If you’re still building your marketing career around becoming a T-shaped marketer, I’ve got some news for you. That approach? It’s old news. It might’ve been solid advice a few years back, but the digital marketing industry doesn’t wait for anyone. This means it’s time we talk about a new way how to become an expert marketer. One that’s not only more relevant now but will actually set you up to become a trusted authority, not just in your specialisation but in the digital marketing industry as a whole.
I call it the E-Shaped Marketer model. But let me explain.
So, What Is The Old T-Shaped Marketer Model Anyway?
First, let’s rewind a bit. A T-shaped marketer is someone who knows a little bit about a lot of marketing areas but goes deep into just one. Think broad skills across content, email, SEO, PPC, socials… but only real mastery in one of those.
That deep skill is the “stem” of the T. This model became popular when businesses needed generalists who could also own a key function. But digital marketing has shifted. Platforms evolve every few months, new channels emerge, and customer expectations are constantly rising. Having broad knowledge is now just the baseline.
The truth is this: If you’re a T-shaped marketer in 2025, you’re probably being outpaced by marketers with more dynamic, and diverse skill sets. Being a specialist in one area isn’t enough anymore. Clients want measurable results, not just pretty reports or clever taglines.
And let’s face it… It’s not enough anymore and most real business growth doesn’t happen in silos.
That’s where my version of the E-shaped Marketer comes in.
Why T-Shaped Marketers Are Getting Left Behind
The problem with the T model is it keeps you boxed in.
Let’s say you’re an SEO expert. That’s great. But what happens when your strategy needs dev work to actually get implemented? Or when your insights from paid ads could have made the campaign 10 times better, but you didn’t know how to pull access that data?
Introducing The E-Shaped Marketer Model
Imagine the capital letter “E”. Three arms. Each one representing a key marketing specialisation.
- Two of those are your expert skills. You’ve gone deep. You know your stuff inside out.
- The third or middle arm is an area where you’ve got strong working knowledge. You’re not necessarily leading with it, but you can hold your own and use it to support your overall strategy.
Now that’s a marketer who can move fast, think big, and get results across multiple channels.
It’s not just more skills. It’s how those skills work together that makes all the difference.
Why This E-Shaped Model Matters Right Now
If you’re serious about learning how to become an expert digital marketer, the E-shaped framework gives you a roadmap.
You’re not just collecting skills to look good on LinkedIn. You’re creating a layered, adaptive marketing skill set that solves real business problems. Let’s be real, if your marketing relies solely on one channel you’re going to be left behind… So why should your marketing skill set rely on one specialisation?
By utilising The E-shaped Marketing model it makes you:
More collaborative with other teams & departments
Faster to implement your strategies across multiple channels
More valuable to your emplyer and clients
and most of all, more effective at delivering real business results
It’s not about being a jack-of-all-trades. It’s about being an expert in more than one area and having a strategic edge because of it.
How I’ve Adapted The E-Shaped Model: SEO, Web Design, and Paid Ads
If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know SEO is my bread and butter. It’s where I’ve built my reputation, got award-winning results for clients, and created detailed strategies for over 30 industries.
But what you might not know is, I’ve also built & designed over 20 websites from building my own personal website to building a site for The Gold Coast SUNS hospitality team. Having these skills allows me to be able to implement my own SEO strategies without waiting on a dev team. That means faster implementation and quicker results for clients. This has allowed me to have more control over how sites were built, optimised, and managed.
Then I’ve also added Paid Ads into the mix. I didn’t need to be the best media buyer in the country, but I wanted to understand the data, see where traffic was coming from, and use that info to help shape my SEO strategies from a different angle.
This is where my version of the E-shaped marketing model was born. If something is going to impact my SEO strategies, well then that should be something I learn and incorporate as part of my work.
How to Become an Expert in Marketing: Start Building Your “E”
If you’re just getting started or looking to take your marketing career to the next level, don’t stress. You don’t need to be perfect in all three areas from day one. The key is having a plan.
Here’s how I’d go about developing an expert-level digital marketing skill set:
1.Choose Your Core Focus Area
Pick your strength. This is the one you want to be known for. Whether it’s content, SEO, paid ads, or email marketing, make sure it’s something you’re passionate about and can confidently lead with. This might be your main job role, or the primary focus of your career. (and don’t worry, you’re not locked into this area forever.)
2. Choose a Second Core Focus That Compliments It
Next, it’s time to learn your next expert skillset. This should be something that pairs well with your first skill. For me, SEO and web dev was the perfect combo. For others, it might be social media and video, or paid ads and landing page/web design. Whatever it is this should be something you can use to support your main role. The point of the E-shaped marketing model isn’t just to stack your resume. It’s to put you in the best position to implement detailed and multi-channel strategies into action.
3. Develop Strong Knowledge in a Third Area
Thirdly, The middle arm of the E doesn’t need to be a full-time job, but you should know enough to make smart decisions, ask the right questions, and back up your strategy. The idea here is to support and enhance the work you’re already doing. It could be that being able to comprehend Paid ads data can help to inform your SEO campaigns or you might use conversion rate optimisation (CRO) to help increase the overall revenue of your eCommerce store.
4. Put It All Into Practice
The theory means nothing unless you’re testing it in the real world. Build your own site. Run strategic campaigns. Collaborate with others. That’s where the real learning happens. Time on the tools is the best way to learn and it will always beat any course or certification you do.
5. Keep Growing Your Skills
Don’t settle. Stay curious. It’s so important that in digital marketing no matter which areas you specialise in, you need to be keeping up with the latest. With what worked a year ago not working today, your marketing skill set should also keep evolving. Try new tools. Jump into projects that scare you a little. That’s how you grow your skillset and stay ahead of the game.
Expert Tip:
If you’re struggling with where to get the information & skills needed to grow your core 3 areas. Reach out to your local marketing community for mentoring or support, there are always people willing to give you some time by sharing their knowledge and skills with you.
Real-World Expert Marketing Combos That Work
Paid Ads + Web Design + SEO
If you run paid campaigns on Google, Meta or any other Ads platform, You should also be able to build high-converting landing pages, This can help your ability to drive results quicker without needing to wait for a developer.
Add in a deep understanding of SEO and you can use organic data to fuel your Paid ads keywords & strategy.
Copywriting + Branding + SEO
We all know content is king, but not just any content. Writers who can nail brand tone while also weaving in a keyword strategy aren’t as easy to come by as you may think. (and no AI alone won’t cut it)
When you add in on-page SEO knowledge on top, you’re creating content that ranks, resonates and drives action.
Social Media Strategist + Video Production + SEO
Short-form video is hot right now and Social media specialists who can also produce and edit their video content have an edge. Trends don’t wait for creative teams so neither should you.
Add in SEO, and those videos can start ranking on TikTok, YouTube or what ever the next social search engine will be.
Expert Tip:
You’d be surprised how often I come across Paid Ads Specialists who can’t build their own landing pages. Imagine the time spent between client approvals and organising a busy developer which is causing your ads (and results) to sit waiting to be set live.
Why the E-Shaped Model Works
I’ll be honest, The days of being “just an SEO” or “just a copywriter” are over. The businesses winning in 2025 are the ones who hire marketers who understand the entire ecosystem… not just one silo of it.
And look I know it’s not realistic to be the best at every single marketing channel, and you don’t need to be.
The E-shaped marketer is what the modern digital landscape is calling for. It’s not about doing more just for the sake of it. It’s about having skills that amplify each other. This model just gives you that edge. It builds depth. It builds adaptability. And more than anything, it builds trust.
This model isn’t something I pulled out of thin air. It’s what’s worked for me, for the brands I’ve helped scale, and for the award-winning SEO campaigns that delivered real revenue in $$$, not just clicks and impressions.
So if you’re ready to go beyond surface-level knowledge and learn how to become an expert marketer, it’s time to build your “E”.
If you need help figuring out what your “E” looks like or want to fast-track your path to becoming a seriously effective marketer, my digital marketing mentoring is tailored to help you become the best marketer you can be. Get in touch to learn more.
