Online advertising consultants are professionals who help businesses create Internet marketing and advertising campaigns that will optimize Web traffic. These consultants may conduct research, analyze statistics and trends, and develop search engine optimization (SEO) strategies. Educational backgrounds may vary widely for this profession, but many universities offer programs to prepare online advertising consultants through business management or communication programs.
Required Education | Bachelor's or master's degree in business administration, advertising or communications |
Projected Job Growth | -1% for advertising sales agents from 2012-2022* |
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Online Advertising Consultants: Career Description
Online advertising consultants often have expertise in research and analysis as well as search engine optimization (SEO) techniques that will help companies find the most appropriate places to advertise and gain the most prospective customers. They may assist with developing ad campaigns that can be used online or through other mediums such as print (newspapers, billboards, etc), television and radio.
Online advertising consultants may be hired to help Internet companies research markets, develop brand strategy, including pinpointing the target audience and deciding where to advertise. Ad consultants will also assist with ad campaign creation and implement a company's advertising schedule.
Salary Information
Depending on their experience, ability to acquire new clientele and area of expertise, online advertising consultants' salaries fluctuate widely. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that those working in non-management positions in advertising sales earned a median salary of $45, 830 in 2013 (www.bls.gov). According to BLS, advertising sales agents are expected to experience little or no growth; a decline of -1% was predicted from 2012-2022.
Education Requirements
Several universities offer programs to prepare people for careers as online advertising consultants, taking a broad range of approaches to the field. There are Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration in Advertising Management degrees available at some universities, and communications degrees may be useful in online advertising as well.
In these types of programs, students will study the way advertising affects and is affected by popular culture. The psychology involved in advertising is also explored, as is the more technical aspects of the work, such as market research techniques and writing ad pitches.