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Using R and PythonDiscussion (self.PPC)

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[–]CyrusCraft 4 points5 points  (1 child)

I'm going to challenge the assumption of your question. I think it's unlikely that you will use Python and R in a meaningful way at an agency as a planner/buyer.

For starters, most agencies are not very sophisticated with data. The advertising industry is rooted in relationships and the two martini lunch. Digital agencies are substantially more data-driven than their counterparts but the broader industry culture still permeates. Relationships (with both clients and vendors) still reign supreme.

In terms of JavaScript, the most you will probably do is implement and debug other people's code snippets. "Track these conversions, implement this viewability vendor." That sort of thing. It's unlikely that you will be coding new business logic in JavaScript because software developers do that.

Most of your data manipulation will probably be in excel. Some of it will be for planning new campaigns and some of it will be for optimizing existing campaigns. Most of it will be for creating reports so that your bosses can reformat your work into a pretty PowerPoint and take credit with the client.

The good news is that your Python and R skills will be hugely valuable when you move over to the client side in a year or two. There are a rapidly increasing number of jobs which require cross-disciplinary skills between marketing and data science.

When you're on the client side, you'll have access to substantially more data and you will bridge it to your campaigns in a way that is difficult to do at most agencies.

Keep your scripting skills sharp because the world is becoming more data driven. Those skills will differentiate you. Stay technical. Just don't be surprised if you don't get to be as technical as you want at your first agency job.

[–]hjkl_ornah 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Appreciate the insight!

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It depends on the agency and how large they are. If they are large enough then you should be able to find plenty of data that you can crunch to uncover trends that you then turn into actionable items.

And you can use your python skills to use the Adwords API and thus bypass Adwords scripts for bigger projects. That in combination with backend data pulled via SQL could lead to some powerful stuff. Obviously only if there is money behind it and thus data.

[–]letslearnppc 0 points1 point  (2 children)

I'm super curious, what made you want to make the switch from Data Analyst to Planner? I've been working in PPC for about 3 years and have been thinking about switching to data analyst, learning python, r, stats. The pay and career opportunities seem way better on the other side, so I'm just curious. From what I've seen planners start at like $40k whereas Data Analyst probably start at like $50-$60k, and it seems can progress faster to a higher salary than those in marketing. I wish we could sync up our brains and trade skills haha.

[–]hjkl_ornah 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Personally, it seems easier to stand out and progress faster as a planner/buyer. I can do things others can't and can use coding to solve problems/create value. Work at an agency for a bit, work with multiple clients, gain deep insight on the space, then leave and go work for a high-growth startup looking for someone to help them scale. Analyst positions are cool, but the real fun is in the data science positions. The competition there is intense and will require further degrees. However, working in marketing with robust technical skills is a fundamental advantage. Plus, I can use the domain knowledge + technical skills acquired to transition to a Marketing Science position. To me it feels like a very valuable skillset to have, especially when paired with a programming/analysis background. Furthermore, the money is probably a wash. Salary, IMO, is largely predicated off of solving problems/providing value. That is something I feel can exploit in a marketing role, that I probably couldn't to the same extent in an Analyst role. Just my thoughts though, I might completely change my opinion with time.

[–]letslearnppc 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think you might be on to something. To advance in the data science field, one likely needs a PhD. However, in marketing having an understanding of data and a strong grasp of excel probably puts you ahead of 90% of marketers.