When I was pursuing my graduation, I came in contact with Sorav Jain. He is damn humble and an excellent digital marketer.
I was struggling to learn digital marketing and I asked him what should I do. He recommended me that start a blog, write content and use my blog as my digital marketing playground. This blog is a result of his suggestion.
For around the last 7+ years, he is a friend, a mentor, a well-wisher, and the ultimate role model in digital marketing.
Sorav Jain is one of the top digital marketing experts in India and is a very passionate “Digital Marketing Guru“.
For the people who don’t know about him, let me give you a brief overview of him before we begin with the interview.
Who is Sorav Jain?
Sorav Jain is the founder of digital marketing agency echoVME and digital marketing training institute Digital Scholar. He is a digital marketing and social media expert, trainer, author, entrepreneur, and consultant.
Sorav has done his masters in International Marketing Management from Leeds University Business School and has a BSc in Biotechnology from Loyola College, Chennai. He started his digital marketing journey when he was just 17 as an SEO executive.
Sorav Jain has more than 15 years of experience in this field. He has trained more than 100,000 professionals in digital marketing.
Sorav’s Instagram Reel Mastery Course itself has 11,000+ students and it is one of the best reels courses at an extremely affordable price of INR 699.
He has also written several books and runs a free online digital marketing course in Hindi.
Expert Speaks – Interview with Sorav Jain
#1. You are one of the best digital marketers from India. You have not only become a great businessman, but you are a “Digital Guru” and you keep the digital marketing community active and experiment with new things. Aside from your company echoVME, you recently started a digital marketing training company too. So many achievements, so many more to go.
How did this all begin? What started your digital marketing journey?
From day 1 of my career, I’ve always been drawn to the immense potential of digital marketing.
Back then, opportunities in the field were very much at a grassroots stage. I started out as an SEO/Content executive, which gave me an excellent platform to gain the know-how and learn the tools of the trade.
From there, I was inspired to take digital marketing to new horizons through my efforts and started my own agency, echoVME.
The rest, as they say, is history!
The seed of echoVME was planted in 2011. The idea was to create a digital marketing agency with a vision to focus on boosting clients’ brand presence through a dedicated digital approach. The team has gone from strength to strength since then.
The awards along the way boosted our confidence and really brought us together as a team. Our client profile is diverse and spans many industries, from real estate to nanotechnology!
#3. Are you satisfied with your achievements? What is your most significant success to date?
To be frank, I’m delighted with the way things have shaped up in my endeavors. Be it echoVME or Digital Scholar, I’m fortunate that they have been successful.
As for my best achievement, I hope it’ll be whatever I plan next! I don’t plan on stopping my digital journey anytime soon!
#4. What is your ambition in life?
On the professional front, I’d say my ambition is to push the envelope in terms of digital marketing solutions for branding.
There are so many avenues to explore, and the scene is ever-changing and evolving. If I can further the reach of digital marketing to as many people out there as possible, I consider that a win.
#5. Currently, there is a slowdown in the economy, Companies are laying off and desisting from hiring new people. Businesses are at loss. The state of equity markets is also not too good. What is the state of the digital marketing industry right now?
As a growing field, digital marketing is in a constant state of high demand and low supply right now. More and more companies are opening their eyes to the benefits of digital marketing, which creates a need for qualified individuals across different designations.
However, since the awareness about digital marketing and the lack of professional training avenues are spreading slower, the supply isn’t rising proportionally. There are always job opportunities for those looking to make a career in digital marketing.
#6. There is a lot of buzz about AI, Robotics, ML, and such fancy words. Will it impact digital marketing? Will there be layoffs?
I feel it will have the opposite effect, in fact. AI and Robotics are welcome additions to the digital world and bring new possibilities and innovations with them for strategies. It’s a step in the right direction as far as progress is concerned.
However, I don’t think there’s going to be a loss of jobs in the field, because accountability is vital in this business.
Clients want to feel secure about their marketing strategies, and having a machine in charge of it can never substitute for a human approach.
#7. What is the best way to learn digital marketing?
Digital marketing is a vast field, with many disciplines that are distinct from each other.
For example, SEO requires technical knowledge, while content writing is dependent on an individual’s creativity. The best way to learn digital marketing is to study success stories, and practice it wherever possible.
Whether that’s at your course institute, or just as a pet project, go for it! Be willing to learn and adapt.
#8. You are providing a free digital marketing course for a long time. Then, what made you start Digital Scholar?
The free digital marketing course series is meant to provide pointers and tips to those interested in digital marketing. There is only so much information that can be covered in and imbibed from a YouTube video, so the learning there is superficial at best.
Digital Scholar, on the other hand, offers the whole digital marketing package. Lectures are just one part of Digital Scholar’s curriculum, there are plenty of other activities that create a holistic education experience for students. I started Digital Scholar to provide aspiring digital marketers with the means to realize their careers.
#9. There are a lot of institutes that are providing excellent training in digital marketing. How is Digital Scholar different from others?
One of the strong suits of Digital Scholar is the individual attention that each student receives. It provides an environment that encourages proactive learning from the students’ part, answering all their questions on an individual basis.
The curriculum is also extensive, going beyond academic learning with activities that increase their understanding of the subject matter.
#10. One might read several things online and watch hundreds of videos. Some don’t enjoy this learning process as much as actually learning from a physical book. What are 5 books you would recommend to people who want to make a career in digital marketing?
I had actually written an article on my personal blog about this very topic! I highly recommend going through that article for a comprehensive list.
Off the top of my head, however, I recommend going through the industry experts’ books like Gary Vaynerchuk.
For personal branding and content marketing, you can pick up my books as well!
#11. MBA vs digital marketing course?
This is a question I face frequently, so I shot a video and uploaded it to my channel listing out the pros and cons of either option. Do watch it! In a nutshell, I’d say it depends on what direction you want your career to go.
Bear in mind that specific MBA specializations do prep you for digital marketing, and a digital marketing course can be an excellent supplement to your resume.
#12. What is the future of digital marketing?
In a field as dynamic as digital marketing, it’s difficult to give a concrete answer to that, as the playing field is continually changing. However, the industry as a whole is becoming more and more mainstream.
Instagram marketing, for one, is a priority for most brands out there and has been an eye-opener on how to effectively promote their brands. Digital marketing is changing the way people think up promotional strategies.
Video marketing has been all the rage lately because it provides your audience with a window into your personality or brand.
Going live is a great way to interact with followers and create real-time engagement, and keeps your followers hooked to your page or platform.
After the advent of cheap internet, people no longer hesitate to watch videos; in fact, the demand for good interactive content has only risen. Consistent video marketing is a sure-shot way to stay relevant in a competitive market.
#14. 3 tools that every digital marketing person should learn
The more digital marketing tools you master, the better. If I had to pick 3, however, I’d suggest:
- Moz Pro
It’s a great SEO tool that offers a simple way to keep track of your website metrics. - SEMRush
This is a powerhouse tool that offers myriad options for search engine marketing. It also helps optimize and create your content based on statistical analysis and keywords. - AHREF
This tool provides a great way to manage backlinks.
#15. Last question for now. What are the qualities you look for in a candidate when you hire for echoVME or Digital Scholar?
The process can be best described as discerning whether the candidate will be a good fit for the agency and vice versa. If they show promise and a passion for their craft, it is a definite plus point.
They should definitely be a team player, as everything in digital marketing is a team effort. Most importantly, they should be willing to adapt to challenges and new opportunities.
Digital marketing needs people that can rise to the occasion to explore new horizons.
Conclusion
It was a great opportunity to interview Sorav Jain. I hope this interview helps a lot of digital marketing enthusiasts.
We must also learn from Sorav’s attitude of constantly learning new things, sharing our learning with people, and helping them.
You can connect with Sorav Jain on his LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/soravjain
If this interview helped you share it in your network.
If you know any such inspiring expert in the digital industry whom I should interview, then recommendations are most welcomed.
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