Building Valuable Digital Teams

Talent in the digital industry is in high demand. From developers, penetration testers, and security experts to infrastructure engineers, designers, and IT diagnostics, their skills are varied and required to some degree in most modern businesses.

So, how do you build an entirely digital team with the same robust structures, resource provisions, and clear communication lines as you would your marketing or sales department?

Why Digital?

Let’s build a foundation by exploring what digital teams can offer.

Their place in digital agencies and technology innovation organisations is clear, but they can also offer valuable skills, insights, and work capabilities to businesses outside immediate digital services.

Digital teams have the ability to help your business reach more people via digital channels i.e., websites, social media, and digital marketing.

They can also offer services and support internally, with nearly every business now relying on applications such as CRMs, business management systems and intranets to maintain and track productivity, sales, and other important analytics. Digital staff can not only provide manual support, installation and maintenance of said applications, but many are also able to offer in-depth analysis of certain metrics.

For instance, data analysis of how well your systems are performing or how often your site was visited, as well as by who, where from, and how relevant the search was, gives you an unquestionable edge when performing updates and campaigns.

What Roles Exist?

The number of roles and subdivided job titles within the digital market is vast and complex. Whilst the following is far from a comprehensive list, we wanted to take a look at the types of roles that are available and how they can provide valuable services to your business:

  • Developers – Easily one of the most competitive and valued specialties currently operating, Developers are varied in their expertise and service. Developers work in teams to design, build, and test digital solutions. From websites and apps, to online application tools, portals, and analytic provisions, Developers are the foundation of every digital agency.
  • IT Technician – The digital role most common in businesses outside the digital industry, IT Technicians hold a complex catalogue of information from servers and infrastructure, to software and installation. IT Technicians can help support businesses by keeping them online with little disruption.
  • Digital Marketing – There are a huge amount of roles that fit into digital marketing but they all play a crucial role in your company’s reach. These team members front your efforts to get your brand to the right people, as well as digest important analytics, compile data, and create dynamic strategies to improve practices.
  • Design – Whether you’re a new startup or an established business looking to refresh your brand, designers are invaluable in communicating your offer to exactly the people you want to attract. With varied roles and specialties, from Graphic Designers who work with website developers and Brand Designers who work with businesses of their identity, designers work intricately with almost all digital teams.

High-Performing Teams

With a comprehensive understanding of who you need for what job, knowing what skills and experience to look for is paramount to building a dynamic and high-performing digital team.

When looking to hire digital staff, it’s important to consider what the candidate’s experience tells you about their involvement with digital as an arm of a wider sector. Essentially, the digital industry is a part of the wider technology industry, and the technology industry was built on the science sector. In light of this, how involved or even interested are your candidates in what’s going on with the future of digital?

Of course, previous experience in the role is vital. However, those who also have a keen interest in the wider technology/science market, maybe they subscribe to a newsletter, write blogs or articles for a tech-driven publication or take a course in a non-digital scientific field, offer an interest in innovation that will offer the best productivity.

Often, when considering applicants for developer roles, employers tend to be only interested in their technical skillset. Whilst undoubtedly paramount, developers are only as good as their solution’s digital design. Web design should form the connective structure of digital development as it will ultimately have the largest and most immediate impact on your users.

As such, how well is your candidate interested or even knowledgeable about the power and influence of design? Experts interviewing for non-design specific roles will always work in conjunction with your design team so they should have a solid foundational understanding of this process.

Lastly, whether your business is specialised or not, looking for those who have experience in a variety of industries will always yield greater innovation. For instance, hiring a Marketing Analyst who has worked in the Food & Drinks industry, a B2B organisation as well as a digital agency will have insights, interests, and experience that will be absolutely beneficial to your digital team.

Look further abroad than your usual channels and interview those who don’t immediately strike you as a number one candidate. The digital industry is vast and complex but it is also new. Everyday brings new ideas, technology, and approaches to development so keeping your team flexible and dynamic, with members from a range of backgrounds, they will only support you and your business as you move forward.

Web Design Leeds

6B have worked with a variety of private and public sector clients, from Public Health England and NHS Trusts to Candy Kittens and more, and we understand what is important to you. For more information on what services we offer and how we can help you become more accessible to your audience, take a look at our Services page.

What to join the 6B team? We’re always looking for dynamic and talented individuals to join us. Browse our Career Opportunities or email us at info@6bdigital.com.

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