Do we live in the age of digital nomads? Our guest editor, Ms Chrissy Jones, is back with an insightful piece – read on!
Today’s workforce is increasingly untethered to the traditional office. 70% of people globally work remotely at least once a week, and a report detailing the ‘state of remote work in 2018’ found that 25% of those surveyed worked in marketing. Furthermore, 75% of millennials believe working remotely improves their productivity, so it’s no wonder that we’re seeing the rise of digital marketing nomads who seek jobs that are not location-dependent.
What Makes Digital Marketing the Perfect Job for Nomads?
Being a successful digital marketer requires three core skills: writing, researching, and networking. Writers are known for being solitary, and often nomadic, creatures. Seeking inspiration in far off lands and quiet focus away from the bustle of the office. Nowadays, the research element is also easily conducted with little more than a laptop and a solid wifi connection. Reading trend reports, doing social media listening, surveying consumers, analysing the competitive landscape in a client’s industry — all tasks one can do online. And networking may sound like a face to face activity, but in the digital marketing realm, even one-to-one connections with influencers, subject matter experts or other partners for collaboration can all happen remotely via web.
Why is Cyprus So Attractive to Digital Marketing Nomads?
The primary driver behind a person’s decision to work as a nomad is the ability to have the world at their fingertips. To not compromise between a job you love and a geography you love. Some nomads hop around the globe, switching locations every year or every couple months. Others may have a home base or work part time in an office, but enjoy the flexibility of being able to travel more often than traditional workers. But being a digital marketing nomad is not like being on vacation. In fact, successful digital nomads must be self-disciplined in order to reap the rewards of the nomadic life. They must choose to work in environments that are also conducive to productivity.
Many of the same things that make Cyprus attractive to tourists also make it a draw for digital nomads who like to work hard and play hard — a lovely climate, pristine beaches, rich history, delicious Mediterranean cuisine, the list goes on and on. Yet there are also aspects of Cypriot life that make it ideal for the digital marketing nomad. In the past three years, free public wifi has become quite common across Cyprus, particularly with the addition of Cyta wireless access points in places like cafes, hotels and public squares. Cyprus is also uniquely situated a short hop from major EU markets, and emerging markets in Asia, making it an excellent home base for remote digital marketers who still need to get in occasional “face time” with global clients.
Why Digital Marketing Nomads are Great for Cyprus?
Not only is Cyprus a draw for today’s freelance and remote workers, these nomadic workers are a boon for the Cypriot economy. It’s no secret that Greece and Cyprus are suffering from the labour market crisis. Manufacturing jobs and jobs that don’t require college degrees have died off, and while skilled labour jobs are on the rise, there’s still a labour supply exceeding the demand. As digital marketing has become an essential tool for all businesses globally, people with the skills to develop and execute successful digital marketing strategies are in demand. With the ability to do this work for far-flung clients from just about anywhere with internet access, digital marketing nomads effectively add new jobs to the Cyprus economy while also contributing economically as local consumers. It’s a win-win.
The marketing industry has changed dramatically in the past two decades, and internet technology and digital devices continue to evolve and expand what it means to do marketing in this digital age. Along with it, nomadic marketers are on the rise, seizing opportunities from every corner of the globe. Do you aspire to be a digital nomad, and do you have the discipline to make it into a successful career?
