Interview with Cheak Hong Ian
Cheak Hong Ian is the founder of a digital marketing training consultancy firm that helps companies build sustainable, scalable online ecosystems to reach their audiences with useful, engaging and decision-making content.
On the back of 13 years of experience in writing and digital marketing both in-house and for agencies, he has worked with various organisations from SMEs to MNCs, including brands like BMW, Emerson, Bata, Julie’s Biscuits, NCS, Puma, The Golden Duck and Trinity Medical, initiating campaigns reaching tens of millions of people within Singapore and throughout the Asia Pacific region, managing over S$5 million in digital advertising budget to-date.
1. Why did you choose a career in Digital Marketing?
When I first started out in Marketing, I didn’t want to be put in a place where anyone could tell me that they had 30 years more experience than me in my chosen field and use that to force me to start at the bottom of the food chain.
That’s why I chose Digital Marketing over any traditional disciplines – because Digital Marketing is a level playing field. Even today, despite having 11 years of Digital Marketing experience, the landscape is still evolving so rapidly that anyone who chooses to enter Digital Marketing now still has that level playing field. In fact, if you begin learning Digital Marketing now, you are starting with a clean slate at a turning point where user data privacy concerns are revolutionising the way we collect data and reach our audiences.
Armed with the knowledge and frameworks that we teach in these courses, you can hit the ground running instead of struggling to keep abreast with the massive changes to the way that Digital Marketing is/can be conducted.
2. What are some of the skills that a good Digital Marketer should have?
Marketing content strategy and data analysis are key to being a discerning Digital Marketer.
Content is nothing without direction and direction should be informed by data.
WSQ Data Analytics for E-Commerce
This course covers how to cascade data analytics strategies, manage data analytics, metrics and measurement efforts as well as communicate findings to address business problems.
3. Is it necessary for a Digital Marketer to take on new courses? Why?
For sure! Changes to digital platforms over the past few months have been torrential and overwhelming. Sometimes it takes someone to break it down and contextualise these changes to your business’ needs for the implications and applications to be crystal clear.
4. What are some of the potential career pathways for a well-versed Digital Marketer?
In-house or agency roles currently have major Digital Marketing expertise gaps to fill. As an informed and insightful Digital Marketer, your skill set and expertise can be applied across just about any industry and management role. Of course, if that is not enough for you, you can hit the ground running in starting your own business online.
5. Give our fellow Digital Marketers a piece of career advice.
Digital Marketing should never operate in a silo – it is a way of business that should integrate the functions of every department, answer the needs of every team and involve the efforts of every team member.
You should not be fighting for change – you should be leading the charge.
We are pleased to announce that Cheak Hong Ian is also an appointed trainer for GoldWire’s Digital Marketing & E-Commerce training courses.
Cheak Hong Ian teaches:
Social Media Marketing Essentials
Digital Marketing for Success
Data Analytics for E-Commerce
Digital Customer Experience Management
Search Engine Marketing
WSQ Digital Customer Experience Management training conducted by Cheak Hong Ian
Group photo of trainer Cheak Hong Ian with the first batch of learners from the WSQ Digital Customer Experience Management training course
