The digital project manager is a figure that is increasingly sought after by companies. It is enough to take a look at the job offers on the various portals (such as Monster, Indeed, Infojobs, not to mention Linkedin) to realise that this is a profession that offers unquestionable employment and career possibilities.
However, there is often some confusion about the meaning of web project manager. To talk about the figure of the digital project manager it is therefore appropriate to take a step back and dwell briefly on the role of the project manager in general, clarifying what are the indispensable skills for a figure such as this, but above all what the job of the project manager is.
What does a project manager do in general?
The project manager has the task of operationally managing the project for which he or she is responsible, coordinating the resources involved in its development and implementation.
Among the skills of the project manager are certainly project management skills, since the main task of a programme manager is to plan the work, the activities to be performed and their succession, ensuring that the objectives are achieved on time and within the budget allocated to the project.
The ultimate goal is of course to achieve the full satisfaction of the customer, whether external or internal to the company.
So who is and what does the digital project manager do?
The digital project manager is in effect a project manager who helps companies manage a digital project. He supports clients in the development of web project management strategies and helps them achieve their goals by choosing the right channels and initiatives to engage their target audience.
The job description of a web project manager is in fact not very different from the job description of a project manager, except for the fact that the project a digital project manager deals with is a project closely related to the world of digital marketing.
Innovative digital projects that can range from the creation of websites, portals, e-commerce, blogs, Facebook pages to the definition of a brand’s entire web promotion strategy.
The work of the web project manager can be carried out by an internal company figure or by an external consultant, be it a freelancer or a freelancer, paid to carry out a specific digital project.
What is the role of the web/digital project manager?
It is a very strategic role, as its task is to guide the client to the best choices in managing a digital project.
The digital project manager combines strategic vision tasks with very concrete and operational tasks, not least the coordination of the team of digital professionals involved.
Moreover, as always, within a digital strategy it is essential to monitor the results of all the actions planned on the different channels and to update strategies and tools.
Today, for the work and digital professions column, I interviewed Isabella Ratti. She is an entrepreneur, Co-Founder and Digital Project Manager of silkgiftmilan.com, a consulting and image site that she created some time ago.
I delved into the role of this important figure with her and asked her to tell us who she is and what this digital professional does.
His testimony shows how it is possible to become a project manager in the digital sector, even if you come from different professional backgrounds, through professional training courses that allow you to acquire those specific web marketing skills (digital skills) that are indispensable for managing any digital project.
You can achieve certification of these skills with the Digital Project Manager Course.
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Who is the Digital Project Manager?
With the qualification of Digital Project Manager, I propose and manage projects for private or corporate clients, in particular using all social communication channels.
Work particularly in the world of fashion and image consulting. I promote campaigns and projects using all social channels such as Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest or Instagram. I choose the communication strategy that best suits the client’s objectives.
Digital Project Manager: what does he do and what is his job description?
When I work on a digital project, I first have to work on personal branding and the consistency of my proposals with company policy. Then I focus on engaging my client on a number of key aspects:
- the targets it will have to refer to
- the communication strategy to be developed to engage them
- the best social channels to use.
- building a good SEO strategy
- the balance of all these elements with a possible corporate blog
Digital Project Manager: with which professionals does he enter into relations?
My specific field is fashion. I interface with professionals working in a field that I would call social web marketing.
They are now the usual interlocutors of a professional with my specialisation. I define the objectives of the project with them and liaise with them to develop the strategy and define the audience.
Which training path should the Digital Project Manager follow?
I come from a literature degree with a specialisation in art history, so a completely different style of communication. I fell in love with the digital world and needed to “catch up”.
Facing the transition from offline marketing to online marketing.
When I became a web project manager, I had to change the writing style I was previously using and adapt to the style of the web, which has completely different codes. I have done and continue to do refresher courses in the area of both web marketing and social media marketing.
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Specific courses for each social, SEO courses, although the latter is not my main job but I have to be able to be a speaker on this issue as well.
I would never have imagined it, but I had to completely reset my basic training. What I would recommend to the readers of the digital coach blog is to always keep up to date: read books, keep abreast of the latest news, take not only refresher courses, but also courses to find a job, i.e. aimed at gaining work experience in companies through internships, training apprenticeships or other forms of employment/collaboration contracts.
Digital work is constantly evolving. A good web project manager must always be up to date if he wants to be competitive on the job market. It is also important to know how to use tools that help in managing multiple clients.
I personally find Hootsuite very useful and, to monitor the progress of blogs, I do analyses with Google Analytics.
In conclusion, I would like to give two pieces of advice to the readers of the Digital Coach Blog. Firstly, to carefully choose and thoroughly research the best professionals on offer. Secondly, to always keep up to date with the job offers in the digital marketing sector.
This is a practical way to understand how the figure of the digital project manager is evolving and whether the skills you possess continue to be aligned with the demands of the job market or whether the time has come to update them or add new ones.
If you are a Web Project Manager or want to become one, don’t wait!