Digital marketers are behind-the-scenes puppet masters. Whether they are creating viral social media campaigns, enhancing a website’s SEO, or dishing out astonishing paid ads, these tech-savvy professionals pull the strings and make things happen.
It’s clear to see why this is a popular sector. With digital marketing managers making an average of £50,000+ each year, there are plenty of opportunities. While the competition is doubtless tough, a polished digital marketing cover letter will set you apart from the crowd.
Here at Resume.io, we have everything you need to enhance your job search and climb the career ladder. Our extensive library of cover letter examples along with writing guides will help you make the right impression on hiring managers. In this guide and corresponding digital marketing cover letter example, we touch upon
- How to choose the ideal format for your digital marketing cover letter
- Ways to boost the impact of each cover letter section
- Expert tips to help you make your application stand out for the right reasons
- The common mistakes you should avoid when writing your cover letter
Best format for a digital marketing cover letter
Before you start writing your cover letter, you’re going to need a clear brief. Luckily, these documents all tend to follow the same structure. To get ahead of the competition, the format of a digital marketing cover letter should contain the following elements:
- The cover letter header
- The greeting/salutation
- The cover letter intro
- The middle paragraphs (body of the letter)
- The ending paragraph of your cover letter (conclusion and call-to-action)
Use the above as a guideline when you’re writing your digital marketing cover letter. That way, you will stay on track and show the hiring manager that you have what it takes. Don’t panic! Later in this guide, we will cover what you should include in each of the sections.
Perfect your professional brand!
As a digital marker, you will be no stranger to the realms of branding. It’s not just about the logo or watermark — marketers know that every element of a brand has to have the same visual style. When applying for a job, take the same approach to your materials.
Ensuring that both your cover letter and CV have the same style is a savvy move. Marketing is a highly visual field and aligning these two documents shows that you understood the assignment. There are a few top tips you can use here:
- Using the same font styles for both documents
- Ensuring that the sizing and spacing are similar
- Picking out no more than two “brand colours”
Before you hit the “send” button on your application, take a look at your CV and cover letter. Do the two look like they have come from the same applicant? Do they make sense as one well-rounded application? If the answer to both is “yes,” go for it!
Do you have a case of writer’s block? It happens to the best of us! Check out our digital marketing cover letter example to give you the creative inspiration you need:
Dear Mr Myers,
I hope you are well. I am writing to apply for your advertised role of Digital Marketing Manager. I am an experienced Digital Marketer with almost a decade of experience in the field. The last five were spent in the creative advertising sector.
In my most recent role as Digital Marketing Associate at Beam Agency I led campaigns that consistently increased clients’ leads by up to 500%. I both strategised and led the teams who executed campaigns involving SEO strategy, organic video content, paid social advertising, and influencer collaborations.
I started my career ten years ago by creating YouTube content for my own channel which reached over 1 million views in its first year. I soon leveraged this reach to sell digital products on my own website. I was able to create a 10% engagement rate — far higher than the sector’s 3% average — and leveraged my existing content to diversify my marketing methods. This includes SEO, TikTok content, and paid advertising. As a result, I increased my sales leads by 200%.
From here I began to promote my marketing consulting services to help other companies to be able to do the same. I have taken this proactive attitude and swiss army knife of marketing skills into every client campaign I have led since.
I admire Creative Co’s organic-first approach to marketing. I have been inspired by your use of original TikTok sound bites as the focal point of your recent campaigns. I would love the chance to discuss this with you further in an interview and hope to hear back from you soon.
Sincerely,
Kieran Baker
Looking for some more inspiration to help you along the way? You’ve come to the right place. Check out our related cover letter samples below:
Cover letter header
The cover letter header sits at the top of the document. It includes your basic information — that is your name, your email, and your phone number. If you capture the hiring manager’s interest with a creative cover letter, they are going to be itching to get in touch. Make sure that’s super easy by including the above details in a clear, readable way.
Cover letter greeting
You already know how to make a statement. However, avoid the urge to go with an unconventional cover letter greeting. While you are applying to work in a creative field, a cover letter is still a formal document. Casual greetings such as “Howdy” or “Hey there” don’t match the tone you should be aiming for. This is a professional document, after all!
If you’ve done your homework and you know the name of the hiring manager, you could win yourself some bonus points here. Use it to your advantage. You can address your cover letter with a standardised “Dear Mr. Simpson,” for example. That way, you show the reader that you are not using a blanket template for all of your cover letter needs.
If you have no clue who will be reading your cover letter, go with something more generic. You might want to opt for a simple “Dear hiring team” or “Dear creative department”. Avoid the dull and boring “To whom it may concern.” Things have changed.
Cover letter introduction
If the first few lines of your cover letter fail to grab the reader’s attention, it’s game over for you. Make sure that your introduction starts with a bold statement. What is your most impressive feat so far? What have you achieved that will make the hiring manager sit up and pay attention? Focus solely on one point and drive it home.
For example, you might start with the fact that your campaigns have increased sales at your current company by 200%. That’s a big deal and it’s certainly worth shouting about. Take a quick look at our cover letter example if you have no clue where to start.
Dear Mr Myers,
I hope you are well. I am writing to apply for your advertised role of Digital Marketing Manager. I am an experienced Digital Marketer with almost a decade of experience in the field. The last five were spent in the creative advertising sector.
Cover letter middle part (body)
The middle paragraphs of cover letters are where you add details about your career so far. One of the biggest mistakes people make is rambling on without a clear structure. Sure, you might have a lot you want to say about your professional life, but make sure it’s easy to digest. The last thing you want is to overwhelm the reader with too much information.
To avoid this problem, you should use the STAR method. That means that you describe a Situation and the Task it presented. Next, you follow that with your ultimate Action and then the positive Result that you achieved. It’s a tried and tested method that works well.
The above means that you can show a potential new employer what talents you have and how you have previously applied them in a workplace setting. That gives them a working knowledge of what they can expect from you, should you join the team. Rather than merely telling the reader that you have what, you are showing them some evidence.
Digital marketing is a results-driven world. Whether you’re working in a fast-paced creative agency or with one brand, your manager will expect you to deliver top-notch outcomes. Let them know that you have what it takes to do that by giving them relatable examples from prior jobs. The more evidence you provide at this point, the more likely your chances are.
In my most recent role as Digital Marketing Associate at Beam Agency I led campaigns that consistently increased clients’ leads by up to 500%. I both strategised and led the teams who executed campaigns involving SEO strategy, organic video content, paid social advertising, and influencer collaborations.
I started my career ten years ago by creating YouTube content for my own channel which reached over 1 million views in its first year. I soon leveraged this reach to sell digital products on my own website. I was able to create a 10% engagement rate — far higher than the sector’s 3% average — and leveraged my existing content to diversify my marketing methods. This includes SEO, TikTok content, and paid advertising. As a result, I increased my sales leads by 200%.
From here I began to promote my marketing consulting services to help other companies to be able to do the same. I have taken this proactive attitude and swiss army knife of marketing skills into every client campaign I have led since.
Take control of the narrative!
What tale do you want to tell the hiring manager? Great digital marketers know the power of a captivating story — you can use that to your advantage. When you’re writing your cover letter, think of how to structure the narrative and what plot points to include.
You might want to tell the tale of a scrappy underdog who beat the odds and broke into the tough world of digital marketing, for example. On the other hand, you may want to share the story of how you helped a startup brand become something of a powerhouse.
Once you have talked about your past, turn the spotlight toward the future. What do you hope to achieve in this new position? What value are you bringing to the business? If you’re lost for words, take a quick look at our digital marketing cover letter sample now.
How to close a digital marketing cover letter (conclusion and sign-off)
When you’ve covered all of the above, all that there is left to do is say goodbye. A strong concluding line or two can work wonders here. As the hiring manager’s eyes reach the bottom of the page, they will start to slow down. That gives you the opportunity to leave them on a positive note. Choose these final words wisely and leave them wanting more.
The most effective way to do that is to hint at something intriguing. For example, you may say that you have received the company’s existing marketing tactics and have some new strategies that you would love to share during an interview. This trick means that — should you have piqued the reader’s interest — they will have to call you in to find out more.
If you’re finding it hard to sign off, look at our in-depth guide on how to close a cover letter.
I admire Creative Co’s organic-first approach to marketing. I have been inspired by your use of original TikTok sound bites as the focal point of your recent campaigns. I would love the chance to discuss this with you further in an interview and hope to hear back from you soon.
Sincerely,
Kieran Baker
Digital marketing cover letter with no experience
Are you new to the digital marketing field? You might think that you need years of experience to wind up working at an agency. However, everyone has to start somewhere. If you are writing your cover letter — and lack experience — focus on these points:
- Education. What digital marketing qualifications do you have? Did you undertake a special online course? Did you study this sector when you were at university? Do you have a certificate in SEO practices? Whatever you’ve got, talk about it now.
- Enthusiasm. What is it that makes you want to learn more about digital marketing? Showcase your love of the sector and detail your journey so far. You might have an interesting story to tell that highlights why you are perfect for the job opening.
- Other experience. Okay, so you don’t have digital marketing experience per se. But what do you have? Have you worked part-time in an interesting role? Have you volunteered with an organisation? Whatever experience you already have, try to find a way to relate it back to the marketing sector and state how you will use it.
Basic mistakes in a digital marketing application letter (and how to avoid them)
By now, you should have a solid idea of how to write your digital marketing cover letter. If you’ve drafted your first attempt and you’re feeling smug, take a second to check it. Here are some of the basic mistakes you need to avoid in the letter:
- Spelling and grammar problems. You shouldn’t give the hiring manager any reason to say “no” to you. If they see spelling mistakes or grammatical errors, that is a red flag. Be sure to thoroughly proofread your cover letter before sending it.
- Zero personality. Digital marketing is all about personality. You will be responsible for showcasing brands’ personalities and making people love them. For that reason, you need to add a dash of flavour to your letter to prove you have what it takes.
- Too much information. Yes, you want to weave a convincing narrative. However, that doesn’t mean that you should tell the reader your whole life story. Stick to the details that apply directly to the job opening and edit back if you need to.
Key takeaways
- The digital marketing sector is growing. There’s no time like the present to get your foot in the door and kickstart a profitable career in this sector.
- Take a “show don’t tell” approach in your cover letter. You can use the STAR method to effortlessly show a hiring manager what skills you have.
- Make sure you check your cover letter before you send it. Grammatical mistakes and typos could lose you that all-important interview.
- If you want to get ahead of the game, use one of our field-tested cover letter templates!
