Starting a Career as a Digital Analyst

Data analysts are professionals who work in the field of data analysis. And if you have decided to make a career as a data analyst you must be aware of what data analysis is. 

Just a recap: data analysis is the process of collecting, processing and presenting the data from digital platforms. This data helps to make data-driven decisions that will ensure effective results for the business. 

Data analysis is a technical task that is bestowed upon people with appropriate skills. A career in digital analytics could be a rewarding journey because of the tumultuous importance of digital analysis in the digital landscape. 

Digital analysts work closely with the data to drive growth, enhance user experience and develop optimal business strategies. One can kick start the career in digital analysis by the following steps:

Understanding the fundamentals of digital analysis:

A digital analyst needs a clear understanding of the fundamentals of digital analysis. Having a strong foundation in the basics of digital analysis will help you get an in-depth knowledge of advanced topics that would be covered in the subject. An expert’s journey always starts from a strong foundation of clear understanding of the concepts that they will be applying in the practical field. 

The basics include, terms like key performance metrics (KPIs), data analysis, data visualisation and other metrics to analyse the data available to you from various digital platforms. It is important for a digital analyst to understand the significance of data integrity and accuracy to produce effective results. 

Acquire relevant skills:

Data analysis is a technical job. A professional needs to have skills that are relevant for the job of analysis. If you are an aspiring data analyst you need to enrol yourself in a course that will provide you comprehensive knowledge and relevant skills to become a data analyst. 

Apart from that you will be learning about:

Data analysis tools: 

You will become proficient in using some of the most popular tools used in the field of data analysis by the professionals to analyse data. Some of them being Google analytics, Adobe Analytics among others. 

Statistical analysis:

An aspiring digital analyst would get insights into statistical concepts such as correlation, regression analysis, hypothesis testing and data distributions all relevant for the practical applications of your skills for statistical aspects in digital analysis. 

Data visualisation:

An aspiring digital analyst is taught how they will be presenting data to relevant people for the business. You will learn to use data visualisation tools like Tableau, Google data studio among others. Accurate data visualisation helps to communicate the information better by using other elements like charts, graphs, visuals, texts etc. 

Digital marketing:

Digital analysis is a part of digital marketing and having a basic understanding of digital marketing is also handy for a professional in the field of digital analysis. A course in digital analysis will help you understand the basics of digital marketing as well. 

Gaining practical experience:

A technical subject that is solely based on practical application needs a person to have practical experience as well. A digital analysis course will help you get hands-on experience of the ongoing work in the field of digital analysis. You may land internships that interest you adding to your experience. 

• Internships at entry-level will help you specialise in digital marketing or digital analytics specifically. The running business who specialises in digital marketing, digital analytics or related companies will have the resources that you can use to hone your skills and apply them in practical settings. 
• Apart from internships, you can start freelancing. You can start to work on projects on a freelance basis. This will also help you build a network in the industry that can help you get work in the long-run.   
• You can even initiate personal projects to showcase your skills to potential employers or people you want to collaborate with. A personal project will be your portfolio to present to the people you want to work with in the field of digital analytics. 

Data literacy:

A data analyst has to deal with data in their career. It is essential for a professional to be proficient with the data literacy skills that include:

• Data collection and management which is the process of collecting, storing and managing the data that would be relevant for the business to make data-driven decisions. 
• Data cleaning and processing is the process of filtering the data that is error free and is consistent and valuable to be presented to the business authorised for use. You will learn to use data manipulation techniques like filtering, sorting, and data transformation. 
• Data interpretation includes interpreting data to extract meaningful insights significant for making data-driven decisions. 

Constant learning:

An aspiring data analyst should be on the run of constant learning because the realm of digital analytics is constantly changing. You would have to inculcate the habit of continuous learning which includes keeping yourself updated with the industry trends and technologies. Keep up with new tools, technologies and techniques emerging regularly. 

You also have to focus on network building. Attend events, conferences, workshops and join online communities that have people from your field. This will help you build a vast and strong network encouraging professional relationships with like-minded people from the same industry.   

Consider specialisation:

Once you enrol yourself in a course of digital analytics, you would be familiarised by other options as well in which you can consider specialising yourself. Some of the options in which you can gain specialisation are:

Web analytics:

Web analytics is associated with website traffic, user behaviour and conversion funnels that helps in optimising not only website performance but user experience as well. 

Social media analytics:

The field of social media analytics deals with analysing social media metrics, engagement patterns, audience demographics so social media strategies can be tailored accordingly.   

E-commerce analytics:

E-commerce analytics deals with the data related to sales trends, customer segmentation and product performance, and cart abandonment rates. 

Strong communication skills:

Having strong communication skills will help you convey messages effectively. You have to share insights, recommendations and strategies to other people who do not belong to your field but are important to run the business like the marketing team or the stakeholders. Craft a message that people can easily comprehend. For this you will be working on your:

Data storytelling:

An aspiring digital analyst will work on crafting narratives around data in a compelling way by using vicarious storytelling techniques to make an impactful message. You will be dealing with different audiences to whom the data will be presented, ensuring to tailor your communication style catering to the different types of audiences. 

Visual presentation:

The most essential element a digital analyst uses in their presentation is visuals. By using charts, presentation tools, graphs, etc you can create a compelling repost to present to executives, marketers or technical teams. 

Kick start your career:

A digital analytics course will prepare you to step into the practical world. From there you can start your journey as a digital analyst. Keep seeking opportunities that offer growth and advancement. Take up various internships for practical application of your skills, leadership roles like analytics manager, mentorship and coaching for valuable guidance.

You can find various opportunities in the field of digital analytics. Here is a quick glance into how a day in the life of a digital analyst looks like:

• A digital analyst has to deal with data so their day will usually start with tracking the performance of websites through various platforms giving them insights into how the performance has changed from the last tracking till now. 
• After that you will indulge in making a presentation to present the data to different team members or your superiors who will be making data-driven decisions. Your responsibilities will also include making recommendations with the help of the data. 
• Now, you will be in a meeting with the people who have decision making powers to tell them how the website is doing and which campaign is bringing desired results. You have to suggest scope of improvement, new advancements and changes, if any that would be beneficial for the business. 
• After the discussion about the findings through data, you will again start to track the performance of the website, getting insights into how customers behaviour is different in the day time than that in the night time and how your website performs differently during different hours. 

Conclusion:

Digital analytics is a promising career choice. You need to make sure you are getting yourself enrolled in the right kind of course that will provide you with the adequate knowledge and skills to become a digital analyst. 

A digital analyst needs to focus on skills and keep themselves updated by inculcating the habit of continuous learning so they can delve into the ever changing world of digital analysis.