Yesha Shah is the Digital Editor at Microsoft on Windows 8 apps and MSN.ca for the mobile, tablet and desktop platforms. Here are her thoughts on digital marketing:

1. What do you consider essential skills for a marketing team these days?

   In my opinion, being digitally savvy is an essential skill these days. Marketing is evolving in the digital space, so being able to adapt to the latest technologies and applications is an absolute must. Social media platforms now not only enable a brand to reach out to a general as well as niche audience, but also allow the brand to be more accessible to consumers. 

    

2. What do you feel are the most underrated skills in a marketing team these days?

   Communication both oral and written seems to be an underrated skill these days. People get caught up in translating ideas to sales objectives. However, they forget the first step should be to get the word out there. If you don’t have smart, catchy headlines across the web, mobile, and tablet audience, then it’s hard to engage your target market’s attention. With the rise in portable devices, the average consumer tends to have a shorter attention span. Keeping this and competitors in mind, it is imperative for the brand to speak to its audience quickly and coherently. For this very reason, communication -- and great writing skills in specific -- is key for marketing these days. 

3. What do you see as the biggest challenges for marketing professionals over the next year?

   The biggest challenge would be to keep up with the numerous social media apps popping up by the month. One day brands are all over Pinterest and the next day they’re all over Snapchat. Initially when it came to social media marketing, the main focus was simply on Facebook and Twitter. Now, there are way more social media apps to keep up with and, depending on the brand, it’s extremely important to establish that online footprint across these social media dashboards while the platform is "in."

4. How did you get the background and skills necessary?

   I pursued several internships not only to get some hands-on experience but also to discover the various aspects of digital media. This in turn helped me identify what exactly I wanted to pursue within the field and thus, helped me acquire the necessary skills.

    

5. What advice would you give to young people who want to become digital marketer some day?

   Stay in sync with the digital trends. Attend industry events to stay in the loop with the community. Read tech blogs to gain knowledge on the latest tech developments and, of course, be sure to be a self-learner. 

    

6. What excites you the most about your industry?

   The most exciting part about this industry is that it’s extremely fast paced. There are new tools and apps launching by the day and with that, the approach to marketing strategies tends to change. The fact that the number of mobile and tablet users is going up exponentially further goes to show how much potential digital marketing has in this day and age. We’re just at the tip of the iceberg. There’s a long, long way to go, and this is what makes the industry fresh, challenging, and thus exciting for me, all at the same time. 

    

   

   Yesha Shah is a University of Western Ontario graduate who currently works as a Digital Editor at Microsoft on Windows 8 apps and MSN.ca for the mobile, tablet and desktop audience. Her passion for digital media has led her to working at Reuters, CP24, OMNI, and City TV in the past. You can find her on Twitter at yesha__shah.