A new report from Indeed has put marketing professionals under the spotlight, showing that nearly seven out of ten skills in the field are now exposed to transformation. The analysis examined close to 2,900 different job skills listed in United States job postings and ranked industries based on how much of their required skill set could be performed with the support of advanced technologies.
Marketing ranks as the fourth most exposed profession. Ahead of it are software development with 81 percent of skills exposed, data and analytics with 79 percent, and accounting with 74 percent. Marketing sits just below these technical and financial fields, with 69 percent of its skills judged as exposed.
How Indeed Measures Exposure?
Indeed classified exposure into four levels: minimal, assisted, hybrid, and full transformation. Minimal means tasks remain mostly untouched. Assisted means some support is possible, such as suggestions or small corrections. Hybrid is a middle ground where everyday routines can be performed by algorithms, while humans remain essential for judgment, creativity, and context. Full transformation means most of the task can be handled without direct human effort.
According to the Press Release, marketing falls mainly in the hybrid category. That means tools can handle significant parts of the work, but oversight and strategy remain firmly in human hands.
Examples of Skills Affected
The report highlights documentation, administrative work, and standard content drafting as some of the first areas to change. For example, writing basic product descriptions, formatting weekly marketing reports, or preparing customer update emails are now often supported by automated systems. A marketer who once spent hours on manual data collection can now generate a summary in minutes.
However, not all marketing work fits this pattern. Skills that demand judgment or brand nuance are less exposed. Building a brand identity, handling customer complaints that involve subtle emotions, or creating a campaign that captures cultural relevance cannot be automated in the same way.
The study points out that ambiguity and persuasion are still areas where people outperform machines.
Broader Findings Across Occupations
The research also gives perspective across the labor market. About 26 percent of jobs are highly exposed, meaning tools can perform at least 80 percent of the skills. Another 54 percent of jobs are moderately exposed, where between 50 and 80 percent of skills can be supported. Only 20 percent of jobs show low exposure.
This suggests that most industries are not looking at replacement but rather re-design. Roles will shift so that automated systems handle the repetitive side, and professionals focus on strategy, creativity, and oversight.
What Does It Mean for Marketers?
For people in marketing, the findings bring both challenge and opportunity.
The challenge is that the familiar set of tasks may not stay the same. Routine writing, reporting, or formatting is less likely to be valued as a standalone skill.
The opportunity is that marketers who strengthen their higher-level abilities will become more valuable.
Key skills needed:
Strategic skills are one area to focus on. A marketer who can design the right campaign structure, select the right channels, and align messaging with company goals adds value that cannot be replaced.
Analytical interpretation is another. Tools may generate numbers, but knowing what those numbers mean in context and deciding the next move requires human thought.
Creativity and storytelling also remain essential. While a system can draft text, shaping a campaign that resonates with a specific audience or builds a long-term brand image is a human task.
Ethical and cultural understanding adds another layer. Marketing is not just about reaching people but about doing so responsibly. Deciding how to position a brand during sensitive times, or how to use customer data responsibly, cannot be left to automation alone.
Implications for Employers
Employers also need to rethink job design. Instead of cutting staff, many will benefit from training their teams to use the new tools while focusing on human strengths. For instance, a team might use automation for the first draft of a campaign but still rely on marketers for editing, fact-checking, and aligning the tone with the brand.
Companies that adopt this balanced approach are more likely to stay competitive. Those that ignore the shift may find themselves falling behind, both in efficiency and in talent retention.
"In marketing, many of the tasks we once did manually are now supported by intelligent tools. Reports, drafts, and routine updates are faster to complete. What matters more today is how we guide campaigns, read the data in context, and ensure our message stays true to the brand. Our current focus is to prepare teams for this shift so they can spend less time on repetition and more time on meaningful work." - Nahian Farzana, COO, W3 Solved
Preparing for the Shift
The safest approach for marketing professionals is to audit their own roles. Identify which of your daily tasks are routine and predictable. Then invest time in strengthening the skills that require creativity, interpretation, or strategic thought. Courses in data analytics, brand management, or consumer psychology can all add resilience to a marketing career.
For new graduates or those entering the field, the lesson is clear: do not rely on only one skill set. A mix of technical comfort with tools and strong human skills in creativity and strategy is the path forward.
My thinking
The Indeed study makes it clear that marketing is entering a period of rapid change. With nearly 70 percent of its skills exposed, the profession cannot stay the same. Yet the change is not a replacement of people but a re-design of roles.
The marketers who thrive will be those who understand how to work alongside new tools while focusing on the skills that make them uniquely human.
