What Is a Digital Marketing Consultant

If you’ve ever searched online for help to grow your business, you've probably come across the term digital marketing consultant.  But what does that really mean?

A digital marketing consultant is someone who helps businesses grow by using tools like websites, social media, emails, and ads. Their job is to bring in more customers through the internet.

Whether you’re a business owner looking to hire one or someone who wants to become one, this blog will break it down in simple words.

What Does a Digital Marketing Consultant Do?

A digital marketing consultant gives advice and builds strategies to help businesses succeed online. They study your current marketing, find what’s missing, and create a plan that gets results.

Here are some of the things they usually help with:

• Creating and improving websites
• Running ads on Google, Facebook, or Instagram
• Writing blog posts or website content
• Helping with SEO (making your website show up on Google)
• Managing emails and newsletters
• Tracking results with tools like Google Analytics
• Teaching the business how to keep growing

Some consultants work full-time for agencies, while others work alone or as freelancers. Either way, their job is to give smart advice and real support.

What Is the Role of a Digital Consultant?

A digital consultant focuses on the bigger picture of how a business uses digital tools—not just marketing. This can include improving customer experience, choosing the right technology, digital transformation, or optimizing business operations through digital means.

While a digital marketing consultant focuses on promotion and lead generation, a digital consultant may also help with systems, software, and overall strategy for running a business in a digital world.

What Is the Difference Between a Digital Marketing Specialist and a Consultant?

It’s easy to confuse the two, but there’s a clear difference:

• A  digital marketing specialist  usually executes specific tasks—like writing emails, managing social media, or creating ads.
• A  digital marketing consultant offers  strategic advice and plans—looking at the business as a whole to suggest improvements.

Think of a specialist as someone who builds the house and a consultant as the architect who designs the blueprint.

How to Become a Digital Marketing Consultant

If you’re wondering how to become a digital marketing consultant, here are the main steps:

1. Learn the Basics:
   Start by learning the core parts of online marketing:
   • SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
   •  PPC (Pay-per-click ads) 
   • Social Media Marketing
   • Email Marketing
   • Content Writing
   • Analytics (like Google Analytics)

   You don’t have to go to college for it, but online courses, YouTube, or certifications like Google Ads and HubSpot can really help.

2. Get Real Practice:
   Try building your own website, helping a friend’s business, or running small ad campaigns. Practice is the best way to learn what works.
3. Build a Portfolio:
   When you help someone and get good results, take screenshots and write about what you did. This becomes your portfolio and helps attract future clients.
4. Choose a Niche (Optional):
   You can work with any kind of business, or pick a specific field like real estate, beauty, or fitness. Some consultants become experts in one area.
5. Offer Your Services:
   Start offering your help to local businesses or online companies. You can also join websites like Upwork or Fiverr to land your first jobs.

What Is Digital Marketing Consulting?

 Digital marketing consulting is when someone gives expert advice about online marketing. It’s not just doing the work—it’s showing people what to do and why.

For example, a business might want more sales from their website. A digital marketing consultant looks at the site, studies the ads, checks the content, and then tells the business what needs to change.

Some consultants do both: give advice and help do the work. Others just guide the business, and the team carries it out.

How Much Do Digital Marketing Consultants Charge?

The price can vary a lot depending on experience, services, and location. Here’s a general idea:

• Beginners or freelancers: $20 to $50 per hour
• Experienced consultants: $75 to $150 per hour
• High-end experts or agencies: $200 or more per hour

Some also charge by the project. For example:

• Website audit: $300 to $1000
• Monthly services: $500 to $5000 depending on what’s included

Always make sure you know what’s included before hiring anyone.

Digital Marketing Services Offered by Consultants

A digital marketing consultant might offer one or more of these services:

• Website audits: Checking your site for problems
• SEO: Making your site rank better on Google
• PPC ads: Running paid ads on Google or social media
• Content planning: Helping you decide what to post
• Email marketing: Setting up newsletters or automations
• Social media strategy: Planning posts and growing followers
• Analytics: Tracking your results and making sense of the data

Each business has different needs, so a good consultant creates a custom plan.

Are Marketing Consultants Worth It?

In many cases—yes! A good marketing consultant can save you money by avoiding guesswork, speeding up growth, and showing you proven strategies.

If you’ve been spinning your wheels, spending money on ads that don’t work, or watching your competitors grow faster, it may be time to bring in an expert. Even a short consultation can point you in the right direction.

What Is the Highest Position in Digital Marketing?

The highest role in digital marketing is often Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), especially in larger companies. The CMO oversees all marketing efforts—including digital, print, brand, and strategy.

Other high-ranking roles in digital marketing include:

• VP of Marketing
• Director of Digital Marketing
• Head of Growth
• Marketing Strategist or Consultant (for agencies or self-employed pros)

Many digital marketing consultants eventually build their own agencies or become full-time strategic advisors for major brands.

Why Hire a Digital Marketing Consultant?

 Hiring a digital marketing consultant  can save time, money, and stress. Instead of guessing what works, you get advice from someone who’s tested it already.

If you’re not sure where to start, or if your online sales have dropped, a consultant can look at the big picture and help fix what’s wrong.

That’s where SEO Raft comes in.

Need Help? Work With SEO Raft

 SEO Raft  offers expert digital marketing consulting for small and growing businesses. Whether you need help with SEO, ads, or strategy, our team knows how to get real results.

We’ll study your website, figure out what’s holding you back, and build a plan that helps you grow. Whether you're just starting out or want to improve what you're already doing, we’re here to help.