Presentation
The tracking specialist is responsible for the proper implementation of digital data tracking. It’s a job that emerged with the digital age due to the need to analyze the performance of digital channels such as websites or mobile applications.
Tracking specialists can be found in all business sectors, although not all companies require them on a full-time basis. In small structures, marketing teams and developers can take care of tracking. Often, these organizations (small or large) call on agencies or specialized consultancies.
The tracking specialist is a subpart of the digital/web analyst profession. The web analyst has a broader responsibility since he or she is in charge of the tracking part but also of data analysis. However, I’ve noticed on the market that most web analysts’ jobs are more like tracking specialists, since the real challenge for companies is to collect data correctly, a necessary step before being able to analyze it.
Missions
– Manage the proper implementation of tracking tags (this can sometimes be done via coding)
– Configure events on the various platforms (media and analytics)
– Specify and follow the implementation of tracking performed by developers (the tracking specialist rarely acts independently, he collaborates with a large set of department: legal, design, IT, data, marketing…)
– Ensure data compliance by respecting the regulations, notably the GDPR
As you can see, this is a technical job requiring a great deal of rigor and a good dose of testing aimed at checking that data is being properly gathered. It’s a strategic role, as it guarantees the quality of digital data within the organization.
Work environment
This is an office job with the usual working hours where teleworking is common, it’s quite possible to do it in full remote as an employee or freelancer. This position requires various and rather rare skills. It lies at the intersection between web developer, data analyst and traffic manager.
Skills
Tracking managers are generally required to have the following skills:
– Coding in Javascript
– Good understanding of HTML and CSS and web browsers
– Mastery of a TMS (the tool to manage one’s tracking, we’ll talk about that later)
– Mastery of an analytics tool (a tool for analyzing one’s digital performance)
– Project management (especially for tracking developments)
– Knowledge of digital marketing.
More rarely, these skills are also required:
– Tracking management on mobile applications
– Mastery of SQL
– Data engineering skills
– Excel skills
Even if digital marketing skills will be of less use to tracking managers, it’s necessary to know the basics, to understand certain concepts like utms for example.
Possible career paths
Generally speaking, career evolution opportunities are as follows:
– Data analysts
– Data engineers
– Acquisition managers
– Data marketing managers
– Growth hackers
– Traffic managers
– Web/digital analysts