I understand how frustrating it can be to try to break into digital marketing (or any other field) when you feel that all you’re missing is that first bit of experience. I also spent hours scrolling through job listings that seemed to have the same template: “We’re looking for candidates with prior experience.” But how do you gain that experience if no one is willing to give you that first opportunity?
It’s exhausting. You might have already taken courses, trained in copywriting, or have a passion for creating content… but when it comes time to apply, you hit the wall of lacking experience. But let me tell you something: that cycle of “I don’t have experience, so I can’t get a job” won’t break by sending out more resumes.
It breaks when you proactively start building your experience from scratch. Without contacts, without favors, and without waiting for anyone’s permission. How do you do it? Let me tell you how I did it, and how you can replicate it to start paving your path today.
Lesson 1: Bring Your First Personal Project to Life and Measure Your Results
In my case, I decided to create my own blog focused on topics that truly excite me. It became my space without rules where I could apply everything I was learning: from SEO to design. And it didn’t just let me practice; over time, it turned into my best calling card.
Documenting your process is crucial.
As you progress with your project, make sure to save screenshots and reports that reflect your progress. This will not only help you understand what works and what doesn’t, but it will also provide concrete proof of your achievements.
Digital marketing has a great advantage: you don’t need a huge investment to start creating something of your own.
With a domain and hosting—literally just a few dollars a year—you can have your own website and start documenting your results. There are no excuses for not getting started.
How to Choose Relevant KPIs to Measure Your Progress
Once you’ve chosen your niche, measure what truly reflects the value of your work:
- Monthly visits to your website.
- Newsletter subscribers.
- Average time on page or bounce rate.
- Revenue generated from ads.
- Social media interactions (followers, likes, etc.).
Personal Example: When I wanted to sell myself as a copywriter, what mattered was demonstrating how many people read my content and how they interacted with it. If an article has thousands of views and generates engagement, that’s already a significant asset for your portfolio.
How to Choose Your Niche
Many times we think it’s enough to be good at something, but the reality is that if you work on something that doesn’t interest you, you’ll likely burn out.
How can you discover your niche? Ask yourself:
- What topics excite you? Which blogs or videos do you follow without ever getting bored?
- What do you enjoy discussing with friends and family?
- What books, series, or documentaries do you usually consume?
- What hobbies do you have? For instance, if you love cooking, why not focus on helping restaurants with their digital marketing?
Personal Example: In my case, I knew I was passionate about spirituality, personal development, and esotericism. As a Bachelor’s in Management, I could have chosen to write about finance or business, but the reality is I wouldn’t have been as motivated or committed. Keep this in mind.
Choosing that niche not only opened the door to my first job, but it also led me to connect with incredible people.
Raquel and Gonza were my colleagues during that first professional experience. We took this photo at our last meeting in Barcelona.
Lesson 2: Start Working for Free with Local or Acquaintance Businesses
If lack of experience is the biggest obstacle, then the solution is to create it yourself. You don’t need to be paid initially. What you really need is to build a portfolio that shows you can do the job… and do it well.
I assure you that someone in your network needs help with their digital presence: a cousin with a small store, a friend launching their business, or even the local hair salon with barely any followers on social media.
Make it irresistible: Offer your help strategically. It’s not “I’ll help you for free because I have no experience.” No. It’s: “I’m going to help you increase your online sales in the next month without you having to invest anything in me. Just cover the cost of the advertising.”
Tips for Structuring the Offer and Making the Most of It:
- Define a clear objective. For example: increase social media followers, optimize the website, generate leads, or achieve online sales.
- Agree on a limited timeframe. Something like “I’ll work with you for a month to achieve X goal. If you like the result, let’s consider something more long-term.”
- Document everything. What’s important here is that you can show tangible results when you’re done. Create a report of what you achieved (improvement in visits, increase in followers, etc.) and use that data to market yourself in future opportunities. Plus, you can ask for testimonials.
If I had to start over, this would be the option I would choose without hesitation.
Why? Because creating my personal project took me nearly a year of work before I saw tangible results. That doesn’t mean it has to be the same for you, of course, but if I wanted faster results, focusing on helping small businesses would be my first choice.
Lesson 3: Build Your Portfolio with Personal Projects (Even If You Don’t Have Clients)
Your portfolio is your calling card, and if you don’t yet have big clients (or even small ones), that’s okay. You can create those first projects on your own and show what you’re capable of.
Here are some ideas to fill that portfolio with work that speaks for you:
- Launch a blog in the niche you love. Leverage Lesson 1 and start writing articles, sharing content on social media, and demonstrating how you position the blog using good SEO practices.
- Create a mock website. Think of it as a pilot project where you can develop digital marketing strategies, as if you were working for a real client.
- Run ad campaigns for your own product. If media buying is your thing and approaching small businesses isn’t quite convincing yet, here’s another option: create your own product and sell it through ads. It could be an e-book, a digital tool, or even a physical product. Invest a small budget and document every step of the process.
In fact, creating a website today is super accessible.
If you want to start with your own project, I recommend this offer from Hostinger.
I use it because it allows you to have up to 100 websites for the same price, which is ideal if you want to experiment with multiple projects, like a personal blog and your professional brand’s website. Plus, if you have clients later on, you can use the same hosting for their projects without paying extra.
Lesson 4: Connect with People and Brands That Inspire You (Strategically)
It’s not just about following big brands. In fact, starting with them can be challenging due to the fierce competition they face. Instead, I encourage you to focus your attention on medium or small brands within your niche. Start getting to know their products, communication style, and branding.
How can you approach them?
- Follow their content. Read their blogs, join their newsletters, and leave comments on their posts.
- Interact genuinely. If they organize an online event, participate. If there’s a webinar, don’t hesitate to attend and ask questions.
- Identify opportunities to help. You might notice something that could be improved on their website or an opportunity to optimize their marketing strategy. Don’t hesitate to communicate it, always with respect and focusing on the value you can offer.
Remember: what really matters is that when you approach them, they already recognize you as someone who is part of their community and truly understands their brand.
Personal Example: In my case, my fascination with spirituality led me to closely follow several brands in this niche. I attended their webinars and immersed myself in their communication style, which gave me a significant advantage when one of those brands posted a job opening for a copywriter.
Because I was familiar with their style, I was able to submit a work sample that perfectly matched what they were looking for. They told me they were impressed because it seemed like I genuinely understood their vision. That authentic connection opened the door to my first job in digital marketing.
Conclusion: Your Experience Depends on You
In summary, to build your own experience in digital marketing, you don’t need to wait for someone else to give you an opportunity:
- Create your own experience through personal projects and by offering help to local businesses.
- Document your process and results to showcase your skills.
- Connect with medium or small brands that inspire you and participate in their community.
- Follow your enthusiasm and choose topics that excite you; this will not only make you enjoy your work more, but also reflect in your results and motivation (especially if you end up working full-time in this field, as I did).
I’ll say goodbye by thanking you for being here and wishing you the courage you need to build the path you truly desire.
Remember, the first step is yours to take. Don’t let a lack of formal experience hold you back. Is there a particular topic you would like me to dive deeper into in a future blog? Let’s meet in the comments.
Do you want to keep discovering more secrets on how to optimise your digital marketing?
Follow me on LinkedIn to stay updated on my upcoming articles and useful tips.
