If there’s one skill that can set you apart from other candidates in today’s market, it’s coding. Yes, even for marketers!

Learning to read and manage code can be tough, but very rewarding, and in a competitive marketing sector, it can make the world of difference to your ability to land the perfect digital marketing job.

Here’s why:

In the world of online marketing, Google Analytics is an essential weapon. Most marketers know how to use it on a fundamental level. However, if you’re able to use more complex processes such as Google’s tag manager, and if you can install tracking codes on sites without a friendly CMS, you’ll be a class apart from many other applicants.

Most modern agencies have a tech team or at least a tech person! on their staff. However, it can be hard work communicating with them: if you understand coding on even a basic level, it can sound like an alien language.

If you can become the middle-man between the marketing department and the techies, who can take code-speak and turn it into something your copywriters get, you’ll be invaluable.

If you’re in any way involved with uploading content and most modern digital marketers are being able to understand even basic HTML can save a huge amount of time and effort.

See, though many sites are built on easy-to-use CMS’ like WordPress, some aren’t. Some bespoke websites require you to take the old-school approach by uploading everything in pure HTML.

Sure, your techie could do it for you. But what if it’s a hot story you need to upload now, and your coding bod isn’t around?

Again, even rudimentary HTML can make your life a lot easier.

If you’re a start-up or a micro business – and there are more and more of them around these days – the ability to understand and solve basic problems can swiftly make you the most valuable person on the team.

If you can work out why your WordPress e-mail sign-ups aren’t being added to your MailChimp list, or why your YouTube videos just won’t embed properly on your landing page, you’ll be miles ahead of many other competitors and be able to rectify problems quickly.

Knowledge of code won’t always provide the answer, but it can definitely help!