IWD: The Need for More Women in Technical Marketing Roles and Education

I doubt you’d be surprised if I told you that the number of women in science, technology, mathematics and engineering (STEM) roles is less than their male counterparts. This has been an ongoing conversation, and a study from just last year reported that women in STEM publish less, are paid less for research and do not progress as far in their careers as men.

And while I’m not involved in the STEM industry, I can confidently say that gender inequality doesn’t shy away from other technical industries either. Though not as investigated as STEM gender discrepancies, the marketing industry also suffers from a lack of female talent in tech roles.

The 2020 State of SEO global survey found that of 652 SEO participants, 191 identified as female (29.3%) and 446 identified as male (68.4%). These female SEOs were also more likely to charge less for their services. Another recent study by The Freelance Coalition For Developing Countries found that these imbalances exist in SEO diversity as well. Examining articles written by leading SEO sites, the report found that Semrush had published the most articles by white authors (86.9%) followed closely by Search Engine Lead (85.8%) and Moz (83.77%).

And speaking of Moz, a 2015 survey conducted by the SEO company found that 58.20% of Canada’s digital marketers were men, while 41.80% were women. The worst part? Canada was the country with the smallest gender gap in technical marketing roles. India took the cake with 90.32% of online marketers being male and 9.68% being female. It’s been seven years since this study was published, which only reinforces the lack of awareness of gender inequality in this industry.

So we know tech marketing roles are male-dominated. But how does this affect the industry as a whole?

Where do I start?

We are all influenced by the ubiquity of digital technologies and as we succumb to their addictive natures, we contribute to the success of an unequal industry. If consumer data is going to be tracked, monitored, and used to target us with strategic advertisements, let this digital genius be conducted by both men and women. Let women relish in the fun that is tech marketing.

The need for women in tech roles can also be supported by the increased business revenue influenced by a gender-balanced workplace. A study conducted by the International Labour Organization found that two-thirds of companies agreed that gender diversity initiatives improved their business outcomes. When businesses have inclusive cultures and policies, the predicted probability of achieving increased profitability and productivity is 63%.

Another powerful benefit of having a gender-balanced marketing workplace is the agility gained from being forced to interact with a diverse team. Employees ultimately become better at anticipating and preparing for contradictory viewpoints. And a 2021 University of Sydney study found that men do think and act differently. According to research on economic decision-making, men are more likely to make extreme choices and decisions than women. But male impulsivity isn’t the point. The point is that these two sexes think differently—and this double brainpower should be leveraged.

So we’ve discussed the need for women in technical roles in marketing, but we’re left with the important question of how. How can we increase the number of women entering this industry and striving to grow within it?

The answer is simple.

Ensure young women have strong females working in technical marketing to look up to and learn from throughout the education process.

I shouldn’t have to tell you that representation matters. But I will. Seeing women excel in a field and then teach others how to do the same is empowering. And I’m not just talking about the marketing industry. Witnessing female leaders blaze trails in any industry is powerful because it shapes how younger generations perceive the field.

I know I’d be less keen to join an industry dominated by men. Without a precedent—a woman who has already paved the way—it’s certainly more frightening to take on this glass ceiling alone.

Just like STEM, being a woman who works in technical-based marketing—a male-dominated industry—is difficult. We need more female role models to look up to in SEO, digital marketing, and other tech marketing roles if we want to diversify the talent pool.

The industry has a long way to go, but addressing this inequality is a good first step.

Sydney Vardja is a PR Specialist for Jelly Marketing where she works with clients across North America to achieve their campaign dreams.