According to leading marketing agency PR 2020, HTML and CSS are the foundations of most websites and email marketing tools. As a marketer do you know how to code?
Basic knowledge of HTML and CSS can not only give entry-level marketers an inside edge in the job market, but can also help them make more valuable contributions in the workplace. Let’s take a closer look at four reasons why coding is an invaluable addition to any aspiring marketing professional's resume.
1. It Vastly Expands Your Skill Set
Marketing involves showcasing a company and/or its products in a way that engages consumers. And while the overall objective remains the same with the shift to digital marketing, the means through which to to accomplish this is very different today than it was 50, 20 or even 10 years ago.
Today, HTML and CSS are tools at your disposal. Why wouldn’t you choose to use them? From working in WordPress and creating visually stunning corporate newsletters to setting up analytics tracking and making the most of search engine optimization, knowing the basics of coding can help you get the job done better and faster.
2. It Makes You a Better Team Member
Marketers don't work in a vacuum. Rather, they're part of a group of people all working toward a common set of goals. Unfortunately, the absence of computer skills can lead to a divide between technical and creative team members. Acquiring even the most rudimentary HTML and CSS skills can help bridge this chasm, improve collaboration and boost cohesion.
After all, just as you face challenges and obstacles in your job, so do people working on the technical side. Knowledge of coding can not only help you understand their perspective, but can also help you be a more supportive team member in terms of everything from your requests to your expectations.
Need a small update to the website? Picture yourself handling that task without enlisting tech support. Need to simply adjust the font size or color of a certain element? Basic HTML and CSS will teach you just that. Not only is this more efficient that contacting the web team, but it will also be exponentially appreciated by developers who are likely otherwise occupied with more mission-critical tasks.
3. Employers are Starting to Expect It
Although most marketing jobs don't have coding at the core, there are several tasks made much easier with basic coding knowledge. Here's a few tasks listed by PR2020:
- SEO optimization
- Integrate tracking and reporting technologies
- Update and manipulate webpages
- Design emails
Will lack of HTML and CSS skills automatically remove you from consideration for an entry-level marketing position? Probably not. But will candidates with these front-end web development skills leapfrog to the top of the candidate pile? Almost certainly.
4. You Have No Excuse Not To
Think you’ve already missed the coding boat? Think again. There’s still time to catch up on your coding proficiency thanks to an abundance of online courses aimed at teaching critical HTML and CSS skills. From paid, on-site programs like Coding Dojo’s Intro to Code Workshops to free online program’s like Code Academy’s interactive HTML and CSS classes, there are near-endless ways to learn in the format that best suits your individual needs. Even better news? It’s easier than you think.
HTML and CSS skills are a major boost on the resume of anyone hoping to get a foot in the marketing door...and to make a larger footprint once you’ve made it into the workplace. You'll soon be on your way to coding your own portfolio website from scratch!
So, do you want to learn to code and build your own website? Join our 12 month apprenticeship program where you'll strengthen your digital marketing skills and learn just that! We cover web development for 9 weeks in the curriculum and apprentices walk away with their own portfolio website and basic HTML, CSS and JavaSCript skills. Start your application today!
