10 Digital Skills That Will Immediately Increase Students’ Employability in 2025

Businesses in a variety of sectors have digitalized their operations and procedures within the last ten years. Businesses are still using artificial intelligence (AI) to increase personalization, automate processes, and streamline workflows. To help them stand out from the competition, today’s job hopefuls need specialized talents.
Many instructors find it difficult to give students the fundamental abilities they require, even while several colleges, universities, and training providers have changed or added to their curricula to match the rising demand for digital expertise.
The ten most important digital skills that educators should teach their students in order to help them land the best digital jobs across all industries are revealed in this blog.

How to create digital skills?

For companies in all sectors looking to boost income, create leads, provide excellent social customer care, and build brand awareness, digital skills are essential.
“A variety of abilities to use digital devices, communication apps, and networks to obtain and manage information” is how UNESCO defines digital skills. In order to achieve productive and creative self-fulfillment in life, study, work, and social activities, they allow individuals to interact and collaborate, create and share digital information, and solve problems.
By learning important digital channels and practical AI tools, students who acquire digital skills not only increase their employability but also future-proof their careers. Let us get started and discover the top ten digital talents that employers require.

1. Social Media.

Over 4.76 billion people use social media globally, with an average of 7.2 social networks every month, according to a WeAreSocial survey. According to these statistics, the number of social media users worldwide has increased by 3% in only a single year and is showing no signs of slowing down.
One essential and highly regarded talent that every professional should possess is the ability to comprehend and use social media successfully. Understanding the dynamic interplay between companies, influencers, and customers is the goal of social media marketing, which goes beyond simply updating your Facebook or LinkedIn profile.
Simply said, companies must communicate with consumers in a way that will increase traffic to their website or product in order to increase conversion rates. Since many customers now use social media to post comments or ask questions, it also plays a significant part in offering excellent customer service and a satisfying customer experience.
In order to give graduates useful and usable skills, educators who acknowledge the impact of social media should be aware of the nuances of each platform, from TikTok marketing to YouTube, as well as how social media can optimize community participation.

2. Search Engine Marketing (SEM).

One of the most important areas that marketers have grown to rely on, aside from social media, is Search Engine Marketing (SEM). Retailers are failing customers with irrelevant search results, needless friction, and a lack of personalization, according to a Nosto study that revealed 81% of e-commerce executives believe that “increasing living costs make on-site search more vital for online shoppers.”
Students with experience in search engine marketing (SEM) can mostly use paid advertising to raise a company’s website’s exposure on a search engine (like Google or Bing). The company will gain vital site traffic from the search engine results page if this is done.
Students will be able to obtain valuable organic search traffic outcomes by employing SEM. To guarantee the highest conversion rates possible, webmasters, marketers, and content managers invest a lot of time on optimizing websites and advertising campaigns.
The majority of businesses sell goods or services, and they want to stand out from the competitors so they can be found online. The e-commerce sector has grown significantly over the last ten years, and by 2026, it is predicted to be worth over $8 trillion, according to Statista. In order to make sure they are visible and searchable, companies will greatly benefit from hiring candidates that have a solid understanding of search marketing.

3. Data Analytics.

Data has the power to build or break a company. Quality is more important than quantity, and how that data is evaluated to obtain insights is as important.
Additionally, marketers may now monitor data through a variety of platforms. All of these data sets—from social media to websites to sponsored media—create a comprehensive picture of customers. In order to support growth, companies are seeking marketers with practical experience in digital analytics.
“If you can not measure it, you can not manage it,” says Peter Drucker, a pioneer in management education and frequently cited as the creator of contemporary management.
In essence, data analytics enables students to make informed judgments based on data to improve business insights. The success of a campaign and its proportion are determined by the numbers. Knowing what information to gather and measure in order to enhance the upcoming campaign is crucial. Businesses do not want to squander money on marketing based on fads or intuition. It all comes down to optimizing the return on investment and the efficacy of each campaign. To teach your pupils the basics of data analysis, send them to this podcast called “Life as an Analyst.”

4. Content Marketing.

Blog entries, films, podcasts, infographics, and even social media status updates are all examples of content.
Although marketers may dedicate their attention to improving advertising strategies and keywords, content remains paramount. After all, the content of a website or social media page is what drives it, and without it, consumers cannot comprehend the advantages of an item or service.
Content may position influencers or brands as thought leaders and is essential for increasing brand recognition. As a result, new personnel must comprehend the significance of producing content that is pertinent to keyword research and strategy optimization.
Students who have expertise and knowledge of content marketing will be well-equipped for a job in any field with this valuable and employable talent.

5. Email Marketing.

Email marketing is a tried-and-true strategy for obtaining and keeping leads.
One of the earliest types of direct marketing, email is still quite effective in attracting and keeping customers. A strong email marketing strategy aids in the launch of successful campaigns for both startups and large enterprises.
Every step of the funnel requires meticulous planning, as any seasoned digital marketer is aware. To draw users and increase engagement, every step from the signup page and its positioning on a website to the welcome email needs to be optimized.
People are not likely to change their email addresses, but they might alter their home addresses or social media profiles. Professionals who know how to use email marketing to establish a direct line of communication with customers are therefore highly sought for.
Teachers should encourage students to reconsider how they might use email in their present and future responsibilities rather of viewing it as an outdated tool.

6. Mobile Marketing.

Every company should optimize its content and landing pages for smartphones, as billions of people use them for research, communication, and shopping worldwide.
According to Insider Intelligence, mobile apps will produce 82% of the overall digital ad spend in 2024, with mobile ad spending making up 66% of the total. Furthermore, search and virtual assistants will continue to be disrupted and transformed by generative AI.
Businesses should consider voice searches in addition to mobile-friendly content. Marketers should be mindful of the growing trend of customers adopting assistants like Google Assistant and Alexa to receive rapid responses. Another trend on mobile is augmented and virtual reality, which is being used to give users engaging and interactive experiences.
For instance, at New York Fashion Week, PUMA unveiled the Black Station 2 metaverse platform. Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool, which evaluates the performance and usability of mobile websites, is an excellent resource to be familiar with. When it comes to customers without access to desktop computers, using mobile-friendly content can improve your search visibility. By optimizing campaigns with the newest advancements in mobile search and user experience, job seekers may take advantage of this information.

7. Strategy & Planning.

Companies that employ a digital marketing campaign approach have a higher chance of long-term, quantifiable outcomes. Digital marketers must develop and carry out initiatives based on analytics and measurable SEO data rather than making decisions on the fly.
For instance, a marketer can stay accountable by establishing clear KPIs and figuring out how to measure each signal. They must also determine which statistic is worthwhile to measure by examining previous campaigns.
For example, according to DMI’s study paper “Perpetual Evolution,” 79% of senior marketers said that planning and strategy were “extremely crucial” to an organization’s success. Employers find this skill set to be one of the most difficult to fill, despite its significance.
Teachers should capitalize on this skills gap by instructing students in the planning and implementation of digital strategies.

8. Social Selling.

Salespeople must be online, where their prospects are, in order to engage with and influence consumers. Social selling is proving to be beneficial for sellers who use it; in 14 main industries, it accounts for half of income, and 65% of sellers rely on it to fill their pipelines.
By investing in new “sales stack” technologies like productivity applications, email tracking tools, and sales intelligence software, businesses are also starting to realize how important social selling is. Above all, social selling tools are thought to be highly successful in reaching the modern consumer, who looks to social media for reviews and guidance.
Since social selling is a relatively new field for businesses, providing industry-aligned training will benefit any student hoping to succeed in the field of sales.

9. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Marketing.

One common strategy used by brands to rapidly increase traffic is PPC marketing. Businesses with large spending can increase traffic by getting their search result to show up on Google’s first page.
However, most businesses cannot afford such spending, so it is critical to utilize PPC strategically to maximize every dollar or euro and drive success. These are PPC’s main advantages versus organic.
PPC campaign that is successful must:
A) Improve the webpage.
B) Decide on a bidding approach.
C) Decide on a budget.
D) Research terms
E)Add a strong call to action.
F) Incorporate routine testing
Google’s AdWords program is a well-known PPC advertising approach, and employing a PPC for eCommerce tracker is an excellent method to keep an eye on spending.
Understanding impressions, reach, cost-per-click, and budget management are essential for the tech-savvy job seeker to execute successful PPC campaigns.

10. Create Video.

From being merely a kind of entertainment, video has developed into a significant source of material for social media. With platforms like TikTok and Instagram flipping video on its head to produce affluent influencers, YouTube has emerged as a potent and significant medium.
What makes videos so popular? Social media apps like WhatsApp, Weibo, and WeChat are increasingly taking the place of traditional instant messaging tools as smartphone users get younger. In actuality, WhatsApp boasts over 2 billion users globally, with the majority of downloads coming from the US.
Compared to other formats, such as blog posts, video material is easier to digest. Additionally, it appeals to Millennials and is more fun. Marketers may access a growing population of interested customers by fusing the reach and scope of digital advertising with the emotional impact of social media video.