Computer Sytems for Marketing Careers

The explosion of the Internet and other technological communication tools have changed the business of marketing. Professionals who are building a career in the field must have a firm grasp on the tools of technology that allow companies to reach out to customers through their computers as well as phones and other hand-held devices. Marketers still need to have a grasp on traditional tools of the trade as well

Graphic Design Tools

Marketing professionals still need to produce printed products and pages that can be sent electronically, so page layout programs like Adobe InDesign and other graphic design programs like Photoshop, Acrobat and Illustrator are still required computer systems for the job. Marketing professionals should be able to work in both PC and Macintosh format to enhance their employability.

Content Management Systems

Marketers need to have a firm grasp on the preparation of content for the Internet. The tools to do this are typically customized content management solutions that allow users to select from pre-programmed options to display content online using templates that are designed into the system. Some of these content management solutions are basic off-the-shelf software, but many are designed as marketing executives meet with programmers to build solutions that meet a specific need. IBM's Lotus Web Content Management is one Java application that manages web content, and Sharepoint Server is an example of a proprietary solution that accomplishes the same goals.

Database Management Software

The goal of marketing to find and target individual customers with a message suited specifically to them is achieved through the use of increasingly sophisticated database tools. Marketers can store customer data in the system with as much or as little information as they choose. The more detailed the information, the more targeted the message. Systems that allow for complex demographic or regional sorting prior to standard mail or e-mail are critical to success in the marketing industry. Some companies customize software like Microsoft Access for this purpose, while Oracle has a number of higher end database solutions.

Search Engine Tools

The key to being found online is found in creating messages that are optimized for the search engines that are in wide use on the Internet. Google, Yahoo and the other tools that potential customers use to find information about companies are programmed to find things in a certain order. Tools that provide search engine optimization as marketers design websites are a major part of the business of finding the right customers with a marketing message. Marketing professionals need to learn how to use SEO technology as part of their daily duties. Google's AdWords and Microsoft's adCenter are two SEO tools with which marketers must be familiar.

Read more: Computer Sytems for Marketing Careers | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_6831317_computer-sytems-marketing-careers.html#ixzz1CEaTpgRc