Congratulations, you’ve landed yourself an interview at a digital marketing agency! All that time spent perfecting your resume, fine-tuning your cover letter, and filling out applications has paid off. But now you’ve got to do the hard part: the actual interview.
It’s okay to be nervous; interviews can be intimidating! But the best way to counteract those nerves and present yourself as a good candidate is by being well-prepared.
Digital marketing agencies are often unlike corporate organizations (in the best way), so you’ll want to approach the interview a bit differently than you would with a more traditional role. Here are a few of our favorite tips for successfully interviewing at a digital marketing agency.
Your new job awaits!
How to Prepare for an Interview at a Digital Marketing Agency
1. Do Your Research
When preparing for an interview, one of the first things you should do is conduct research! You’d be surprised how often people show up without learning anything about the company they’re applying to.
Make sure you have a thorough understanding of:
- The services the business offers.
- How they perform their services.
- The types of clients/industries they work with.
- Their mission statement or values.
You also want to get some background on the person you’re going to be talking to. Research your interviewers on LinkedIn, or check out the company’s website “About Us” page to familiarize yourself with their current and past experiences. Figure out where they went to school and see if they were involved in any clubs, organizations, etc.
We promise it won’t come across as creepy; any relevant information that you can speak on during your interview will make you stand out and show that you did your part. (You also might find something in common with them!) It can be something as simple as, “I saw you went to [University name], I went to school there, too!” or “I read on your website that your agency puts a lot of emphasis on [xyz]. At my last agency, I valued the same thing.” A little comment could really go a long way!
2. Have Answers Prepared for the Typical Questions
It is painfully apparent when someone isn’t prepared for the “typical” interview questions. Don’t make your interviewer suffer through the awkward silence and stutters as you figure out what to say! Most digital marketing agencies ask the same “basic” questions. These are designed to give them a general idea of who you are as a person and how well you would fit into not just the role, but the agency as a whole.
A few examples of common digital marketing agency interview questions include:
- Tell us about your previous experience and how it relates to this position.
- Tell us about a time you disagreed with a co-worker or boss.
- Take us through a campaign you were part of. Talk about every step of the process and how you completed it. How did you measure success?
- What’s your favorite part about SEO? Paid ads? Social media? (Or any other service that they provide that’s relevant to the role.)
- Why do you want to work here?
- What’s something you think you can improve on?
Recruit a family member or a friend to ask you these questions so you can practice them. If nobody is around, just say them aloud to yourself. We often sound a lot more articulate in our heads, so it helps to practice putting your answer into actual words.
3. Check out the Company on Social Media
You will (hopefully) get a good taste of what the agency is like by taking a gander at their social media. Look at their Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or wherever they’re the most active. You’ll be able to get a feel for their culture, as well as things that are going on internally, or the accomplishments of the team. (These are things that could be great to bring up in your interview!)
While doing this, it’s also important to ask yourself if you can picture yourself employed there. After all, an agency isn’t just interviewing you; in a way, you’re also interviewing them and trying to determine if this would be a good place to work. Not everywhere will be a perfect fit, and that’s okay! There are a lot of positions out there, and if you sense you’re not going to enjoy the agency’s culture, then you might want to consider applying somewhere else.
4. Be Able to Talk About Your Resume & Portfolio
Yes, we actually look at what’s on your resume! Sometimes people throw random duties or skills on their resume to fill the space or look more impressive (which we recommend avoiding), but it’s better to be honest; eventually, the truth will come out.
Your resume should be updated and have your most recent role listed at the top. If you have any gaps or are currently unemployed (which is more than okay), just be prepared to explain the situation. You should be able to easily talk about anything on your resume; if you can’t, then you should take it off! This includes previous positions, certifications, internships, or listed skills.
A lot of jobs at digital marketing companies are creative positions, so it helps to have a portfolio. If you’re applying for a writing role, bring some articles or writing samples; if you’re applying for a designer role, print out some of your art or website designs to show off.
It’s one thing to say you can do something, but it’s another thing to show it. It’s okay if you don’t have any agency work examples. Most of the time, people just want to see what you’re capable of.
5. Know the Lingo
Every industry has its own lingo, and digital marketing is no exception. Even if you don’t have any marketing or agency experience, take the time to look up some commonly used terms or phrases.
That way, if your interviewer asks you a question about “PPC advertising” or “SEO optimization,” you won’t be left staring blankly at them.
Even if your response is as simple as, “I don’t have much experience with pay-per-click advertising, but I’m eager to learn more,” then the conversation is still flowing without any unnatural pauses.
Some examples of common jargon include:
- KPIs (key performance indicators): A measurement used to evaluate the success of a marketing campaign.
- SERP (search engine results page): The first page a user sees after making a query in a search engine.
- A/B Testing: A method of comparing two versions of a web page, email, or ad to test performance.
- Impressions: The number of times your ad appears on the search engine results page.
- Organic traffic: The traffic your website receives through non-paid results.
You’ll also want to make sure that you know the difference between digital marketing and traditional marketing. Digital marketing refers to marketing that takes place online (social media, websites, ads), while traditional marketing refers to marketing that takes place offline (TV, radio, print).
Bonus: check out our SEO Glossary to brush up on some important SEO/digital marketing terms.
6. Be Yourself, But Be Professional
At the end of the day, it’s important to remember to always be yourself! Although interviews may feel long while you’re in them, you really only have a limited amount of time to let the interviewer get to know you. If you’re holding your personality back, they’ll have a harder time envisioning you as a member of their team. Whatever you think your best quality is, let it shine! If you like to make people laugh, throw some jokes in; if you prefer to be quiet but kind, let that warmth come through.
However, always remember to keep it professional! Although you want the interviewer to know who you are as a person, you are still interviewing for a job, and should act accordingly. Save emotional anecdotes or juicy gossip for your bestie. You want to come across as rational and responsive.
7. Have Questions Prepared
If there’s one thing you should take away from this, it’s to remember to ask questions. Whether you have your questions prepared mentally beforehand or even if you bring them on a piece of paper, do whatever it takes to remember them. You should be just as curious as the interviewers are because, after all, a job is a two-way street.
If you don’t ask any questions, it may make you seem uninterested. It is best to have a list of at least 3-6, so you can adjust as you go, in case something gets answered earlier in the interview.
Here are some great marketing interview questions to ask:
- What is the company culture like?
- What does success look like?
- Why should I want to work here?
- Is there anything on my resume that stands out to you? Are there any areas I could improve?
- What does your onboarding process look like?
- What is your favorite and least favorite part of your role?
Although digital marketing interviews can be challenging and overwhelming, keep in mind that there is a possibility of an exciting future ahead!
Stay confident, take the time to prepare, and be yourself. You’ve got this!
Interested in a Career in Digital Marketing?
It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned marketing veteran or just looking to get started—if you’re interested in a career in digital marketing, then bookmark our careers page or follow us on social media to watch out for any future job openings!
SocialSurge Marketing is a growing organization that’s been awarded as one of the top marketing agencies in Milwaukee for the last few years in a row, and we’d be happy to have your talent on the team one day!