Thinking about starting or growing a career in marketing? Great news—the industry is expanding, and today’s marketers can choose from a wide range of roles based on their skills.
As marketing evolves, so do the teams behind it, and you might feel unsure about which path to take. To help you figure out where you’d fit best, I’ve broken down nine common marketing roles, what they involve, and how you can get started in each. I’ve worked in different areas of marketing myself, like social media and content marketing, and I’ve also chatted with other marketers—including former colleagues from Contently—to give you a deeper look into their jobs.
Keep an open mind when choosing your focus, since many roles overlap and require similar skills.
1. Social Media Marketing
When a brand posts a questionable joke online, people often blame “the intern running the account.” But no serious company would hand over their social media to an inexperienced intern. In reality, bigger brands usually have larger social teams, with senior marketers overseeing strategy.
I’ve handled social media for brands like Walmart, Amazon Prime Video, and Lionsgate Films, and one thing’s clear: social media marketers need to think like editors first and strategists second. Even if a tweet fits the brand, it falls flat if it’s boring (or worse, offensive).
Social media marketers don’t just write posts all day. They engage with audiences in real time, analyze performance data, plan future campaigns, and collaborate with other teams to align social strategy with broader goals—all while hitting ambitious KPIs.
If you’re interested in this role, start by building a strong professional presence online. You could also take on freelance projects for small businesses to build a portfolio. No clients? No problem. Create a sample social strategy for a brand you admire, like a TV writer crafting a spec script.
2. Email Marketing
Social media algorithms mean only a fraction of followers see a brand’s posts. That’s why companies rely on email to reach their audience directly. Email is still valuable because subscribers choose to hear from a brand—making them a more engaged audience. Skilled email marketers know how to make the most of that inbox connection.
Email marketing sits at the intersection of data and creativity. You’ll curate content for newsletters, use email platforms to launch campaigns, track open/click rates, and run A/B tests to improve performance.
To break into email marketing, study successful newsletters like TheSkimm or subscribe to ones from brands (e.g., The New York Times Cooking or General Electric). You can also start your own newsletter on Substack or Mailchimp—many writers treat newsletters like the new blogs. This hands-on experience will give you a portfolio to showcase when applying for jobs.
3. Brand Management
A brand manager shapes how a company communicates, both internally and externally, bringing its brand persona to life. This persona includes messaging, customer experiences, and the company’s story across all platforms.
Henry Bruce, former VP of Marketing at Contently, puts it this way: “Brand management is the full expression of the company in the market—one voice, tone, look, and feel.” In big companies, brand managers might focus on a single product line (like Staples’ TRU RED), but the core responsibilities stay the same.
Brand management blends creativity with project management. Adrienne Todd, Communications Manager at Celonis, says it requires organizational skills and the ability to rally teams across departments. “No marketer can (or should) work in a vacuum. You’ll coordinate with designers, copywriters, digital marketers, and more—and that collaboration takes effort.”
Breaking into brand management without experience is tough, but if you’re already in marketing, volunteer for strategy projects. When interviewing, highlight times you solved a branding crisis, tweaked messaging for an audience, or led cross-team initiatives.
4. Content Marketing & Copywriting
Brands now create content like publishers, and the writers behind it are content marketers. Simple, right?
Jordan Teicher, Editor-in-Chief at Contently, says storytelling is key: “Most consumers hate hard sells. Narrative engages them creatively.” Content marketers write blogs, e-books, presentations, speeches, and more—all centered on storytelling.
If you’re a strong writer, you might still need to learn branded storytelling. “Read books on storytelling mechanics,” Teicher advises. “Analyze how TV shows or podcasts structure narratives. Soon, you’ll apply those techniques to your work.”
To get into content marketing, write—a lot. Build a portfolio with social posts, blogs, scripts, or even zines. A literature or creative writing degree can be more appealing than a marketing degree because storytelling matters most.
5. Product Marketing
Product marketers bridge the gap between marketing, product teams, sales, and customer service. They study customer needs and translate those insights into campaigns.
This role requires multitasking and collaboration. As Henry Bruce explains, “Product marketing boosts sales by creating tools, training teams, launching products, and analyzing competition.”
Interested? Study brands like Apple or Glossier—masters of product-focused marketing. Talk to product marketers in your network, sharpen your writing, and if you lack experience, create mock campaigns.
6. Marketing Analysis & Growth Marketing
Data drives modern marketing, and analysts live by it. They study metrics, spot trends, and shape strategies based on findings.
For example, if Walmart launched a blog, an analyst might discover its readers are mostly women 30–50 who browse during the day. That insight could steer content toward stay-at-home moms.
John Fernandez, SVP at Glia, says: “Data controls the narrative. Marketers with data are unstoppable.” Growth marketing takes this further, running rapid experiments to boost users, sales, or revenue.
To land an entry-level role, study stats or business, and showcase both analytical and creative skills. Conduct surveys, visualize data, or blog about your experiments to demonstrate your approach.
7. PR & Communications
PR pros promote a company’s content, brand, and news. They draft press releases, network with journalists, and sometimes ghostwrite op-eds for executives.
To break into PR, start small—promote a friend’s business or local campaign. Build a portfolio with press releases, outreach examples, and maybe even a speech.
8. Event Marketing
Event marketers plan everything from viral pop-ups (think Red Bull’s Flugtag) to trade show booths. They’re on the road often, working with clients and teams.
To get started, help organize any event—college gatherings, networking meetups—and highlight your promotions, teamwork, and ability to stay calm under pressure.
9. SEO/SEM & E-commerce
SEO and SEM focus on optimizing content for search engines and running paid ads. Since algorithms change constantly, this field keeps you on your toes.
E-commerce blends SEO, content, and product marketing, driving online sales through curated product lists and affiliate links.
Google’s free courses are the best way to learn SEO/SEM. Practice on a personal website to show hiring managers your skills.
Final Thoughts
No matter which path you choose, strong communication, collaboration, and data skills are key. The marketing world loves professionals who enjoy learning, testing new strategies, and working across teams.
As you explore, talk to people in different roles—you might discover a perfect fit you never considered!