dc AG
Von-Linde-Str. 11
95326 Kulmbach
Germany

What does an Online Marketing Manager do?

Salary, responsibilities, and requirements of an Online Marketing Manager
In today's digital world, online marketing is an essential part of any successful business strategy. But what exactly does an Online Marketing Manager do and what skills are required to succeed in this fast-paced and ever-changing industry?
 

The most important points at a glance:

  • An Online Marketing Manager is responsible for planning and executing online campaigns
  • Depending on the target group, they select the right marketing channel (including social media, YouTube, or Google)
  • A Marketing Manager should not be afraid of change and must actively seek opportunities instead of risks
  • An Online Marketing Manager needs a strong affinity for numbers to evaluate campaigns
  • You can become an Online Marketing Manager with either a university degree or vocational training
  • Starting salary for Online Marketing Managers: approx. €30,000
  • Salary for experienced Online Marketing Managers: approx. €40,000-50,000
  • Salary for Senior Online Marketing Managers: from €60,000

What are the responsibilities of an Online Marketing Manager?

As an Online Marketing Manager, you are responsible for planning and executing online marketing campaigns. The goal is to target the right audiences and encourage them to take action, such as purchasing a product or signing up for a newsletter.

An important part of your job is to measure and analyze the performance of campaigns. You use various tools and methods to find out what works and what doesn't. Your main goal is always to increase the effectiveness of the campaigns and thus drive the company forward.
The responsibilities of an Online Marketing Manager also include selecting the right channels for campaigns. These include, for example, Google platforms like Google Ads and Google Analytics, social ads on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or YouTube advertising.

You should always pay attention to which channels are best suited for your target audience and which budgets are available. Here is an overview of the possible channels available to you as an Online Marketing Manager:
 
  • Email marketing: You plan and send newsletters and email campaigns to a defined target group to inform and activate them.
  • SEA (Search Engine Advertising): You place paid ads on search engines like Google or Bing to reach potential customers.
  • Display advertising: You place banner ads on websites or in apps to attract the attention of your target audience.
  • SEO (Search Engine Optimization): You optimize the website and content to appear as high as possible in search engine results.
  • Social ads: You place ads on social networks like Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to reach your target audience.
  • Marketplaces: You use online marketplaces like Amazon to sell and promote the company's products.
  • Affiliate marketing: You work with partners who promote the company's product and receive a commission for it.
  • YouTube advertising: You place ads on the video platform to reach your target audience.
As an Online Marketing Manager, it is important to know the advantages and disadvantages of the different channels and to use them strategically depending on the target group and budget. You must also always stay up to date with developments in the various channels to make campaigns even more effective.
Another important aspect is the continuous optimization of campaigns. You work closely with other teams such as the content or web team. Together, you can make improvements to landing pages, ads, or the website to make campaigns even more effective.
 
Overall, working as an Online Marketing Manager is very varied and demanding. You always have to stay up to date with trends and developments in online marketing and be able to adapt flexibly to different situations and target groups.

What should you bring as an Online Marketing Manager?

Affinity for numbers

As already mentioned, you need to be able to create, optimize, and evaluate campaigns. As a results-oriented marketing manager, it is important to understand your numbers and derive new opportunities from them. You always question what you are doing: Why did this campaign work? Why didn't it work? What can I learn from it for my next campaigns? How can I repeat the success?
 

No fear of the camera

Content is king. This also applies to video! With the rise of various video platforms over the years like YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram, it's important to understand how video production works and also to be in front of the camera yourself. Even if you rarely appear on camera, it's very important to step in front of the camera to set an example.
 

Open mindset

As part of the ecosystem of Google, Meta, etc., online marketing is one of the fastest-changing professions. Every week, every new day has the potential to bring something completely new for you. Changes at Meta & Google can turn your entire work upside down. You must be able to see this not as a risk, but as an opportunity. Every update offers a new chance to make your company successful. This way, your workday never gets boring, as you can and should potentially learn something new every day. Otherwise, your competition will overtake you!
 

Entrepreneurial thinking

Hardly any profession is as networked as that of a Marketing Manager. Need a new landing page for a campaign? Sure, you need to talk to the content team. New technical adjustments to better track and understand your customers? Sure, but you need to talk to IT. More budget for your campaigns because you see even more potential? Then contact management.
As you can see, as an Online Marketing Manager you are connected to many different departments in your company and you need to understand how each one works and which is best suited for your needs.

What degree do I need as an Online Marketing Manager?

All roads lead to Rome. To join us, you don't need a university degree. As an agency, we have had very good experiences training young, ambitious people. We train both marketing communications specialists and e-commerce specialists. Like many employers, we pay less attention to grades or degrees and more to the attitude and passion for the profession that someone brings. If the skills described above apply to you, then apply now and start your training in your desired profession.
Of course, you can also study. Here, too, you have many options. A classic business administration degree with a focus on marketing or a marketing or e-commerce degree. The classic degree programs usually have less to do with marketing but give you a taste of what to expect.

What does an Online Marketing Manager earn?

This depends entirely on your level of experience. However, it can be said that no matter what level you are at, you can expect a decent salary.
Here is a rough overview for you:
 

Junior Online Marketing Manager

This is your salary class right after graduation or successfully completing vocational training.
You usually stay in this class for 2-3 years, depending on your talent. Typically, you can expect a salary range between €30,000 - €40,000 per year.
 

Online Marketing Manager

The mid-level salary class. You usually already have a few years of experience and have proven yourself in various projects.
Here, your salary grows up to €60,000 per year.
 

Senior Online Marketing Manager

In most companies, this is the highest salary level, with a few exceptions such as board members or CMOs.
Regardless, at this point you can also decide to take on additional personnel responsibility.
Up to €70,000 per year is possible here. But as already mentioned, this strongly depends on the company and your responsibilities.
Even higher salaries are certainly achievable.
Either way: A successful Marketing Manager doesn't have to worry much financially.

Conclusion

In summary, an Online Marketing Manager is responsible for planning and implementing online marketing campaigns, targeting the right audiences, and encouraging them to take action. This also includes selecting the right channels such as email, SEA, display, SEO, social ads, marketplaces, affiliate marketing, or YouTube advertising. A successful Online Marketing Manager should have entrepreneurial thinking, extroversion, an affinity for numbers, an open mindset, and no fear of the camera. The work is very diverse and requires constant adaptation to trends and developments in online marketing.