Digital Marketing Career Starter Resources: Inside Scoop from the WebFX Team

Want to jump start your digital marketing career? You’re in luck, future Internet marketers!

First, we have a video on what makes a successful FXer!

Our team of #bestcoworkersinPA shared the inside scoop on their favorite digital marketing resources and the best part of working at WebFX.

Check out the Q&A — sorted by team — below!

Think you know which team you’d like to join? Follow our quick links to learn more.

• Internet marketing
• Social media
• Earned media & copy
• Interactive
• Operations
• Sales and strategy
• WebFX marketing

Internet marketing

At WebFX, our Internet marketing team partners with clients to provide campaign advice, implement strategies, and drive results.

Q1: What resources would you suggest to someone who wants to break into the Internet marketing industry?

Rebekah: I recommend checking out Google’s certification courses for Google Analytics and Google Ads. They’re great introductions to two of the most common tools in an Internet marketer’s tool box! The training is totally free and at the end of the course you’ll be prepared to take the exams to become certified.

Adam: My advice for someone who is really passionate about Internet marketing and wants to make a career out of it is to create a website and try things! So much of what we do is learning by experience and experimenting with different things.

I don’t think there is anything that says, “I am passionate about Internet marketing,” than being able to say, “I created a website, learned about SEO, and tried x, y, and z. Here is what worked and here is what didn’t.”

Another way to gain experience would be to run social media ads or Google PPC ads for a friend selling a product or service. Just say, “Hey friend I am super passionate about Internet marketing and was wondering if I could try to help you get more business?”

Boom — learn how to set up an account and start rocking and rolling. The data will start coming in, and soon you’ll look back and be like, “Wow, I am an Internet marketer.” Another good way to start out is to become certified in Google platforms like Analytics, Google Ads and things like that.

Q2: Who is your favorite industry leader to follow via blog, Twitter, or other outlets?

Rebekah: I really like Search Engine Land because they cover a variety of topics across SEO, PPC, Local and more. Dana DiTomaso really focuses on data and how to make it digestible as well as actionable. I use Feedly to follow my favorites so all the articles are in one easy-to-find place. I also follow the hashtag #IMLearningFX to see what my team mates are finding interesting in the industry.

Adam: There are 3 main sources I’ll focus on.

1. Moz. They are industry experts and a trustworthy source of all things related to Internet marketing.
2. Neil Patel. He is a thought leader in the industry and someone who I keep an eye on to see what he is doing.
3. The WebFX blog! Seriously, I read our blog because I have so much respect for our team and am always learning from those around me.

Q3: What is your favorite aspect of your position at WebFX?

Rebekah: I love that every day is different so there’s always something new to help me learn and grow!

Adam: What a great question! Two things here.

1. I absolutely love getting to build relationships and come alongside businesses to help them thrive and meet their goals!
2. I so enjoy the people I get to work with here at WebFX, and they have helped me grow professionally and personally. I truly believe we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with and surrounding myself with not only great Internet marketers, but more so great people have helped me become a better person.

View open Internet marketing positions!

Social media

The WebFX social team works with clients to optimize their social presence on sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and more.

Q1: What resources would you suggest to someone who wants to break into the Internet marketing industry?

Karley: Social Media Examiner is a great resource. They cover a variety of social platforms, new features, and paid and organic strategies. They offer two podcasts: The Social Media Marketing Talk Show and Social Media Marketing that I loved listening to as I was getting started in the industry.

Darrian: Social Media Examiner and Jon Loomer are a must for any social media marketer! Jon Loomer is a great resource if you’re looking for new experiments to try with Facebook, and Social Media Examiner is always my go-to for the latest best practices or how-to’s when it comes to social media advertising.

Q2: Who is your favorite industry leader to follow via blog, Twitter, or other outlets?

Karley: Andrew Foxwell (Foxwell Digital) for paid and e-commerce social (they also have a podcast – Ecommere Influence). Our team members share resources using the #SMLearningFX hashtag on Twitter to keep the team updated on the latest changes in the industry.

Darrian: Seth Godin and the eCommerce Influence! Seth Godin is a marketing guru and I love reading his quick, daily articles to help me think outside the box for my clients, and the eCommerce Influence is incredibly helpful for staying on top of ‘what’s working’ right now! There’s a lot of lessons we can learn from the marketers here that apply to all advertising (not just eComm!)

Q3: What is your favorite aspect of your position at WebFX?

Karley: I love that I’m supported and encouraged to try new things and “fail forward” (read Failing Forward by John C. Maxwell). I’ve learned so much in my role at WebFX largely because I’ve had this support to go and do things that may feel intimidating at first but these have been the experiences where I’ve learned the most. I also love that I get to use my creative and analytical skills together—to be creative with client ads and content and to be analytical and strategic through reporting and optimization of campaigns.

Darrian: I love that I have the freedom to really take ownership of my projects! I get to work with so many different clients and industries on a daily basis that it gives me the freedom to experiment with different strategies, step out of my comfort zone and really find unique ways to make social work in its own way for my clients.

View open social media positions!

Earned media & copy

The WebFX earned media and copy teams crafts creative content for clients and develops relationships with industry leaders to promote content online.

Q1: What resources would you suggest to someone who wants to break into the Internet marketing industry?

Megan: I would recommend Feedly to organize all the marketing and social media blogs you want to follow. I did this after graduating college because I spent a year out of the industry before interviewing with WebFX. The industry is constantly changing, so knowing what strategies and trends industry leaders are using/talking about will be a big help.

Lexie: Be familiar with Google Analytics and try to get your certification! Read marketing newsletters like Content Marketing Institute and listen to podcasts like the Science of Social Media by Buffer.

Q2: Who is your favorite industry leader to follow via blog, Twitter, or other outlets?

Megan: Neil Patel, Amy Porterfield (Marketing Made Easy Podcast) Favorite sites: Ahrefs Blog, Copyblogger, Content Marketing Institute

Lexie: Britney Muller, Hailley Griffis (Buffer), Jay Baer, and Gary Vaynerchuk

Q3: What is your favorite aspect of your position at WebFX?

Megan: I love blogging and building my reputation in the science and manufacturing niche. My outreach blog is a great place to test new SEO strategies. If a particular piece of content does well, and I can replicate the strategy behind it, then I can use that strategy to help our clients increase their search rankings.

Lexie: It’s cliché, but I love everything, from connecting with editors to writing blog posts to managing promotions. I’m encouraged to try new tactics and know it’s okay to fail. I strive to better myself and contribute to the team’s overall goal: Adding value to the client. If I tried something new that day, then I’ve done my job.

View open earned media and copy positions!

Interactive

Our interactive team is responsible for the design, development, and project management aspects of our clients’ websites.

Q1: What resources would you suggest to someone who wants to break into the Internet marketing industry?

Chris: For a developer or designer specifically: Syntax, ShopTalk Show, and just start building something that motivates you — build a website or a tool for your hobby and learn as you go!

Kyle: Learn front-end skills at Treehouse, read Burn Your Portfolio by Michael Janda, and look at design inspiration every day.

Gina: This is a book we recommend: Interactive Project Management: Pixels, People, and Process! Treehouse courses and Codeacademy.

Q2: Who is your favorite industry leader to follow via blog, Twitter, or other outlets?

Chris: Wes Bos via Syntax podcast or his Twitter and Chris Coyier of CSS-Tricks

Kyle: I stay up to date using websites like Smashing Magazine, CSS-Tricks, and The Best Designs.

Gina: I love the InVision app blog.

Q3: What is your favorite aspect of your position at WebFX?

Chris: High variety of types of work, with a very supportive, hard-working team.

Kyle: Working with multiple clients and variety of work from day to day.

Gina: Every day is so so different!

View open interactive positions!

Operations

Responsible for the behind-the-scenes magic that makes WebFX the #bestplacetoworkinPA, the ops team includes our accountants, interior decorators, talent acquisition specialists, and more.

Q1: What resources would you suggest to someone who wants to break into the Internet marketing industry?

Patty: Know the roles that you’re recruiting for — you have to be educated on the industry and truly know the positions that you will be working with/hiring for, so it’s important to know their industry! I love following TechCrunch and Search Engine Land for these to keep a finger on the pulse of the industry, and know trends going on. For HR or TA roles specifically, SHRM (the Society for Human Resources Management) is a great resource to follow for compliance and more top-level HR related news, but they have a great blog, as well as a weekly “NextChat” on Twitter that has been so helpful for me to hear new recruiting ideas from the pros themselves!

Rachel: Relating to my Happiness role specifically, I would recommend LinkedIn’s Talent Blog, Harvard Business Review’s Blog, the Predictive Index Company Culture Category! Relating to Internet Marketing, I would recommend Code Academy courses, LinkedIn Learning courses, and the Digital Project Manager. These helped when I was in a client-facing role here at WebFX!

Celeste: I honestly believe the more certifications, the better! Receiving certifications in Hootsuite, HubSpot, Google Ads, and Google Analytics is a great way to gain knowledge of the current best practices within the Internet marketing industry.

Hailey: I would suggest certifications to gain knowledge and boost your resume! Google certifications (ads, analytics) and HubSpot certifications are great ones to start with!

Q2: Who is your favorite industry leader to follow via blog, Twitter, or other outlets?

Patty: I really like Adam Grant and Jon Gordon for culture and team building. Tim Sackett, Trish MacFarlane, and Steve Boese are all great HR pros with some really modern takes on classic practices.

Rachel: A few of my favorite industry leaders to follow are SHRM via their blog, Jon Gordon via his books (The Energy Bus, The Positive Dog, and Soup just to name a few), and Smashing Magazine via their blog.

Celeste: Simon Sinek is an influential speaker I like to follow. He has valuable insights on the topics of leadership and marketing.

Hailey: Jon Gordon has awesome resources (FXer favorites!) and insight on happiness, positivity, and team building in the workplace. Some blogs I tend to keep up with are LinkedIn Talent Solutions and WebFX. I am also exploring some podcasts as well!

Q3: What is your favorite aspect of your position at WebFX?

Patty: How do I pick one? I love it all! I think that I would have to say that my top would be the fact that I learn something every day — about myself, my teammates, the industry, our candidate pool of potential FXers. It’s rewarding to know that when I come in, no day will ever be a repeat of the last!

Rachel: My favorite part of my position is that each day brings something new and exciting that truly makes an impact on FXers and the community! Whether it be a new event, a new company initiative, an interaction with a new team member, an interaction with a tenured team member that I learn something new about, a new local partnership with an orchard, or a new international project with a non-profit organization…there is always something. To see the effect and growth internally and in our community and beyond is extremely rewarding in this role!

Celeste: My favorite part of my job is reaching out to so many great potential FXers over LinkedIn. It is extremely rewarding to connect upcoming grads with the opportunities we have available for them to start their full-time careers.

Hailey: Not only have I admired the ongoing learning and growth opportunities, but the variety in my role on the TA/Ops team! I love chatting with college students and potential FXers to establish myself as a resource for them whether that is at a job fair, in class presentation, or other recruitment events. I also get to interview potential FXers and learn more about their accomplishments! It is incredible to speak to a student at an event, follow them throughout the interview process then see them learn and grow in a position here! Finally, being able to assist on the FX campus for internal events and celebrations is super rewarding to bring happiness to our FXers! It is always a pleasure to meet new FXers and share unforgettable memories!

View open operations positions! 

Sales and strategy

At WebFX, we don’t believe in cold calling, and our strategy team takes a unique approach from sales — following up with inbound leads throughout the sales cycle.

Q1: What resources would you suggest to someone who wants to break into the Internet marketing industry?

Dan: I’d recommend following SEO thought-leaders on LinkedIn, reading through the WebFX blog, and working through free or inexpensive search engine marketing certifications.

Destiny: HubSpot is a great tool for anyone to use that is looking to break into the Internet marketing industry!

Q2: Who is your favorite industry leader to follow via blog, Twitter, or other outlets?

Dan: I really like to check in on Moz, Search Engine Journal, the WebFX blog, and Neil Patel

Destiny: Search Engine Journal, Search Engine Land, and WebFX of course!

Q3: What is your favorite aspect of your position at WebFX?

Dan: I really enjoy learning about different types of businesses every day! It’s also super rewarding to be able to be the first step in helping a company really grow.

Destiny: It’s so rewarding to see how our clients’ businesses have grown due to the hard work of the entire FX team! Clients that have been with us for years are still seeing substantial growth, so it’s fun to think back on the first time they reached out to us.

View open sales/strategy positions!

WebFX internal marketing

As the growth-driving engine behind WebFX, the internal marketing team works to implement the same strategies we offer to clients on our own site.

Q1: What resources would you suggest to someone who wants to break into the Internet marketing industry?

Trevin: Start your own websites and learn how to drive traffic to them.

Dan: Moz – Beginners Guide to SEO and Search Engine Land – What is SEO?

Q2: Who is your favorite industry leader to follow via blog, Twitter, or other outlets?

Trevin: Patrick McKenzie or Aaron Wall

Dan: Backlinko, Search Engine Journal, Search Engine Land, and SparkToro Trending for finding popular articles in the industry

Q3: What is your favorite aspect of your position at WebFX?

Trevin: The science behind the marketing — seeing how psychology, math, chaos matter.

Dan: My favorite part of my job at WebFX is seeing the growth our internal marketing team is driving for the company. It’s always fun to see us meet or exceed our goals, but it’s even more rewarding when meeting those goals results in the growth of the things around us in the office. That could be anything from hiring more people for the company, renovating an old office building, or even launching a new benefit program that helps make us the best place to work in PA! Knowing that our clients are witnessing similar growth stories from the same digital marketing strategies makes it even more rewarding!

View open marketing positions!

Quick links

Check out the quick list of our fav resources below!

Certifications

• Bing Ads certification
• Google Ads certification
• Google Analytics certification
• HubSpot certifications

Resources/Sites

• Ahrefs
• Backlinko
• Beginners Guide to SEO
• Buffer blog
• Burn Your Portfolio
• Codeacademy
• Content Marketing Institute
• Copyblogger
• CSS-Tricks
• Digital Project Manager
• Ecommere Influence
• Feedly
• Harvard Business Review’s Blog
• HubSpot
• Interactive Project Management: Pixels, People, and Process
• InVision blog
• LinkedIn’s Talent Blog
• Moz
• Predictive Index Company Culture Category
• Science of Social Media
• Search Engine Journal
• Search Engine Land
• SEMRush
• ShopTalk Show
• SHRM
• Smashing Magazine
• Social Media Examiner
• Social Media Marketing Podcast
• Social Media Today
• SparkToro Trending
• Syntax
• The Social Media Marketing Talk Show
• TechCrunch
• The Best Designs
• Treehouse
• WebFX blog
• What is SEO?

Industry influencers

• Aaron Wall – SEO Book
• Adam Grant
• Andrew Foxwell
• Amy Porterfield
• Barry Schwartz
• Britney Muller
• Chris Coyier
• Dana DiTomaso
• Gary Vaynerchuk
• Hailley Griffis
• Jay Baer
• Jon Gordon
• Jon Loomer
• Michael Janda
• Michael Stelzner
• Neil Patel
• Patrick McKenzie
• Simon Sinek
• Seth Godin
• Steve Boese
• Tim Sackett
• Trish MacFarlane
• Wes Bos

Where can I apply?

Want to join the FXFamily? WebFX is on the hunt for positive, productive, and tenacious applicants to join our growing team. If that’s you, we’d love to connect. Check out our open positions to apply!