When you think of a marketing agency, roles like creative designers, content strategists, and digital advertisers probably come to mind. But behind every successful project is an account manager—the unsung backbone ensuring everything runs smoothly. From managing clients to overseeing campaigns, the role of an account manager in a marketing agency is critical to delivering results and client satisfaction.
Want to know more? In this guide, we’ll break down what they do, the skills they need, their specialisations, salary insights, and career growth opportunities.
What Does an Account Manager Do at an Advertising Agency?
In a marketing agency, an account manager serves as the primary liaison between the client and internal teams. Their key responsibilities include:
- Managing Client Relationships: Developing and maintaining strong relationships with clients to understand their business goals and marketing needs, and to align campaigns accordingly.
- Project Coordination: Overseeing the planning and execution of marketing campaigns. They will also coordinate with internal teams, such as creative, media, and strategy departments, to meet client expectations.
- Budget Management: Ensuring that campaigns are delivered within the agreed budget, providing cost estimates, and managing financial aspects of client projects.
- Performance Monitoring: Tracking the effectiveness of campaigns through metrics and analytics, providing clients with regular performance reports, and suggesting optimisations.
- Problem-Solving: Addressing any issues that arise during the campaign process, including hiccups to customer demands, adapting strategies as necessary to ensure success.
Key Skills of a Digital Marketing Account Manager
A broad skill set is essential for handling these responsibilities effectively. Here are some essential skills for an account manager in a marketing agency:
- Communication and Interpersonal Skills: Strong communication skills are needed to understand client needs and work seamlessly with internal teams. It’s also essential to build rapport with your clients, fostering trust and ensuring smoother collaboration.
- Time Management: As an account manager at a marketing agency, you’ll likely need to juggle multiple projects at once. Prioritising tasks effectively is key to keeping everything on track.
- Project Management and Multitasking: To coordinate all aspects of a campaign—from creative development to media planning—you will need to manage multiple responsibilities efficiently.
- Digital Marketing Knowledge and Strategy Execution: A solid grasp of digital marketing channels, tools, and best practices is crucial for devising and implementing effective strategies.
- Problem-Solving and Adaptability: The digital landscape is constantly changing, and unexpected challenges are part of the job. Being able to adapt to new trends and resolve unforeseen challenges will be essential for success.
What Are the Different Types of Account Management Roles?
In smaller, boutique agencies account managers usually handle multiple digital marketing service domains (SEO, Paid Ads). In larger marketing agencies such as OOm, on the other hand, our account managers specialise in a specific domain to foster deeper expertise:
1. SEO Account Managers
OOm’s SEO Account Managers oversee search engine optimisation (SEO) campaigns, perform keyword research, collaborate with clients on SEO strategy and work closely with technical SEO specialists to improve clients’ organic search performance. As shared by Chong Wei Ni, an SEO Account Manager at OOm, a typical day in her life involves:
- Checking in with clients and conducting performance review meetings.
- Updating clients on campaigns’ strategies, keyword performance, and necessary optimisations.
- Collaborating with internal teams, including writers and SEO specialists on ongoing SEO strategies.
- Reviewing SEO audits and overseeing necessary SEO improvements.
- Handling administrative tasks such as preparing performance review decks and answering clients’ emails or other communications.
2. Digital Advertising Account Managers
OOm’s Digital Advertising Account Managers handle paid advertising campaigns across platforms like Google Ads, Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram), and other digital ad networks. Their primary goal is to ensure campaigns drive measurable results while staying within the client’s budget.
Nicodemus Lim, a Senior Digital Marketing Manager at OOm, describes his daily tasks are as follows:
- Client meetings to discuss campaign performance.
- Monitoring and analysing campaign metrics.
- Project management to ensure timely completion of ad copies and creative designs.
- Collaborating with internal teams (performance marketing specialists, graphic designers) for campaign planning and execution.
3. Website Project Account Managers
Our Website Project Account Managers are responsible for overseeing website development and revamp projects, ensuring seamless execution from start to finish. They act as the main point of contact between clients, web designers, web developers, and content creators, ensuring that every element aligns smoothly and is delivered on schedule.
4. Social Media Account Managers
Our Social Media Account Managers manage social media marketing campaigns, communication with clients and liaising with our social media writers and creatives (graphic designers, videographers) for campaign execution. Their role blends content planning, campaign execution, and performance tracking.
Specialisations within account management allow each manager to hone their expertise, ensuring better results for clients. Instead of juggling multiple disciplines, they can focus deeply on their respective fields, leading to greater efficiency, improved campaign performance, and stronger client satisfaction.
Salary Insights: How Much Does an Account Manager at a Marketing Agency Earn?
In Singapore, an account manager’s salary varies based on experience, specialisation, and the size of the agency. Typically, compensation includes a base salary supplemented by commissions from upselling services and securing contract renewals.
- Entry-Level Positions: Account managers with little to no experience typically earn between SGD 3,000 and SGD 4,000 per month.
- Mid-Level Positions: With a few years of experience, salaries range from SGD 4,000 to SGD 6,000 per month.
- Senior Positions: Senior account managers can earn SGD 5,000 to SGD 8,000 per month, depending on their expertise and the agency they work for.
Factors influencing salary include the industry, agency size, and the client’s portfolio. For instance, account managers at larger global agencies or those handling high-profile clients may command higher salaries.
How to Become an Account Manager in a Marketing Agency
Becoming a successful account manager requires a mix of education, hands-on experience, and skill development. Whether you’re starting fresh or transitioning from another role, here’s what you need to know.
1. Educational Background & Experience
A degree or working experience in marketing, sales , account management or a related field is often preferred or required for more senior account management roles or for well-known global agencies, but it’s not the only path. Many entry-level account manager positions are open for fresh graduates. At OOm, a number of our key account managers were mid-career transitioners who previously worked in other fields before finding their passion in digital marketing.
2. Certifications and Skills Development
Depending on the area of specialisation, earning industry-recognised certifications can boost your expertise and career prospects. Here are some recommended certifications for different specialisations:
- Google Ads Certification: Ideal for account managers managing paid advertising campaigns.
- Meta (Facebook) Blueprint Certification: Beneficial for Social Media Account Managers working with paid and organic social media campaigns.
- PMP (Project Management Professional) Certification: Highly beneficial for account managers across all specialisations, as it equips them with essential project management skills.
3. Understanding Career Progression
Fresh account managers with no experience usually start with entry-level roles such as an Accounts Associate, progressing to Account Manager, then Senior Account Manager, and potentially leading to roles like Account Director or Key Account Manager. Some may transition into in-house marketing roles, such as Marketing Director or Brand Manager at corporations.
Conclusion
A career as an account manager in a marketing agency offers endless opportunities for growth and learning. From managing multi-channel campaigns to advising clients on digital strategies, no two days are ever the same. With specialisations in SEO, digital advertising, web development, and more, account managers can carve out a niche that aligns with their strengths.
If you’re looking for dynamic account manager marketing jobs, OOm could be your next destination. Join a team of passionate digital marketing professionals, gain hands-on experience working with diverse clients, and take your career to the next level today.
About OOm
OOm has been a leading digital marketing agency in Singapore since 2006, with expertise in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), social media marketing to website design and development. Our clientele comprises small and medium businesses (SMEs) to enterprises.
OOm has won over 30+ marketing awards for the results we have delivered to clients over the years, including ‘Agency of the Year’, ‘Lead Generation Agency of the Year’, ‘Independent Agency of the Year’, ‘E-Commerce Marketing Agency of the Year’, ‘Excellence in Search Marketing, ‘Excellence in Performance Marketing’ to ‘Excellence in Data-driven Marketing’ among others. OOm is also a Google Premier Partner (reserved for the top 3% agency partners in Singapore), as well as an official Meta Business Partner.
