Salaries within the marketing sector are lagging behind national increases and are broadly failing to stay in line with the wider UK average, according to a new survey by recruitment firm Reed.
After analysing more than 21 million job adverts and surveying 5,000 UK workers, Reed found marketing salaries grew by 3% over the past 12 months, compared with the 6% national average.
This tepidity hasn’t been universally felt across the industry however, with certain roles within the sector – such as communications managers and SEO/PPC executives – seeing substantial pay increases of 15% and 9% respectively. By contrast, telesales managers and e-commerce managers have seen steep declines of 11% and 8% respectively.
“UK workers are experiencing tricky times. Even with some salaries increasing, largely, they still fall short of inflation and the increasing cost of living,” Reed marketing expert, Bianca Halliburton said.
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“With more than two thirds (71%) of marketing professionals open to new job opportunities, the sector needs to look at how best to incentivise and reward its workers. Our survey showed that alongside salary increases, staff would feel more valued if employers offered additional benefits (44%), clearer career progression (36%), more recognition for their achievements (33%) and better leadership communication (27%).
She added: “Salaries remain important, but professionals now look beyond just pay, seeking comprehensive packages that include strong benefits, flexible working, and an engaging company culture. Many professionals are willing to take a pay cut for the right hybrid work arrangement, a manageable commute, and a positive office environment.”
Despite these fluctuations, the online recruitment platform found that marketing salaries were still substantially higher than the national average, with marketing roles earning an average of £50,800, compared to the UK-wide equivalent of £38,900.
The majority of those surveyed were still unhappy across the board however, with 64% of respondents feeling their salaries hadn’t risen in line with inflation, and 57% feeling that they could be earning more elsewhere.
