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What Is a Digital Marketing Strategist? (A Simple Guide for Filipinos & PH Businesses)

If you’ve been exploring online marketing (Facebook ads, TikTok content, SEO, email marketing, e-commerce)chances are you’ve come across the term digital marketing strategist.

But what exactly do they do?
And do businesses in the Philippines really need one?
And how much does it cost to hire one these days?

In this guide, we’ll break things down in a simple, friendly way—perfect for business owners, freelancers, or anyone curious about digital marketing careers.

Let’s go!

digital marketing strategist

What Exactly Is a Digital Marketing Strategist?

A digital marketing strategist is the person behind the plan.

They’re the ones who:

  • study your market
  • understand your target customers
  • plan your marketing campaigns
  • decide which online channels to focus on
  • analyze performance
  • make sure your business gets real ROI

The technical definition is this:

A digital marketing strategist is a professional who plans, implements, and manages a company’s online marketing campaigns to increase brand awareness, drive traffic, and generate leads. They use data and analytics to create strategies across social media, email, SEO, and paid ads—often working with specialists to execute the plan.

In short:
They tell your digital marketing “what to do” and “why.”

Most companies jump straight to posting on Facebook or boosting ads without a strategy this is why many campaigns fail.
A strategist prevents that.

What Does a Digital Marketing Strategist Actually Do?

Here’s the simple breakdown of their day-to-day tasks:

✔️ 1. Market Research

They study:

  • industry trends
  • your competitors
  • your target customers
  • buying behavior of Pinoys
  • online platforms your customers use

✔️ 2. Strategy Planning

Examples:

  • deciding whether your brand should focus on TikTok or Facebook
  • planning content topics
  • choosing the right ads strategy (traffic? leads? conversions?)
  • setting KPIs like cost per lead, ROAS, or engagement rate

✔️ 3. Managing Campaigns

They create the game plan and coordinate with:

  • graphic designers
  • content creators
  • ad specialists
  • SEO specialists
  • email marketers

✔️ 4. Data & Analytics

This is where strategists shine.

They read numbers from:

  • Google Analytics
  • Facebook & TikTok Ads Manager
  • SEO tools
  • Email dashboards

Then they turn those numbers into decisions:

  • “Increase budget here”
  • “Change the ad creative”
  • “Target this new audience”
  • “Post these topics more often”

✔️ 5. Ensuring ROI

The main goal:
Get results that matter, not just vanity metrics.

Why Is This Role Important in the Philippines?

Flag of Philippines

Because most PH businesses still rely on:

  • Facebook posting
  • Boosted posts
  • Random ads with no funnel
  • TikTok posts without direction

A digital strategist changes the game by:

  • making campaigns data-driven
  • planning content with intent
  • maximizing your ad budget
  • ensuring your brand reaches the right people

Businesses in the Philippines, especially SMEs 💰 Salary of a Digital Marketing Strategist in the Philippines

If you’re wondering “How much does a digital marketing strategist earn?”, here’s the latest data:

Average Salary (PH):

  • ₱40,000 – ₱60,000 per month for full-time roles
  • Some senior strategists earn ₱70,000 – ₱100,000+ depending on skill and industry
  • Freelance strategists typically charge ₱25,000 – ₱80,000 per project depending on scope

Actual Data from Salary Platforms:

  • ₱471,969/year — According to Indeed PH
  • ₱624,630/year — According to SalaryExpert (for PH regions like Bacolod)

Entry-Level Salary:

  • Around ₱25,000 – ₱35,000/month

Senior Strategist Salary:

₱80,000 – ₱120,000+/month especially in Manila, tech, or international companiesbenefit a lot from having someone who can guide all marketing decisions. Yes, even small businesses need strategy now.

For Business Owners: How Much Would It Cost to Hire a Strategist?

Smiling ethnic vendor against containers with rice cakes
Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh on Pexels

Here are your realistic options:

1. Hire Full-Time (Local)

  • Cost: ₱40,000 – ₱70,000 per month
  • Best for: mid-size businesses, e-commerce brands, real estate, and companies running ads consistently.

2. Hire a Freelance Strategist

  • Cost: ₱15,000 – ₱80,000 per month depending on experience
  • Best for: small businesses, service providers, starting brands.

3. Hire an Agency

  • Cost: ₱30,000 – ₱150,000 per month
  • Best for: businesses that want a strategist + execution.

A strategist is not just an “expense”—they actually save money by preventing wasted ad spend and low-quality campaigns.

Where to Find Digital Marketing Strategist Jobs in the Philippines

Asian woman using artificial intelligence

If you’re interested in becoming a strategist, here are the best job sites:

Top PH Job Platforms

✔️ JobStreet Philippines (most active listings)
✔️ Indeed PH
✔️ LinkedIn Jobs
✔️ Kalibrr
✔️ Upwork (for freelancers)
✔️ OnlineJobs.ph (remote jobs, mostly US clients)

These platforms regularly feature roles like:

  • Digital Marketing Strategist
  • Digital Marketing Manager
  • Growth Strategist
  • Paid Ads Strategist
  • SEO/Content Strategist

Want to Become a Digital Strategist? Here Are Recommended Courses

A young female student concentrates intently on her laptop while seated at a library. A blurred background creates a collaborative and productive atmosphere.

No experience? No problem!
Here are great beginner-friendly options:

1. Google Digital Marketing & E-Commerce Course (Highly Recommended)

This is one of the best global starter courses:

  • Beginner-friendly
  • Covers SEO, ads, analytics, email, e-commerce
  • Recognized by employers
  • Free/low cost depending on region

2. Inventive Media PH (Local Training)

Covers:

  • SEO
  • Google Ads
  • Meta Ads
  • Analytics

3. CDM Philippines – Digital Marketing Strategist Track

For a local, structured course—this is a great pick.

4. HubSpot Academy (Free)

They offer:

  • Content Marketing Certification
  • Social Media Certification
  • Email Marketing Certification

5. Meta Blueprint (Free)

Great for anyone who wants to run Facebook or Instagram ads professionally.

Why Businesses in the Philippines Need a Digital Marketing Strategist

Digital Marketing

Here’s the simple truth:

Marketing without strategy = wasted budget.

A strategist helps your business:
✔️ Understand your customers
✔️ Plan campaigns the right way
✔️ Avoid wasting money on ads
✔️ Build long-term brand awareness
✔️ Track results and improve them

This role is no longer a “luxury” —
Digital marketing in PH is getting more competitive every year.

If you want your business to grow online, having a strategist (full-time, freelance, or agency-based) is a big advantage.

Final Thoughts

The digital marketing strategist role is becoming one of the most important jobs in the Philippines today. Whether you’re a business owner looking to scale or someone exploring a career in digital, this role opens huge opportunities—local and international.

If you want your marketing to be intentional, data-driven, and ROI-focused, then having a strategist is the way to go.

📚 Sources & References

Here are the sources used in creating this blog post. These include salary data, job platforms, and recommended courses for aspiring digital marketing strategists:

Salary & Job Market Data (Philippines)

Courses & Certifications

General Reference for Responsibilities & Definitions

Websow.

Websow is a digital marketing agency in Bacolod helping local service businesses grow through website design, SEO, and automation.