They’re both tough to crack, but with the right set of skills and tools, you’re in.

Once you’ve reached the core, the rewards are yours to reap; all that’s left to do is slather in in butter (that last step mainly just applies to the lobster).

It is a truth universally acknowledged that sea-life analogies are fundamental for digital marketing success.

Don’t believe me?

1. They keep growing forever

The secret is out. digital marketing is HUGE now, and with companies going from realising they need to be employing it to realising how they can be employing it, it’s only going to grow further.

With the industry demand so high, students and graduates have started to develop themselves to fill the mould. From social strategy to writing for the web, it’s a whole new communication skill-set.

Injecting concision into creativity with the objective of selling, is an art. Not only do you need what you’re saying to be informative and persuasive, you need your audience to enjoy the experience of it. You need them to think ‘yes, that was just right, you’ve got me.’

2. They eat each other

Yes, digital marketing eats digital marketing.

The industry is ever-evolving, and there’s no place for ‘because that’s the way we’ve always done it.’

Not every strategy is going to be fresh from scratch, success won’t be achieved by leaping for the sake of leaping; the way I see it, the process is one of absorption. We take what we know works, that style of graphic from the last campaign, the tone of voice from that particular article and we build on it. A new focus for a new audience. A new incentive, a new excitement.

3. They don’t scream in pain when exposed to hot water

(Apparently it’s expanding air bubbles trapped in their shells finding an avenue of escape from their bodies)

So the digital marketing pool, much like the lobster’s saucepan, is filled with hot water. I mean this in the way that digital marketing is challenging, high pressured and not for someone with only half a heart to dedicate.

The mediums that make digital marketing so successful do so because of the opportunity of escalation and reach. It’s great when you’ve created a swanky campaign that your audience loves and wants to share, but escalation and reach can work against you, too.

One off-comment, one brand voice slip-up, one dodgy campaign component and you run the risk of your brand ending up re-branded with minimal input from you.

4. One of their claws can exert pressure of up to 100 pounds per square inch

All fast-paced and changing industries have claws, but it’s more the power here I’d like to address. Like the lobster’s claw, digital marketing for a company is their most valuable tool.

A company should use analytics and digital research to uncover who their audience is and what it is they want. Once you know what to deliver, the stage is yours. Creativity begins and lays the path for success.

Then a company can sink its digital marketing claws into their next business objective.

5. They can regenerate limbs

Companies looking to establish digital marketing strategies can start almost anywhere. The trick is regenerating strategies bit-by-bit.

Whether it’s creating social accounts or setting aside some time to encourage employees to practice social advocacy, it doesn’t need to be everything and it doesn’t need to be all at once. As we’ve established, the saucepan of social is daunting and can burn you if you’re not careful.

But if you haven’t already, you must dip your toe in and try it. You won’t be the first, of course, but you definitely won’t be the last. Late to the digital marketing game is okay, because the industry is growing as it’s learning, constantly developing, regenerating into a process map of increased engagement, success and profit.

So treat yourself to some cast aluminium lobster crackers and get stuck in. Before you know it, you’ll be eating digital marketing for breakfast.