Agencies dominate 60% of digital marketing openings in India: Report

India has been experiencing a surge in demand for skilled entry-level jobs in digital marketing functions in 2024 despite a palpable hiring slowdown in other functions throughout the year. This was revealed in a study released by Kraftshala, titled, ‘Digital Marketing Trends Report 2024’. Kraftshala runs an edtech platform for marketing jobs in India.

The study analysed 765 roles floated during Kraftshala’s placement processes for three programmes: Marketing Launchpad, Marketing Launchpad (Emerging Talent – Hinglish), and Content and Social Media Launchpad’.

The study found a steady increase in entry-level jobs in 2024, driven by agencies and large brands actively seeking skilled professionals. Agencies account for 60% of these roles, highlighting their reliance on fresh talent for growth. The report reveals that for every hire made by a brand, five hires are made by agencies, indicating the sheer volume of hiring in agencies this year. 

Among cities, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi-NCR emerged as dominant hiring hubs, contributing to 67% of the roles. The report mentions that the cities, of Pune, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Chennai, and Kolkata, are also growing in prominence in India’s digital marketing sector.

Bengaluru remains the top choice for competitive compensation, with 28% of roles in the city falling in the high CTC bracket. Interestingly, despite their smaller market sizes, the cities like Chennai and Noida, are also offering premium compensations for niche skills, demonstrating the growing appetite of these regional hubs for top talent in digital marketing.

Rise in programmatic advertising jobs

With the growth in digital, there has been a massive adoption of programmatic advertising in India, leading to a demand for candidates with qualifications and skills in programmable advertising. According to the TAM-AdEx report for January to June 2024, programmatic advertising accounted for 88% of total digital ad impressions in India.

The findings shed light on the growing importance of technical specialisations. Roles in programmatic advertising and e-commerce are experiencing rapid growth, reflecting the industry’s adoption of advanced technologies and emerging trends.

Demand for hybrid work culture

The workplace trends revealed by the report are equally compelling. 93% of the roles floated in 2024 were either in-office or hybrid, with only 7% being fully remote. Employers emphasise collaboration and on-the-ground problem-solving, which explains the limited adoption of fully remote positions. For candidates, this shift underlines the need to be adaptable to workplace expectations while demonstrating the ability to thrive in team environments.

The perennial debate of skills versus degrees is also uncovered in this report where it is clear that more and more recruiters are now open to non-linear career trajectories, valuing practical skills over conventional resumes. Examples of hires with non-traditional backgrounds, including those with career gaps or unrelated degrees or, in fact, no graduation degrees, illustrate the industry’s openness to diverse talent profiles.

Varun Satia, founder and CEO of Kraftshala, said, “The digital marketing industry presents immense opportunities for those willing to upskill and adapt. Recruiters are looking for candidates who can bring real value through their problem-solving abilities and technical knowledge. This report underlines the importance of building practical, hands-on expertise to stand out in today’s competitive job market.”

New hiring practices

Observing a clear departure from traditional hiring practices, Satia, added, “Employers are willing to pay premium salaries even for entry-level roles, provided the candidates can demonstrate their ability to think critically and adapt to emerging technologies. This is a wake-up call for students to not just focus on collecting certificates but focus on skill building.”

Recruiters are shifting their focus away from traditional hiring processes like aptitude and psychometric tests, instead prioritising tasks that gauge problem-solving abilities and encourage candidates to apply themselves.

This change aligns with the decline of basic roles, which are increasingly being automated or redefined. In parallel, recruiters are demonstrating a willingness to pay higher salaries for skilled candidates, even if it means extending the hiring timeline to secure the right talent. The report includes an example describing how an emerging company sifted through 7,000 applications over five months to fill a single digital marketing role, highlighting the critical importance of demonstrated skills over superficial qualifications.