From the mom-and-pop fabric store down the road to the big box chain, every business is competing for eyeballs and dollars in the digital age. Organizations of all sizes must rely on skilled marketing professionals to help them connect with consumers, build brand awareness and drive revenue.
For individuals looking to break into the field or sharpen their business acumen, earning a bachelor’s degree in marketing equips graduates to craft successful campaigns and build a long-term career. William Paterson University’s online BS in Marketing program provides students with a versatile education in both traditional and emerging marketing strategies, preparing them to enter the workforce with the skills they need to reach customers.
Brand Strategy and Social Media Marketing
While their titles may range from social media manager to content marketer or SEO specialist, these marketers share common job responsibilities, according to the American Marketing Association. They are responsible for creating, communicating, delivering and exchanging offers that are valuable for customers as well as their clients and partner businesses. They draw upon the “4 Ps of Marketing:” product, price, place and promotion to convince potential customers to purchase their goods and services over those of their competitors. In other words, they define how a product should be sold and determine the best ways to distribute that message to their target market.
To accomplish that mission, marketers must have a comprehensive understanding of brand strategy, or how brands are built, managed and leveraged to influence consumer decisions. Brand strategy refers to the long-term plan a business uses to develop a consistent identity that resonates with consumers and distinguishes it from competitors, according to Adobe Express. A strong brand strategy informs how a company presents itself to consumers through elements such as logos, messaging, values, tone of voice and visual design.
The BS in Marketing offered by William Paterson helps students learn how to build, manage and evolve brands to create customer loyalty and drive business growth on social media. The Social Media Marketing course delves into the role platforms like Facebook, Spotify and YouTube play in customers’ daily lives and how marketers can effectively convey the value of their products to customers online. By the end of the course, students understand what makes a brand successful across platforms and can effectively analyze social media business applications upon graduation.
Digital Marketing and Consumer Behavior
Digital marketing focuses on using online platforms and digital technologies to promote products and services, according to Indeed. Unlike traditional marketing methods like print ads or television commercials, digital marketing allows for real-time engagement, targeted messaging and measurable performance. To pave their path to success in digital marketing, professionals must understand where sales, promotions, advertising and product placement intersect with human behavior influencing consumer choices.
A BS in Marketing positions graduates to help companies with their efforts to target specific audiences, according to Indeed. William Paterson’s Principles of Marketing course provides students with an overview of business challenges they will face, including decisions regarding product planning, channels of distribution, sales management, pricing and global marketing. Students with an interest in international business will find their questions answered in the Global Marketing course, which examines strategic planning, cultural analysis and the specific issues that arise when executing campaigns on an international scale.
As Indeed points out, this foundation of skills puts marketers on the path to explore their career opportunities upon graduation. They could find themselves creating and implementing marketing plans as social media managers or e-commerce specialists, or studying market behavior to help their companies inform future pricing decisions as marketing analysts. No matter where they land, they are ready to find solutions that put their company’s products and services in front of the right audience.
Pursue Marketing Career Paths with William Paterson University
William Paterson’s online BS in Marketing program offers a dynamic and comprehensive education for future marketing leaders. By gaining foundational insights, students can pursue a path based on their interests.
The curriculum is designed to keep pace with industry changes and emphasize the skills necessary to navigate a rapidly evolving field. Graduates can thrive in a creative data-driven sector.
Learn more about William Paterson University’s online BS in Marketing program.
