If you’ve ever seen a piece of marketing or advertising so perfectly suited to your interests that it made you feel pinpoint-targeted from space, you probably owe that experience to a Digital Strategist.

Combining responsibilities like research, planning and predicting the future, Digital Strategists are curators of modern culture who help brands understand their customers—and exactly how to reach them.

The Creative Ladder’s Career Spotlight, presented by Smartsheet, features one of the many creative industry roles that today’s rising talents might want to consider as a rewarding career path. 

This week we’re focused on Digital Strategists, who get invited to seemingly every work meeting because of their skill at bridging a multiverse’s worth of roles.

What this role does:

The daily life of a Digital Strategist varies widely based on where they work. For some, the job involves a large amount of research and analysis into the trends that define modern digital life. For others, the role is focused on creating and adjusting digital ad campaigns to make them as effective as possible. The best part about being a digital strategist is the flexibility to lean into your strengths.

Salary range:

$64,000–$107,000 (average $82,000), per Glassdoor; $49,000–$104,000 (average $71,403), per Indeed. 

Personality traits that thrive in this career: 

• Research and analysis skills

• Willingness to be a self-starter

• Problem solving ability

• Curiosity

• Obsessiveness about cultural trends

• Collaboration and teamwork

What they love about their role:

“I love that my job is an endless cycle of learning and sharing.” —Brooklyn Carey, strategist

What recruiters look for in hiring this role:

• Experience in digital media planning and buying

• Understanding of ad and content trends on social media platforms

• Proven ability to do research and present results clearly

• Forward-thinking ideas on where digital trends are headed

A sample career path for this role:

• Junior Digital Strategist

• Digital Strategist

• Senior Digital Strategist

• Director of Digital Strategy

• Chief Strategy Officer