Due to COVID-19 pandemic, many skilled people have been grounded. It is those with digital skills that have stayed afloat and even thrived despite the harrowing circumstances. The current dynamics ushered in by the pandemic are here to stay. It is high time you start considering acquiring some digital skills so that you thrive from here on out. That is why herein I shall be discussing digital skills that are bound to thrive now and hereafter.

Digital Marketing

I had to start with this one because it is much sought-after. Digital marketing is essentially the marketing of products using digital technologies on the internet or social media platforms. The most commonly used digital platforms nowadays are Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest and websites, amongst others. Most people probably have social media accounts and might even have websites but with no clue on how to conduct digital marketing through them. If you acquire the skills and knowledge to do that you can become a sought-after digital marketing expert.

Graphics Design

Due to the proliferation of online content, graphic design is now a must-have skill set. Even for other offline pieces of content such as physical fliers, banners, and so on. If you do not have the skills you will have to pay many to have certain things done. I am referring to things like electronic banners, fliers, posters, and the like. I have already underscored the importance of digital marketing which implies that marketing products online is paramount.

To do that, you need high-quality visuals for your content. As much as graphic design is a skillset you can outsource, you can acquire it too. Most graphic designers I know did not get a formal education for it. If you have a personal computer and an internet connection then you are good to go. You can simply use the infinite tutorials that are found on YouTube. Some of the commonly used software is CorelDraw and Adobe Photoshop. Mobile and web apps like Canva and Over have also become very popular. However, if you cannot afford to get taught formally then you still can do that. A simple flyer or banner design can cost US$20, for instance – this is to give you some perspective on how lucrative having graphic design skills can be.

Web Design And Development

Still, on the digital marketing front, you will find that websites are must-haves now. This stems from one of the core aspects of digital marketing which is landing pages. Websites are also instrumental to the e-commerce setup of a business. Not many people can design and develop websites. The narrative is changing though as more and more people are acquiring those skills.

Most people tend to shy away from web design due to things like PHP and HTML – some of the technical jargon involved. There is absolutely nothing wrong in learning those aspects it makes you a comprehensively skilled web designer and developer.

There is an alternative though, several of them. There are web builder sites such as Wix and WordPress – popular examples. With these sites, you can design and develop a website from scratch without any coding background. Either way, if you manage to acquire this skill set you will be sought-after. Even if you do not commercialise the skillset you will save on lots of money you could have paid professionals to do your websites.

Social Media Management

Social media management entails the creation, propagation and analysis of online content on social media platforms. This involves strategic development of content that is posted systematically. Closely associated with that is the fostering of online engagements with targeted groups. The thrust is usually to draw insights from those engagements that are in turn used in decision making. Over 3 billion people use social media and the corporate world knows social media is where it is at.

Social media management sounds simple but it is more complex at the core. Coming up with relevant and engaging content, strategically scheduling it and having a social media strategy involves lots of technical considerations. If you acquire the skills to be a social media manager you can end up even setting up a social media management company. Many enterprises will be more than ready to outsource your services.

If you are versatile enough you can acquire all of the above skills. If you can do that you will become a powerhouse. Any of these skills can be acquired online from the comfort of anywhere. As an entrepreneur you would do well by having all these skills – lots of money can be saved by not having to hire professionals to do it for you.