The American Marketing Association is the home of impactful learning for marketers on the move. Our data-backed approach to building the training and certification you need to advance your career makes us unique. Explore the AMA Marketing Skills Framework below to see why you can trust the AMA to give you meaningful professional development.
Four Skill Domains
The skills framework consists of four primary domains, which, together, represent a full life-cycle of marketing activities. They are not completely independent of each other, as some skills will overlap between domains.
Topics
- Search Engine Optimization
- Data Compliance & Security
- Data Visualization
- Website/Google Analytics
Sample Job Activities and Behaviors
Individual Contributor
- Develop recurring reports focused on end-user experience and share reports cross-functionally
- Integrate external data sets from research and surveys into customer data for analysis
- Monitor ongoing analytics such as website traffic, email campaign results and social media activity.
- Audit, recommend and implement technical SEO/SEM optimizations
Mid-Level
- Manage marketing data collection and data input channels to ensure consistency and standardization
- Collaborate with marketing strategists, web developers and content specialists on web structure, A/B tests and content strategies
- Make recommendations for optimization of marketing campaigns
- Monitor and report on marketing program effectiveness and ROI
Senior Leader
- Identify areas where analytics can better serve the organization
- Develop strategic and technical approaches that address data needs
- Communicate relevant metrics, targets and data collection strategies and insights to key stakeholders.
- Establish best practices for segmentation, forecasting, targeting, analysis and execution of marketing campaigns
Topics
- Digital Strategy
- Positioning & Targeting
- Content Strategy & Planning
- Product & Service Development
- Pricing Strategy
- Marketing Management
Sample Job Activities and Behaviors
Individual Contributor
- Plan compelling content and creative assets for targeted audiences, customized for various platforms
- Collaborates with colleagues in communications, marketing, and digital strategy to conceptualize and develop integrated marketing campaigns
- Develop and maintain a social media listening and intelligence dashboard, regularly responding to and engaging with online audiences
Mid-Level
- Provide direction regarding campaign execution and content production
- Develop and deploy both traditional and digital advertising strategies, campaigns and sales promotions in conjunction with larger marketing initiatives
- Interpret top-level messaging and brand stories to implement strategic marketing and communications plans
Senior Leader
- Provide direction regarding campaign execution and content production
- Develop and deploy both traditional and digital advertising strategies, campaigns and sales promotions in conjunction with larger marketing initiatives
- Interpret top-level messaging and brand stories to implement strategic marketing and communications plans
Topics
- Brand Identity & Voice
- Storytelling
- Copywriting
- Social Media Marketing
- Campaign Execution & Automation
Sample Job Activities and Behaviors
Individual Contributor
- Write and edit copy for multiple platforms, including (but not limited to) web, social media, print, out-of-home campaigns and digital advertising
- Utilize content management systems and tools to coordinate and schedule content
- Ensure consistency in brand voice and visual style across all digital channels
- Follow data compliance and ethics guidelines in published content
Mid-Level
- Create design principles and content standards for use in publication
- Gather and provide insightful interpretation of customer data to support content strategy and management
- Ensure production of materials is on time and within budget
- Plans and oversees the optimization of content in a variety of formats
- Monitor and report on marketing campaign effectiveness and ROI
Senior Leader
- Establish brand voice and story
- Develop strategic and technical approaches that address content needs
- Lead information architecture (IA) improvement efforts, including using data to guide solutions for content structure, sitemaps and taxonomy
- Develop and maintain the organization’s style guide, including editorial standards and policies
Topics
- CRM Tools
- Sales Intelligence
- UX/User Research
Sample Job Activities and Behaviors
Individual Contributor
- Measure and optimize the customer journey as it relates to creating an effective customer experience
- Conduct user research with customers
- Serve as a point of contact to ensure that marketing programs are impacting early-stage opportunities as well as nurturing existing pipelines
- Identify key consumer behavior and offer insights to drive data-driven decisions
Mid-Level
- Implement and refine marketing and sales plans
- Build and maintain collaborative relationships with stakeholders and teams
- Make recommendations for enhancements to marketing strategy in consultation with leadership
- Operationalize the customer experience delivery model to consistently create solutions based on customer insights
- Develops and motivates sales professionals by coaching and transferring industry knowledge to drive results
Senior Leader
- Create the vision for company-wide customer engagement strategies
- Partner with other teams to create programs that retain customers with the purpose of increasing lifetime value, driving revenue and increasing engagement
- Direct the company’s public communication efforts, coordinating messages with internal and external teams and stakeholders
Backed By Research
We talked with more than 1,000 marketing professionals and academic leaders to understand the most important skills for marketers in a rapidly-changing world. That research resulted in identifying the four main skill domains, which are reviewed annually by our AMA Learning Council.
It guides how the AMA approaches creating training, certification and resources to help marketers make an impact and advance their careers.
What About Soft Skills?
Soft skills are an essential capability and can help you understand, connect with and influence people. They can be as important as technical skills! That’s why we incorporate topics like creativity, adaptability and persuasive communication into learning experiences so you have a complete toolkit to make an impact with your work.
Built-In Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
We don’t identify Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as a separate domain because it should be incorporated into all the work that marketers do.
That’s one reason we work with The Diversity Movement to create DEI-specific marketing resources. As a Preferred Diversity Partner of the AMA, they’ve created a DEI MIcroVideo Library for our members, and together we’re publishing resources to help marketers embrace the power of inclusion.
Ready to Make Your Move?
Explore ways to learn new skills and grow your network to advance your career.
-
ON-DEMAND TRAINING
AMA On-Demand Training
Easy to fit into your schedule and ready to help you find new tactics to make an impact at work.
-
CERTIFICATION
AMA Professional Certified Marketer®
Gain confidence and prove you have the skills to make an impact. Add PCM® behind your name and see how your career grows.
-
BOOTCAMPS
AMA Bootcamps
With live in-person and virtual options, AMA Bootcamps let you get hands-on training to help you solve your marketing challenges.