In the ecommerce industry, both the Director of Digital Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) roles offer lucrative career paths, but their responsibilities, required skills, and average salaries differ.

The key differences? The journey to either role typically takes eight to 10 years of experience. However, CMOs tend to earn higher salaries, with an average annual income of $135,198, compared to $112,413 for Directors of Digital Marketing, according to Zippia.

Director of digital marketing vs. CMO

Responsibilities and skills vary for a director of digital marketing and a CMO.

A director of digital marketing’s role focuses on managing a company’s online marketing efforts. Their responsibilities include:

• Crafting digital strategies to enhance brand awareness
• Analyzing KPIs
• Leading campaigns
• Setting budgets
• Recruiting team members
• Collaborating with designers, analysts, and stakeholders.

Directors ensure policies are followed and that their team operates as a key organizational asset. Their top skills include digital marketing, KPI analysis, and campaign management.

CMOs oversee all marketing operations with a broader, more strategic scope. They define overarching marketing strategies, build and lead high-performing teams, and ensure alignment with the company’s business goals. Their top skills include strategic planning, team leadership, and digital marketing.

While both roles are integral to ecommerce success, the CMO position offers higher pay and strategic influence. On the other hand, a director of digital marketing provides a specialized focus on digital platforms, according to Zippia.

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