As times change, so do marketing techniques and strategies. In fact, it seems like every day there’s another new trend or fad to try out. One of the most popular techniques in marketing right now is learning how to code. It might seem daunting at first to learn to code, but if you think about it as just another tool in your arsenal, it becomes easier to understand why marketers would want to learn this new skill. In this article, we’ll talk about some of the benefits of learning how to code as a marketing professional.
Coding Helps You Understand Your Data Better
When you’re working with large amounts of data, it’s important to know what information is relevant to your business and what isn’t. If you don’t have an understanding of coding, you may not be able to see through the noise and find the valuable insights buried within the data. Learning how to code will help you become a better analyst because you’ll be able to apply your knowledge of coding to your own analytics work.
For example, general-purpose coding already gives you access to data that you wouldn’t normally have access to. For instance, you could use Python to pull the top 100 trending keywords on Twitter, or you could write R scripts to get the same data. With these types of programs, you can easily download the raw data from Twitter and then clean up the results before presenting them to your boss.
It Gives You More Control Over Your Data
There are many different ways to collect data nowadays. Some companies use webcams to capture images of their customers interacting with their products. Others record audio via phone calls or text messages. While these methods work well enough, they also come with some drawbacks. Webcams aren’t always reliable, and sometimes people don’t want to be photographed. Phone calls require expensive equipment, and text message conversations often get lost in translation.
Coding provides a solution to these problems by giving you complete control over the data collection process. Instead of relying on third parties to provide you with the data you need, you can take ownership of the data yourself. You can even create custom software that allows you to collect all the data you need without having to rely on any external services.
It Makes You More Competitive
Learning how to code is beneficial to your career in other ways too. Since coding is becoming increasingly common among businesses, it’s going to make you more competitive when applying for jobs. When you’re competing against candidates who aren’t fluent in programming languages, you will already have a competitive edge. The ability to program is something that employers value highly, and it’s something that helps differentiate you from everyone else.
It Opens You Up To New Opportunities
The world of technology is constantly evolving. As time goes on, new technologies emerge that allow us to collect and analyze data that was previously impossible to collect. By learning how to code, you open yourself up to new opportunities in which you can utilize these emerging technologies. As a marketer, this means that you can quickly adapt to changes in your industry.
You Can Be More Independent
You might think that learning how to code would mean that you’d have to give up your job as a marketing professional. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Coding doesn’t replace traditional marketing skills like writing copy and designing graphics; it enhances them. You can still craft compelling sales letters, create engaging visuals, and develop effective campaigns while simultaneously learning how to code.
In addition, writing more reliable code will make you independent of a programmer when it comes to creating content. If you ever find yourself stuck trying to figure out why your website isn’t working properly, you’ll know exactly where to go to fix the problem. There’s no need to ask someone else if you’ve written the code correctly because you’ll be able to see for yourself.
It Can Help You Save Money
If you’re an entrepreneur running a small business, there’s a good chance that you spend most of your money on advertising. Advertising costs money, but it’s not necessarily the best investment. In fact, the average return on investment for ads is not always guaranteed. However, if you learn how to code, you can start collecting data on your own customers and then use that information to improve your ad targeting strategy. In the long run, this could save you thousands of dollars.
The Bottom Line
There are many reasons why learning how to code should be at the top of your list. If you want to become a better marketer, coding is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Even if you never plan on using your knowledge of coding to build websites or apps, learning how to code gives you valuable transferable skills that will help you succeed in whatever field you choose to pursue.
