The phrase “go an inch wide and a mile deep” has guided marketers for decades—and for good reason. It emphasizes the power of learning skills in a variety of disciplines and service types (the inch wide) while diving deep enough to become an expert in 1-2 key areas (the mile deep).
In digital marketing, this concept has evolved into what’s known as the t-shaped marketer model. Imagine the horizontal line of the “T” as representing a wide range of marketing disciplines you’re familiar with, such as SEO, email marketing, organic social, paid media, etc. Whereas the vertical line symbolizes your deep expertise in one or more specific areas; for example, maybe your focus is SEO and you go deeper with your expertise into technical SEO, content marketing, digital PR, local SEO, ecommerce SEO, etc.
In essence, it’s about striking the perfect balance between being a versatile generalist and a specialized expert.
Why does this matter? Well, in a fast-moving field like digital marketing, spreading yourself too thin without specializing can make it hard to stand out in a competitive market or leave you disadvantaged by not having the skill level required in a specific area. On the other hand, staying too narrowly focused on a single area can leave you vulnerable when trends shift or technologies change. Another benefit – most marketers aren’t going to love every aspect of marketing, and being a T-shaped marketer means you don’t have to! Find the one or two areas you are passionate about to dive deep into. In the other areas you can focus more on knowing the basics, which will also help you see where your passion fits in with everything else.
As shared by recent guests on The Digital Marketing Mentor podcast—Sophie Fell, Kirk Williams, and Mordy Oberstein—embracing the T-shaped marketer model has been a game-changer in their careers. These industry leaders credit their ability to blend broad knowledge with deep expertise as the key to thriving in an ever-evolving landscape.
If you’re a young professional considering a career in digital marketing or you’re just starting out as a marketer, this approach could be your ticket to success. Keep reading to learn how to become a T-shaped marketer and build a career that’s adaptable, competitive, and built to last.
Why are T-shaped skills essential?
In today’s rapidly evolving digital world, a T-shaped marketer is more important than ever. These marketers combine a broad understanding of marketing with profound expertise in a specific area, helping them adapt to trends, work well with other teams, and develop more effective strategies in such a complex environment.
For marketing beginners, adopting this approach provides a clear path to building foundational knowledge while at the same time developing specialized skills, making them more versatile and valuable in the industry. Let’s take a closer look at the key advantages of being a T-shaped marketer.
Cross-disciplinary knowledge
T-shaped marketers excel at spotting opportunities for cross-departmental collaboration. Whether it’s teaming up with the content team to drive lead generation or leveraging social media to strengthen community engagement, you have a knack for connecting the dots across disciplines. The result? Stronger teamwork, reduced costs, and streamlined marketing efforts that deliver real impact.
What sets T-shaped marketers apart is their ability to see the bigger picture. You understand how all the pieces of the marketing puzzle—SEO, email, social, paid media, and more—work together to achieve a common goal. This perspective allows you to allocate resources and connect the dots strategically, ensuring campaigns don’t just run but thrive, and all messaging is unified under an overarching strategy.
Capacity to work in any industry
While all marketers need to adapt to new industries, technologies, and markets, the T-shaped marketer has another distinct advantage here.
Let’s go back to our example of a broad knowledge in email marketing, organic social, and paid media, but in-depth expertise in SEO, from technical SEO to email marketing, to local SEO, and more. The key here is being able to connect the dots and see how it all works together. This T-shaped marketer understands how technical SEO impacts PR strategies, or how email campaigns incorporate technical SEO. They’ve had to think critically about how technical SEO changes might impact local search visibility or how a content-driven email strategy could drive traffic to optimized landing pages. This ability can be translated to other industries. Because they’ve been trained to think in terms of interconnected systems, they can quickly understand new tools, trends, or industries while maintaining a big-picture view of how all the pieces fit together, whereas a generalized marketer may not have had as much training in this crucial soft skill or may be starting from a more beginner level.
Their depth in one area ensures they bring not only expertise and proven tactics to translate into a new discipline or area, but their ability to connect the dots from big picture strategy to everyday needs. This combination makes them exceptionally effective at delivering results, even in unfamiliar environments.
Improved communication and collaboration skills
T-shaped marketers have a unique talent for understanding both client and co-worker needs—and for communicating effectively with everyone involved.
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Broad knowledge across multiple disciplines allows you to connect the dots between departments, fostering collaboration and alignment. This ability bridges gaps in understanding, ensuring teams work together more efficiently and reducing the silos that can hinder progress.
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When it comes to client work, broad knowledge allows them to see the bigger picture of the client’s marketing ecosystem and anticipate how different strategies and tactics will align with their goals.
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Even if you aren’t directly client-facing, the ability to connect insights from multiple disciplines means you can proactively identify opportunities, flag potential issues, and deliver solutions that align with the client’s needs. This makes you invaluable in ensuring client success, as your strategic thinking and adaptability can directly translate into more cohesive and impactful results.
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This perspective doesn’t just improve communication; it helps T-shaped marketers grasp how others work and why they approach tasks the way they do. By bridging these gaps, you create stronger relationships, improve workflows, and ensure everyone is working toward the same goals.
Strategic thinkers
T-shaped marketers bring more to the table than just execution—you excel at thinking strategically. You have the ability to align marketing efforts with broader business objectives, long-term goals, and client priorities.
By connecting day-to-day tactics with the bigger picture, T-shaped marketers ensure that every campaign not only drives results but also supports the organization’s vision and delivers real value to clients.
Project management and organization
While T-shaped marketers may not have a wide range of responsibilities, their specialized focus within a specific vertical offers distinct advantages in both skill development and overall impact.
Having a more narrow focus within their vertical allows T-shaped marketers to develop a deep level of expertise, which enhances the ability to deliver high-quality work with precision. By concentrating on a specific area, you can fine-tune your skills, stay up to date with industry changes in your vertical, and solve problems more effectively. This specialized focus enables you to make a greater impact in your role, driving results with depth and expertise that a broader, less defined focus simply can’t match.
While the daily responsibilities lie primarily within the vertical of expertise, T-shaped marketers’ broad understanding across multiple disciplines allows them to approach their work with a strategic mindset. This enables you to prioritize tasks effectively and align your efforts with the broader marketing strategy, ensuring your contributions fit seamlessly into the overall goals. The ability to balance deep expertise with a holistic perspective makes you invaluable in environments where agility and cross-functional awareness are key.
How do I become a T-shaped marketer?
To transition from a marketing generalist to a T-shaped digital marketer, you must first experience as many different areas of the industry as possible. By doing this, you start to grow the breadth of knowledge necessary and discover the area you enjoy the most.
It’s important to remember that this isn’t accomplished overnight. Take your time and research opportunities to work with SEO, content marketing, social media, copywriting, website development, and paid media specialists. Here’s a quick guide to get started!
1. Identify your current T-shape
To visualize your T-shaped skills, start by creating a T-shaped diagram. The horizontal bar represents your general knowledge and foundational capabilities—areas where you have a solid understanding and can contribute effectively across a variety of contexts. Add those areas you have knowledge in. Think of this as your broad skill set that allows you to connect with others and collaborate across disciplines.
Next, focus on the vertical bar, which highlights your areas of deep expertise. This is where you’ve invested significant time and effort—through studies, hands-on experience, or specialized training—to master one or two key disciplines. Add the expertise areas under 1-3 of the categories you added along the top. This deep knowledge sets you apart and becomes the cornerstone of your value as a marketer.
By combining both dimensions, you create a clear picture of your versatility and specialization—a powerful framework to guide your professional growth.
2. Begin by learning online
Enroll in a course. ODEO Academy offers high-level digital marketing courses that will help you find the areas you love and want to start building your ‘T’ with, whether you’re transitioning into the industry or looking to enhance your skills. These programs and masterclasses, based on the Master’s courses taught at the University of Houston, are designed by agency owner, chief strategist, and adjunct professor Danny Gavin.
Beyond coursework, dive into industry content to expand your knowledge. Read blogs, explore online resources, or tune into podcasts like our award-winning series, The Digital Marketing Mentor. A wealth of free information is available to help you stay informed and inspired as you grow in the field.
3. Look for opportunities to learn from others
One of the most effective ways for T-shaped marketers to develop and hone your skills is to seek opportunities where you can learn from others or be guided by them.
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Offer to work for or collaborate with start-ups
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Apply for an internship to gain hands-on experience
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Find organizations in your desired vertical that support those new to the industry
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Attend local marketing conferences and events where you can engage with industry leaders
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Seek out a mentor who can offer guidance, share insights, and help you grow
Real Life Examples
Sophie Fell
Sophie Fell, Head of Paid Media at Liberty Marketing Group, highlights that T-shaped marketers thrive in their careers because their broad knowledge across several marketing disciplines, combined with deep expertise in one area, makes them adaptable and versatile. This combination allows them to collaborate effectively, tackle diverse challenges, and stay ahead in the ever-changing digital marketing landscape.
As a recent guest on The Digital Marketing Mentor podcast, Sophie emphasized the importance of aligning your specialization with your skills and career goals. Regardless of your focus, understanding how your expertise fits into the broader marketing landscape is key. By finding the right balance, you can position yourself as an indispensable expert in a competitive field.
Kirk Williams
Another podcast guest, Kirk Williams, the founder and owner of a micro-agency of PPC experts, attributes his success to blending diverse marketing knowledge with deep expertise in his niche. His adaptability, critical thinking, and curiosity have helped him thrive in the dynamic digital marketing landscape. He has become a trusted expert, author, and speaker by leveraging his analytical and strategic skills. Kirk also underscores the importance of continuous learning, collaboration, and mentorship in building a sustainable and impactful marketing career.
Mordy Oberstein
Finally, Mordy Oberstein, Head of Brand SEO at Wix, emphasizes that T-shaped marketers thrive by integrating broad knowledge with deep specialization. This combination allows you to adapt to industry trends, solve complex problems, and craft comprehensive strategies that drive success.
All three real-life examples demonstrate that becoming a T-shaped marketer is not just a strategy; it’s a pathway to thriving in a fast-paced and ever-changing industry.
T-Shaped Marketing and ODEO Academy
Regardless of how deep you go in your area of specialization, it’s important to remember that adopting a T-shaped marketing approach can help you develop a wide range of skills and position yourself as a valuable asset.
A combination of specialized expertise and a broad understanding of various disciplines will help you create cohesive and captivating digital marketing campaigns that resonate with your audience.
Take the first step toward becoming a sought-after digital marketing professional with ODEO Academy. Explore our courses and resources today and unlock the skills and knowledge you need to build a successful, impactful career in this ever-evolving industry. Visit ODEO Academy now to get started!