The digital media landscape never remains the same - will you change with it?

For those interested in scoring a job in public relations or digital marketing, there is a bevy of new advice that can be offered and an army of young college and high school minds ready and waiting to absorb as much of it as possible.

Some key questions being asked:

Are there any trends or patterns emerging?

Not surprisingly, there are a number of trends emerging in the marketplace, all of which are highly significant.

For example, content marketing is a hot topic this year and is perpetuated. Precise and insightful content created with the intent of selling a product line or brand is an age-old practice.

Furthermore, the term, content, covers a wide spectrum of pieces ranging from simple advice columns, to elaborate ebooks and informational slides and videos. Are they all just "content" for the post hummingbird world or bring value and engagement?

You can't forget about SEO either. The world of SEO has always played a unique, yet vital role in the realm of digital media marketing, and it is important that marketers keep up with this ever-changing trend.

The amount of information on the web is staggering, weighing in at around one trillion gigabytes. With that being said, if the proper SEO channels are not being followed, how can you expect your website or blog to be noticed?

Moreover, a trifecta is brewing; one that combines journalism, PR, and of course, marketing. Take a look at any "breaking news," and you will see a journalist's expertise at work.

You see, a brand does not simply sell itself. Instead, most marketers impose a story around a particular brand, one that engages the target demographic and retains their attentions. With that in mind, a journalist has to do the same thing to make his or her story stand out and grab the attention of the editor and ultimately, the reader.

Combine the persuasiveness of journalists, the cunning nature of seasoned marketers, and the staggering analytical abilities of PR veterans, and you have what could truly be the perfect storm of digital. To approach digital media alone would be equivalent to warfare without weapons.

Lastly, we come to ads that target consumers from a much more personal perspective. Thanks to social networking platforms-namely Facebook-a literal stockpile of personal information about each and every one of us (at least those with profiles) has been gathered. In turn, we can expect to see marketers using this data in targeted ads to reach out to us in a much more personal manner. Facebook never occupies the entire landscape, but you have others that you don't want to ignore.

In order to excel in digital media, are there certain qualities a PR or marketing hopeful should possess?

Plain and simple, to succeed in such an environment, one must wear many hats. In other words, a marketing exec needs to get in touch with his or her PR side, and a PR professional need to find his or her inner marketing guru.

Compiled analytic data, or numbers, are vital to the PR executive who deals with survey data, website statistics, and other complex data on a daily basis.

Years back, before the Internet became such a staple in our day-to-day lives, all a journalist did upon concocting a story was submit it to local editors and newspapers. Now though, in order for a journalist or PR professional to succeed, he or she must be well equipped with at least a basic knowledge of SEO.

The marketer, on the other hand, needs to apply a greater emphasis on creating a better story for a particular product or brand. Generally, marketers are hardwired to create what we refer to as "short n' sweet" storylines geared towards the Internet. That won't work in today's contemporary world.

The consumer base is getting weary of the same old cookie-cutter lingo. Instead of trying merely just to sell a product, completely oblivious to any other aspects, marketers have to approach their jobs a bit differently, by attempting to resolve any problems that a consumer might have with a particular product or brand.

What is this 80-20 rule I keep hearing about?

In a nutshell, the 80-20 rule basically applies to your content. 80% of your content should ideally be insightful and informational, while the remaining 20% of your content should cater to sales.

The question that usually pops up next is, "Well, is that the right mix?" As a general rule, the 80-20 proportion seems to be a good foundation to build upon. Some find that a slightly higher or lower ration works just as well though.

It is all about finding the right mix that works for you; just remember that people will always buy from knowledgeable sources when given the option.

I'm planning my own digital marketing campaign. What insight can be given?

As with any project or campaign, research will always be the first step. By researching thoroughly, you can identify, understand, and effectively target your preferred demographic.

In other words, you can deduce what exactly makes your target demographic tick.

I don't have any "real-world" experience. Is there an optimal way to gain some?

As you probably already know, to succeed in today's competitive business world, a college degree is absolutely vital in most cases to achieve prosperity.

However, what most students fail to take advantage of while attending school is the numerous internship opportunities. Internships are a way to easily gain experience while also presenting a prime opportunity to stand out and make a name, if you will.

Aside from internships, college is also a perfect time to take on additional roles that will only make your resume stand out even more.

Climbing into the presidential role over one of the many activities offered by traditional colleges, or perhaps overseeing the editors of the university paper will always do their part to make a resume that much better; and all while providing valuable experience as well.

Last words

The business world and or knowledge of it will never remain constant. It changes as new advances and discoveries are made. In order for marketers and PR professionals to prosper in an ever-changing environment, they must adapt with the changes.

Take some classes, hire a mentor, or do your own research, I'd prefer the last myself. Just remember that you should never stop learning.