Meet the fractional digital marketing manager, a versatile professional who works on a contract basis to guide and support effective online strategies.
This article will unravel what a fractional digital marketing manager does and how they could elevate your business’s online presence.
Key Takeaways of What is a Fractional Digital Marketing Manager?
- A Fractional Digital Marketing Manager is a pro you hire part-time. They help with your business’s online plans.
- These managers do a lot. They set goals, study the market, and make ad campaigns. They also check how well their ads are doing.
- Hiring a Fractional Digital Marketing Manager can save you money. You get expert help without paying for full-time staff.
- If your company needs new ideas or lacks skills, think about hiring this type of manager. They bring in fresh views and top skills in digital marketing.
- This manager differs from an in-house one because they work on contract basis. This means more skill sets but less time spent with your team.
What is Fractional Marketing Management?
Fractional Marketing Management is a new way to run your business. You hire expert marketing pros for a part of their time. This helps in managing tasks and projects well. You can see this as outsourced project and team management.
This style also helps you keep up with changes in the market. Fractional marketing directors join on a temporary or contract basis. It gives smaller firms access to an enterprise-level marketing team but at less cost.
So, even if your budget is small, you get value from top-notch resources they bring along. In short, it’s like having an efficient all-star team without breaking the bank.
Responsibilities of a Fractional Digital Marketing Manager
A Fractional Digital Marketing Manager has a multitude of responsibilities, such as strategic planning and goal setting to drive marketing objectives. Their role also involves deep-dive market research and competitive analysis to gain insights into industry trends.
From these gleaned insights, they are tasked with crafting and executing impactful digital marketing campaigns that align with the company’s overall goals. Another critical part of their job is managing and analyzing marketing metrics to monitor campaign performance, adjust strategies when necessary, leverage opportunities for growth, and ensure return on investment for every dollar spent on marketing initiatives.
Strategic Planning and Goal Setting
A Fractional Digital Marketing Manager works on setting plans and goals. These actions help guide the marketing path for a company. They look ahead, think about where the business should be in the future, and set targets to reach there.
Having clear objectives is key for any team. The same goes for a fractional marketing squad. This kind of manager helps create measurable goals. These can be anything from getting more people to visit your website to selling more products online.
The goal is then used as a measure stick, showing how well things are going.
Market Research and Competitive Analysis
A Fractional Digital Marketing Manager spends much time on market research. They take a deep look at the features of the market. This helps them to make strong marketing plans. The manager also studies each foe in their field.
They find ways to stand out through these studies. These tasks are key parts of their job, helping to shape smart strategies for the company they work with.
Developing and Implementing Marketing Campaigns
A Fractional Digital Marketing Manager takes on the task of making and putting into action marketing plans. These plans help companies to reach their goals. The steps include:
- Understanding the market: This involves studying current trends. They also look at what competitors are doing. This helps them to make better decisions.
- Creating a strategy: Based on their understanding, they develop a plan of action. This includes picking the right channels like social media or email.
- Making the campaign: Once the plan is ready, they start creating content for it. They work with teams to get this done.
- Putting the campaign out there: After making it, they let the world see it. They use digital ads and social media posts for this.
- Reviewing what happened: After running a campaign, they check how well it did. They use tools to track its success.
- Making changes where needed: If something is not working, they fix it. They may change parts of their plan or try something new.
Managing and Analyzing Marketing Metrics
A Fractional Digital Marketing Manager uses marketing metrics to check ad success. They track and analyze data from ads. This tells them how well each ad is doing. The manager looks at key performance indicators (KPIs).
These are numbers that show if an ad is meeting its goals. By tracking these things, the manager knows what works and what doesn’t. It helps make sure money spent on ads does the most good.
Benefits of Hiring a Fractional Digital Marketing Manager
A Fractional Digital Marketing Manager offers cost-effective services, bringing a wealth of expertise and experience to the table. This professional provides flexibility and scalability, adjusting their skills to your business needs no matter how they fluctuate or grow.
As an outside contractor, they offer objectivity and fresh perspectives, free from internal biases that can cloud judgment in an in-house team.
Cost-Effective
If your company wants to save money, think about hiring a fractional digital marketing manager. This can be cheaper than having full-time staff. You will get the same high level of expertise but at a lower cost.
This kind of service is flexible too. It allows you to use it as much or as little as you need without wasting any money. So, for a firm that wants great work done on a budget, this is an attractive option.
Expertise and Experience
A Fractional Digital Marketing Manager brings a lot of skill and know-how. They have worked with many clients. From this, they carry a big store of knowledge to your company. These experts can guide your team in the right way because they know what works best.
They pick out plans that help reach your business goals. With their leadership, your marketing team does better than before. Their special skills boost certain areas of marketing where needed most.
Flexibility and Scalability
Hiring a fractional digital marketing manager gives your company flexibility and scalability. These managers can change their work to fit your needs. They can do more or less work based on what you need right now.
This is great as it helps you meet your business goals. A fractional CMO won’t be with you all the time, but they will be there when you need them most.
Objectivity and Fresh Perspectives
A fractional digital marketing manager brings new views to your team. They see things in a different way. This can lead to fresh ideas for your business. Your company gets the benefit of their expert eyes and brains without bias.
The aim is always the best fit for your firm’s goals. Hiring such managers also helps remove any office politics or internal bias that might exist with an in-house team. These pros use their skills, developed over time working with various firms, to help you succeed faster.
How Does a Fractional Digital Marketing Manager Differ from an In-House Manager?
A fractional digital marketing manager differs from an in-house manager in that they are typically contract-based, focused on specific goals and projects, and possess a diverse range of skills thanks to their experience across multiple industries.
Contract-Based vs Full-Time Employment
When considering the hiring of a Digital Marketing Manager, it’s essential to understand the differences between contract-based and full-time employment.
Contract-based Employment Full-time Employment Fractional Digital Marketing Managers function on a contract basis, offering services per job or project. Full-time Digital Marketing Managers are typically employed by the company, working regular office hours. Contract-based employment allows for greater flexibility, allowing companies to engage services based on specific needs and projects.
Full-time employees provide a constant presence in the company, offering stability and ongoing support. Contract-based Digital Marketing Managers can offer diverse skill sets and fresh perspectives, drawing from experiences with various clients. In-house Digital Marketing Managers have deep knowledge of the company and its market positioning, allowing for more targeted strategies. Contract-based employment can be a more cost-effective solution especially for small businesses that might not have the resources to support a full-time salary and benefits. Full-time employment often comes with higher costs including salary, benefits, and potential for long-term commitments.
These are factors to consider when deciding whether to hire a Fractional Digital Marketing Manager on a contract basis or a full-time in-house manager. Each option offers its advantages, and the best choice will depend on your company’s specific needs, budget, and strategic goals.
Focus on Specific Goals and Projects
A fractional digital marketing manager works on selected goals and projects. They do not handle everything like an in-house manager. Instead, these specialists use their skills on key areas of need.
This can be a new product launch or boosting online sales. The job varies based on the company’s needs at that time. These project-driven managers are experts in goal setting and achieving them.
They form plans around facts and real aims that they can meet.
Access to a Diverse Skill Set
Hiring a Fractional Digital Marketing Manager brings many skills. They are good at many things in digital marketing. This is because they have worked with various firms and solved different problems.
So, they understand the trends and methods that work best in the market.
With their help, your team can learn new skills too. They teach useful tactics to deal with different business challenges. A Fractional Digital Marketing Manager fills the gaps in your team’s knowledge without hiring more staff.
It saves you costs on training or hiring experts for each task.
When to Consider Hiring a Fractional Digital Marketing Manager
Companies should consider hiring a Fractional Digital Marketing Manager when they have a limited budget, lack in-house expertise in digital marketing or when they need fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to enhance their marketing strategies.
Limited Budget
A tight budget can make it hard to hire the right people. Yet, marketing is crucial for a business to grow. A good choice here could be hiring a fractional digital marketing manager.
They are cost-effective and flexible, so they fit into limited resources well. High expenses won’t hold your company back anymore. You only pay for what you need with this part-time employee option, meaning big money savings in the long run.
Lack of In-House Expertise
Not having in-house expertise can push companies to bring a fractional digital marketing manager on board. This problem often arises when teams find it hard to adjust campaigns for certain viewers, like those in Europe.
A lack of skills in areas such as online advertising or social media strategy is also common. Having a contract-based specialist helps fill these gaps and boosts the effectiveness of their marketing efforts.
This dedicated expert opens new ways for firms to reach goals without hiring a full-time employee.
Need for a Fresh Perspective
A new look can shake things up in the best way. This is where a Fractional Digital Marketing Manager steps in. They come from the outside with different views and ideas. This fresh approach often leads to unique, catchy marketing plans.
An outsourced digital marketing manager can spot what your company might miss because they’re not inside it every day. They bring honest feedback that helps you see your brand in a new light.
Their advice can make your marketing shine and bring more success to your company.
How to Find and Hire a Fractional Digital Marketing Manager
Finding and hiring a Fractional Digital Marketing Manager involves exploring networking events and personal referrals, utilizing online job platforms specifically for freelancers, forming partnerships with marketing agencies, and meticulously evaluating candidates’ qualifications and experience to ensure the right fit.
Networking and Referrals
People often find great workers through others they know. This is networking and referrals. If you have friends in your line of work, ask them for names. They may know a good Fractional Digital Marketing Manager.
You can also go to events in your field or use online networks to meet new people. These methods help you learn about managers who did well at other jobs.
Online Job Platforms
Online job platforms give you a great way to find and hire a fractional digital marketing manager. Sites like LinkedIn, Upwork, and Indeed have many skilled people ready to work for you.
These are remote or part-time managers who can help your company grow. They know how to use internet tools and can reach many customers fast. Be careful while picking one though. Check their past work, read reviews from other bosses, and chat with them before hiring.
Agency Partnerships
Agency partnerships play a big role in finding a fractional digital marketing manager. Many agencies offer outsourced digital marketing services. These agencies have teams of experts who are ready to help your business.
You don’t need to spend time or money on training them, which is good news for your budget.
Working with an agency gives you access to many skills and tools. These tools can help make your marketing more effective and efficient. Plus, companies like Digital Authority Partners can lower costs by offering fractional marketing solutions.
This type of partnership is often the best way to get top-notch support at a price you can afford.
Evaluating Qualifications and Experience
Look at the skills and past work of the marketing manager. Check if they have done good work before. Make sure they know a lot about marketing. They should also know how to use computers well.
This will help your company do better. It is important for them to have worked on many projects before, too.
What to Expect When Working with a Fractional Digital Marketing Manager
Working with a Fractional Digital Marketing Manager provides companies with a collaborative and communicative partnership, where clear and measurable goals are set. Regular progress updates and reporting ensure transparency in all marketing endeavors.
Collaborative and Communicative Partnership
Working with a fractional digital marketing manager is like being part of a team. You will talk and listen to each other often. This helps build trust and understanding. Open talks are very important in this job role.
The manager should always tell the company what they plan to do next. They must also report on how well things are going or if there are problems. In turn, the company should share its goals and any changes that may affect the work of the manager.
Good teamwork can lead to better results for all involved.
Clear and Measurable Goals
A Fractional Digital Marketing Manager sets clear goals. These targets are easy to understand. They focus on things like growth and efficiency in business. The manager also checks the key performance indicators (KPIs).
The goals set by these managers are not just clear but measurable too. This means one can track how close or far a goal is from being done. So, for example, if a business wants more people to visit its website, the manager might set a target number of visits for each month.
Then they check at the end of each month to see if this target was met or not.
Regular Progress Updates and Reporting
A Fractional Digital Marketing Manager will always keep you in the loop. They share regular updates about your marketing plan’s status. You can expect weekly or monthly reports on key data points.
This includes updates on how well a campaign is doing, data analysis and metrics tracking. These reports help you see if your goals are being met. With clear facts from these reports, it’s easier to make good choices for your business.
Success Stories of Companies Who Have Utilized Fractional Digital Marketing Management
Many firms see big wins with part-time digital marketing teams. These success stories show the power of using fractional digital marketing management. For example, a small tech start-up doubled its sales in just six months.
They hired a fractional team to focus on social media outreach and online ads. Another win was an online shop that saw its visitor count triple after using SEO strategies from a part-time team.
This jump led to higher sales as more people found the shop on search engines like Google or Bing. An auto parts firm also saw gains, saving money while increasing customer reach with their part-time team’s email campaigns and site updates.
The Value of Fractional Marketing Leadership
Many companies are tapping into fractional marketing roles to access high-level leadership without the cost of full-time hires. Key positions include:
- Fractional CMO – Provides strategic direction and oversight for all marketing initiatives
- Fractional Marketing Director – Leads development and execution of the marketing strategy
- Fractional Marketing Manager – Manages key programs and campaigns to drive results
These fractional marketing roles deliver experienced leadership to elevate marketing effectiveness.
A fractional CMO offers broad vision to optimize your marketing strategy, unite siloed marketing departments, and strengthen alignment with the business objectives. Their leadership enhances marketing ROI.
Fractional marketing directors bring hands-on expertise to spearhead strategy and boost marketing operations. They lead programs, manage budgets, and oversee teams.
Fractional marketing managers coordinate campaign execution and day-to-day activities. Their hands-on focus powers performance.
For lean marketing teams or mid-sized companies, fractional marketing leadership unlocks high-level expertise without bloated overhead. Their specialized abilities strengthen strategy and operations to drive growth.
Frequently Asked Questions about What is a Fractional Digital Marketing Manager?
1. What Does a Fractional Digital Marketing Manager Do?
A Fractional Digital Marketing Manager helps businesses plan and execute digital marketing strategies part-time.
2. Why Would a Business Need a Fractional Digital Marketing Manager?
A business may need a Fractional Digital Marketing Manager when they can’t afford or don’t need a full-time manager but still require expert help.
3. How Much Time Does a Fractional Digital Marketing Manager Work?
A Fractional Digital Marketing Manager often works less than full time, such as several hours per week, depending on the needs of the business.
4. Can I Hire a Fractional Digital Marketing Manager for My Small Business?
Yes, many small businesses hire fractional managers to get expert advice without paying for full-time staff.
5. Is Hiring a Fractional Digital Marketing Manager Costly?
Costs vary but fractional managers are generally more affordable compared to hiring another full-time employee because they simply work fewer hours.
Conclusion and Summary of What is a Fractional Digital Marketing Manager?
A Fractional Digital Marketing Manager brings strategic leadership to guide a brand’s digital presence, without the costly commitment of a full-time executive. Blending hands-on expertise with an aerial view of the digital landscape, these fractional executives elevate marketing capabilities for organizations of all sizes.
Whether overseeing paid campaigns or optimizing organic visibility, fractional digital marketing chiefs pilot performance. Their specialized abilities allow brands to nimbly adapt to emerging technologies and tactics. While boosting online impact, their flexible model provides cost efficiency.
For budget-savvy businesses seeking high-level digital marketing leadership, a fractional executive offers heavy hitting skills without the heavy price tag. They steer companies through key phases of growth and expansion with proven expertise. When talent needs run high but budgets run tight, fractional digital marketing leadership delivers elevated marketing at an accessible cost.
Image Credit: MangoStar/ 123RF.com (Licensed). Photo Illustration by: Doctor Marketing, MD.
Doctor Marketing, MD™ is a leading content creation, distribution and marketing agency. The firm works with Top Doctors and Surgeons, Healthcare Companies, Medical Professionals, Private Practices, Medical Groups and Clinics, Hospitals, Executives, and Leaders in the Healthcare Industry and specialty Medical sectors. Doctor Marketing, MD™ has built a world-class content writing team of award-winning writers, SEOs, copywriters, wordsmiths, and ghostwriters. They’ve perfected a proprietary content assembly line process, and further specialize in large-scale content production through well-crafted blog posts, articles, and medical content pieces that attract new patients.
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