Check out how to use it here . 

Snackable content comes in many forms. The Headspace meditation app sends a mobile notification to subscribed users each morning, featuring a very short, snackable message of inspiration in simple SMS text format. It’s a great way to keep app users engaged and remind them gently to use the app. We love receiving the messages – it always makes us feel calm and connected!

15. Evergreen Content

Evergreen content is content that has no expiry date. As such, it is useful and relevant to audiences over a long period, which is important to build up search engine rankings. Evergreen content usually takes the format of blog posts, e-books, guides, videos, and even webinar recordings. Content that has timeless relevance can help build a brand’s authority on the subject, as other websites and companies refer to it and link back to it. Thanks to a long shelf-life, evergreen content tends to deliver better ROI in the long run compared to short-lived content.

Tactics for content marketing with evergreen content

• Evergreen content should be checked once or twice a year and updated if necessary to ensure it stays relevant and reflects any changes in the industry. 
• Write in a clear, straightforward manner that appeals to newbies in the industry and more knowledgeable readers. Evergreen content is usually more expansive in its topic and tone, which helps it stand the test of time.
• Make sure to relevant keywords, meta descriptions, and tags to optimize for SEO and build rankings over time. 

We like Pat Flynn’s guide to creating and selling an online course . This type of content never goes out of style, and though this particular guide was created in 2018, it’s just as relevant now as it was several years ago. 

Content Marketing Tactics: A Bit of Everything

The 15 content marketing tactics outlined in this article are a blend of tried-and-true strategies and emerging trends, and all have the potential to boost your marketing efforts significantly. From newsletters and evergreen content to snackable native videos, these content marketing tactics can engage your audience on a deeper level, enhance your brand’s visibility, and drive meaningful conversions. How effective each tactic with be depends on your specific target audience, marketing goals, and industry context. So, start experimenting and continuously analyze the results to identify what combination of content marketing tactics works best for your brand.

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