You are underpaid for the marketing work you do.
That's the opinion of marketers surveyed for CMI's 2025 Career Outlook: Content and Marketing Professionals (registration required).
How much are marketers underpaid? About 20%.
That's a lot of money considering the survey found that marketers in the US earn an average of $108,380 per year, down 3% from last year.
So how do you get that 20%? Well, the best advice to get such a huge increase is to change jobs. Few companies will pay you 20% more for the same work in 2025 than they would in 2024.
But that doesn't mean you have to accept what you deserve now. You can take steps now. How can you request and receive a realistic increase? Do your research. Prepare and present the case effectively.
Conduct external research
Just like with your content marketing, you should research the market. What do others in similar roles in similar industries earn?
Luckily, you live in a time of pay transparency laws and a global economy. California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Nevada and many cities, including New York City, require companies to post salary ranges in their job postings. In some cases, large companies now include salary ranges in all of their job postings, likely to ensure compliance with possible legislation.
Browse job postings on LinkedIn, industry job boards, and job boards to see what compensation is available. Using job postings can also help you better understand whether your duties match, or are at least similar to, the employer's requirements in the job posting.
From here you can move on to salary benchmark reports. Although more general than individual job postings, they provide cumulative, credible research.
As mentioned, research from CMI found that the average US marketer earns $108,380 per year. However, when configured for large urban centers such as Boston and San Francisco and all other locations, the numbers differ. The average wage in large urban centers is $122,265, while other locations have an average wage of $93,737.
When salaries are broken down by role, further differences emerge. Directors and above earn an average of $146,901, while the average for managers is $102,914 and individual positions earn an average of $89,455.
Another option is to use the salary tool from the Creative Circle recruitment agency. When you select a job title and location, the tool displays both the average salary and desired salary based on candidates' information. All data comes from Creative Circle customers and applicants.
Prepare yourself internally
Of course, arguing that you should get a raise because everyone else is making more money won't get you anywhere.
You must find out specifically about your work situation and ask the following questions:
Is my employer doing well? CMI research finds that 33% of marketers say their companies have laid off employees in the last year. If this is you, a raise is unlikely unless your role has expanded significantly. However, if you are among the majority who have not experienced a layoff, a raise could be possible.
What influence do content and marketing have on the company? The greater the impact of content and marketing on the bottom line, the better chance you're likely to have for a raise.
Having identified the macro factors, you should now think about your role and work.
Nikola Baldikov, CEO and founder of Inbound Blogging, says it's all about showing the difference you've made.
Start with clear examples of your successes backed up by measurable results. “Such successes directly link your work to the success of the company. It’s important to highlight your determination to achieve results,” says Nikola.
I recommend that every employee create a bullet list. In this document, you will include positive feedback, metrics, and results of your work as you receive them. This way, whenever you're ready to argue for a raise (or update your resume), you can include the most important and relevant points in your formal request.
Nikola points out that when making his plea, one should not forget to look to the future. Explain the new tools or skills you learned, e.g. B. AI, and show how they can help improve performance and add more value to your role.
With this external, internal, and personal research, you're almost ready to pop the question. However, it is helpful if you have already implemented the next idea.
Build a support bench
Steve Rose, product manager and former vice president at Intent, offers a tip to help you prepare your case: “Aggressively grow your support base. Having someone else advocate for you can go a long way toward demonstrating your value.”
But don't wait until the last minute. “Proactively build these bonds over time,” says Steve. “If they feel comfortable, ask one or two of them to send your boss a statement about your progress and improvements.”
Or if that seems too daunting, ask the people you work with for recommendations on your LinkedIn profile and get what you need for your salary request later.
Prepare for the interview
Do not make the request for personal reasons; Emphasize the value you've added to the company, says Jay Egger, senior manager at SBG Funding.
“Also remember that your direct manager is often not the only one making the decision. So the goal has to be to make it easier for him to make the decision to sell,” says Jay.
Even a well-researched query can be nerve-wracking, so practice the conversation. “Most people tremble when approaching their boss for a pay rise,” says Vaibhav Kakkar, CEO of Digital Web Solutions. To help you get started, he offers this prompt:
“As you know, I just completed my (X) year with (organization). I look forward to continuing to work on the company's goals in my current position and expanding my tasks. On this basis, let’s talk about my salary.”
Don't allow the employer to make an offer; Make a specific request based on your research. Be realistic. If you have the same responsibilities, a 3% raise is common. “Anything above 5% is remarkable,” says Vaibhav.
If your duties have expanded or circumstances have changed (e.g. a job with minimal travel becomes a job with 50% travel), a higher rate of 10 to 20% is possible, he says.
If you maintain the same role and responsibilities but your research indicates a large gap between the average industry rate and your compensation, schedule a more in-depth conversation. The industry gap likely exists for other roles as well. A significant change in your salary would likely result in your employer having to address other underpaid positions as well.
However, remember not to make the request solely about the past or even the current situation. “Share your vision for how you will continue to deliver results, whether through fresh ideas for campaigns or new ways to take on more responsibility. Showing that you are focused on the future of the company is a great way to strengthen your case,” says Nikola.
Also, keep in mind that your manager is unlikely to approve your request in the first conversation. They may need to revisit their budget, think about what you shared, or have a conversation with their boss.
So set further expectations at the end of the conversation, says Adam Crossling, marketing and new business director at Zenzero.
Confirm that you understand that the manager probably cannot approve your request at this moment. Then indicate that you will check in a week or two later. This is another way to guide the process rather than adopting a strategy of sitting back and hoping.
Win the raise and plan the alternative
Allison Gagliardi, legal content director at PaperStreet Web Design, has a successful track record of asking for raises. At two previous employers, she asked for and received a 10% raise in her annual appraisals.
How did she do that? She wrote a letter outlining her claim for compensation and listed her past accomplishments in bullet points. She signed the letter – with a real pen – and put it in a two-pocket folder. In the other bag she put emails/letters from clients and colleagues praising her. “It’s evidence they just can’t argue with,” Allison says.
Alllison recommends that all marketers requesting raises have an answer ready in case the answer is no. Ask for additional paid time off, suggest a bonus for hitting a certain benchmark, get permission to bring a pet to the office on certain days, or request a standing desk, a better title, a continuing education plan, or even the Control over air conditioning in your department (yes, seriously).
Get ready for next time
If you don't get the raise (or even get it), Anthony Miyazaki, professor of marketing at Florida International University, suggests three things you can do (or continue to do) to demand higher compensation, get a promotion, or to be set.
- Improve your education in consumer psychology. Understand how and when different types of persuasive appeals work to sway an audience in a particular direction.
- Link your work to key marketing performance indicators. You need to understand marketing analytics and its role in determining the value of marketing efforts such as advertising campaigns and content creation.
- Combine your knowledge of marketing analytics with your human ability to create compelling content Present compelling arguments, including compelling data visualizations, to decision makers.
What do you think? Is now a good time to ask for a raise? How do you convince your superiors? Let us know on social media.
Updated from a November 2022 article.
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Cover image by Joseph Kalinowski/Content Marketing Institute
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