How to Create an Awesome Digital Marketing Cover Letter
Reading Time: ~5 Mins | Written By: Claire Ye & Rachel Dill
Job hunting can sometimes feel like navigating a maze blindfolded, but fear not—your cover letter is your compass. The cover letter is literary the handshake that introduces you to the hiring manager before the interview even begins. In the realm of digital marketing, where creativity and strategy reign supreme, your cover letter is your chance to showcase your unique blend of skills and personality.
So grab your pen (or keyboard) and let's whip up a cover letter that'll make hiring managers do a double-take! In the process of writing your cover letter, here are some tips and tricks to think about before you start writing your cover letter:
Do Your Research
While it might feel easier to send the same cover letter to each job you’re applying for, simply switching out the company’s name each time, it is more effective to write a fresh one for every application. This doesn’t mean starting from scratch every time but tailoring your cover letter to each job application is highly recommended.
How can you make sure it’s properly tailored for its audience? Research! In this step, you want to take a look at the company itself and the specific role you’re applying for, along with employee profiles and company social media feeds. This will help you gain a general idea of the ideal tone for your cover letter and help you understand the company's culture. All this information will help you write a unique cover letter rather than a generic one.
Review the Job Description
Once you’ve gotten a better understanding of the company itself it’s time to carefully review the job description. The job description will indicate the exact skills and qualifications needed for the job. If you meet any of the requirements for the job, it’s best to mention it in your cover letter. This helps to reduce the chance of having irrelevant information in your resume.
Here are some skills that might be expected for a Digital Marketing Applicant:
Analytical Skills
Social Media Marketing
Organization
Email Marketing
Search Engine Optimization
Teamwork
Creativity
Focus on the Future
When it comes to writing a cover letter, you might be tempted to focus it on your past experiences and achievements, however, that is what a resume is for - recapping previous career experiences. While it’s important to highlight any relevant experiences or achievements, your cover letter should focus on the future.
After gaining insight into the values and goals of the organization you’re applying to, focus your cover letter on where you want to go in your career and how you believe this company can help you achieve that. You can also use this as an opportunity to explain the shift you’re making in your career and highlight transferable skills.
Once you’ve done all your research, it’s time to start writing your cover letter; here are some important tips to keep in mind while you’re writing:
Open Strong
There’s a good chance that the recruiting manager has to read through a pile of cover letters; with that being said, there’s a higher chance of getting your application read through completely with a strong hook.
Rather than writing, “I’m [name] and I’m applying for [position] that I saw on [recruiting website],” try using punchlines that cover why you’re excited about the job or what skills and knowledge you bring to the table.
Here are a few examples:
“When I was growing up, I always wanted to be a mime. Thankfully, as I’ve grown up my career aspirations have grown as well, but I still love to draw a crowd and entertain the masses - just digitally now; these passions make me the perfect Digital Marketing Specialist at [company].”
“My childhood was spent at Canucks games, snacking on popcorn and cheering my team on with my dad. It’s this important memory that has shaped the trajectory of my career, which has led me to apply for this position with the Vancouver Canucks. I want to ensure that kids these days have the same memories as me.”
Focus on Personal Value
Companies want to hire individuals who will be invested in their goals and visions in the long term. To reduce turnover rates, hiring managers will look for applicants with personal values in their company. Using the research you conducted earlier in the process, make note of the challenges the company may face. These issues can involve the company specifically or even the industry they’re in. Offer how your previous experiences and skills can contribute to solving these challenges.
For are some examples:
Problem: Budget Constraints
Solution: “Given budget restraints, my diverse skill set spanning SEO, content creation, and social media management allows me to efficiently manage multiple facets of digital marketing, reducing the need for additional hires and maximizing the impact of every marketing dollar invested.”
Problem: Generating Quality Leads
Solution: “In my previous role, I have generated [insert statistic] quality leads on [campaign name] through targeted audience segmentation, personalized content strategies, and A/B testing, I'm poised to implement similar tactics to help [insert name] attract and convert high-value leads effectively.”
Be Enthusiastic
At the end of the day, a hiring manager wants to hire someone enthusiastic about the job they’re applying for. Adding enthusiasm to your letter helps to gain attention and interest.
Here are some words that help to convey that enthusiasm:
Alerted
Appreciated
Vivid
Delighted
Electrified
Ecstatic
Eager
Galvanized
Fortunate
Fascinated
Inspired
Motivated
Prompted
Rejoiced
Thrilled
Keep It Short
As previously mentioned, the hiring manager probably has multiple cover letters to go through which means that once you get their attention, it’s also hard to keep their attention. The rule of thumb is to keep the word count somewhere between 250 words to 400 words, broken up into three to six paragraphs.
At the end of the day, there is no one-size-fits-all rule when it comes to a cover letter. Make sure to do your research before starting on your cover letter to ensure that you can customize your cover letter to the job you're applying for. Showcase yourself and your skills while also offering solutions to problems the company may be experiencing. At the end of the day, a hiring manager is looking for someone enthusiastic about working for them and will help grow the company.
Action Words
Crafting a captivating cover letter often involves a delicate balance of showcasing your skills while keeping the reader engaged. One common hurdle many applicants encounter is the repetition of action words like "created," "developed," "assisted," and "acted."
The constant reuse of these terms can make your cover letter feel monotonous and uninspired. To combat this, consider employing a diverse range of action verbs that not only convey your accomplishments but also inject vitality and vigour into your writing. Instead of merely stating that you "created" campaigns or "assisted" with projects, opt for dynamic alternatives like "crafted," "orchestrated," "facilitated," or "catalyzed."
These words not only lend variety to your writing but also imbue your achievements with a sense of dynamism and impact, helping your cover letter stand out amidst a sea of applicants.
Click here to download our Digital Marketing Cover Letter Template!
You can also check out tools like Huntr for using AI to Generate Cover Letter drafts.
