Victoria Murning co-founded North Digital, a digital marketing consultancy in Leeds, in 2022.
With long stints working across journalism and communications, her previous roles have included working as the former communications director for Sarcoma UK, where she implemented the bone and soft tissue cancer charity’s first digital marketing strategy.
Here, she shares her career journey, tips and words of advice…
How did you first get into your industry?
My original aspiration was to become a journalist, so I pursued studies in Media and English at Leeds University. During my time there, I was introduced to concepts like search engines, email, and online marketing, long before digital marketing was a ‘thing’! I’ve always been fascinated with mass communication and the power of media, particularly in the digital.
Work experience eventually led to paid positions with The Yorkshire Evening Press, The Press Association, and OK! Magazine. Witnessing my articles in print and online always gave me a sense of accomplishment, and the speed at which information spread blew my mind (and that was before the days of social media).
Like most fresh-faced 20-year olds, I travelled to Australia and landed a job as a project coordinator in their community fundraising team for the Cancer Council Victoria. I was working across many of their big fundraising campaigns such as Daffodil Day, Relay for Life and Pink Ribbon Day. It was here I saw first-hand the huge impact that digital marketing was making in raising awareness and boosting funds. Having leveraged email marketing, social media (only Facebook back then), and ecommerce. It was an ‘aha!’ moment to see how an integrated marketing approach led to bigger results.
Years later, I moved to London and worked my way up to the communications director for Sarcoma UK: The bone and soft tissue cancer charity. I implemented their first digital marketing strategy and like many smaller organisations, I was the one-stop shop for all things digital, managing the charity’s Google Ads, social media, content and data and analytics. The experience truly ignited my passion.
After seven years in London, I returned to Yorkshire to lay down my roots and establish my own digital marketing consultancy. I provided digital marketing services to businesses throughout the UK. Even during the challenging times brought about by the pandemic, where businesses had to adapt to the closure of physical stores, digital marketing played a pivotal role in enabling them to keep selling their products and services online.
In 2022, I launched North Digital with my new business partner, Megan. They say that two heads are better than one, and together, we have ambitious plans to expand our digital marketing services to businesses across Yorkshire and beyond.
What do you love about your job?
I am a people’s person. Client-side, I get a kick out of working alongside a diverse range of different organisations and teams. Internally, I love working alongside Megan and a talented pool of specialist freelancers – who really are top of their game.
No day is the same at North Digital. That is something I cherish. Some days its very creative designing ads and others are filled with data and analytics. I love seeing results. The beauty of digital marketing is you can track whether or not you are achieving your objectives. It’s not always that black and white but I am a big believer in making sound business decisions through data. I love that I can provide a business with that insight.
It’s hugely satisfying to know my skills and services are going to good use. They are helping companies to grow and scale.
Who – or what – has inspired you in your career?
Resilient women. In a word. From my mum to my daughter, from my friends to my business partner, I have always surrounded myself by strong women. I’m proud to be a woman in tech.
One of my biggest influences in leadership was a former CEO, Lindsey Bennister. She taught me how to lead from the front, be confident in decision-making, and prepare for all the things that could good go wrong.
What are the biggest challenges about your job?
The ever-changing world of digital. Nothing is ever static in digital marketing. Having to keep up with new trends, social media platforms, and constant digital updates.
What skills have been the most crucial to you succeeding in your career so far?
Being accountable. Treating others’ businesses as if it were my own. With that comes a high level of dedication, responsibility, and commitment when working with my clients.
My ability to communicate effectively and provide transparency, even in challenging situations with poor results, is a crucial skill. It fosters trust and leads to better collaboration and problem-solving.
Efficiently managing my time and priorities is vital to in meeting client deadlines and handling multiple tasks. This one is still a work in progress!
What was your first salary and what could someone getting into the industry expect to earn nowadays?
My first salary working in marketing was £21k, and I felt rich! Deciding whether to pursue a career as a digital marketing generalist or specialist is an important consideration for anyone entering the digital marketing industry. Each path has its advantages and challenges, and the choice largely depends on your interests, strengths, and career goals.
You may want to think about starting a side hustle as a freelancer or gaining experience by swapping over to agency side. They both have their pros and cons list.
What education or training would be most useful for someone looking to follow your career path?
Get yourself a digital marketing mentor. Someone who has been agency or freelancer side so they understand where you are and where you want to go.
The digital marketing field offers a wealth of online training, certifications, and courses that can be completed at your own pace. These resources are invaluable if you’re looking to enhance their skills, stay up-to-date with industry trends, and earn valuable certifications. Personally, I think Target Internet’s bitesize courses are excellent. Also, you can never go wrong with Google Analytics Academy in staying in the know with Google’s tools.
What advice would you have for someone looking to follow your path?
Absorb yourself in the world of digital marketing and do it with gusto. Get hands-on experience and start freelancing on the side. Build up your own personal portfolio online so businesses can see who you are and what skills you have to offer. It’s a real opportunity to turn a passion project into paid work.
Oh, and network. Make connections, attend events, write a guest blog.
