What does a marketing coordinator do?

A marketing coordinator focuses on executing day-to-day marketing activities and supporting the marketing team. They typically play an instrumental role in campaign coordination, social media management, content creation, data analysis and brand support. Their work keeps marketing initiatives running smoothly and in alignment with company goals.

Key responsibilities of a marketing coordinator

Marketing coordinators may handle these tasks:

• Campaign coordination and execution: Marketing coordinators often assist in setting up, managing and tracking campaigns. This includes scheduling, working with vendors, aligning goals and tracking performance. For example, if your company is launching a new product, the coordinator might ensure social media posts, email newsletters and digital ads are published on time and manage the responses.
• Content creation and management: Coordinators frequently create, schedule, edit and publish content across social media platforms, blogs, email newsletters and more. They keep content consistent with the company’s brand voice and objectives.
• Data collection, reporting and analysis: A marketing coordinator may gather data from campaigns to measure their effectiveness, including social media engagement and website analytics. They help identify which marketing efforts perform best.
• Collaboration across departments: Marketing coordinators work closely with sales, customer service and other teams to align marketing activities with broader business goals. If a new product feature is introduced, the coordinator might collaborate with the product team to create content highlighting this update and explaining its benefits.
• Event planning and coordination: For companies that attend trade shows, conferences or community events, the marketing coordinator may manage logistics, such as booking booths, ordering materials, handling travel arrangements and ensuring the necessary promotional materials are available.

Skills required for a marketing coordinator

Because the marketing coordinator role is detail-oriented and fast-paced, it typically requires specific skills, such as:

• Strong organizational abilities: Coordinators often juggle multiple tasks and manage complex schedules and deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills: Marketing coordinators must communicate clearly with internal teams, external vendors and collaborative partners.
• Basic analytical and reporting skills: The ability to collect, interpret and communicate data is essential for tracking campaign success and reporting insights.
• Creativity and problem-solving: Writing engaging content and addressing small roadblocks are key parts of the role.
• Adaptability and resourcefulness: Marketing trends evolve quickly, and coordinators must adapt to new tools, practices and platforms.

What does a marketing manager do?

A marketing manager typically holds a more strategic, higher-level position within the marketing department. This role focuses on developing marketing strategies, leading teams, setting budgets and analyzing high-level metrics.

Marketing managers ensure all marketing efforts align with business goals. They often serve as the bridge between the marketing team, executive leadership and cross-functional collaborators.

Key responsibilities of a marketing manager

Marketing managers oversee comprehensive marketing strategies that contribute to the company’s growth. Their duties may include:

• Strategy: Marketing managers develop overarching marketing strategies that guide campaigns, content, branding efforts and budget allocation. For example, if a company wants to grow its online presence, the manager might set a goal to increase social media followers by 20% over six months, with a clear plan to achieve it.
• Team leadership and support: Managers often lead a team of marketing professionals. They work to create a cohesive, motivated team that can execute campaigns effectively.
• Budgeting and cost management: Marketing managers typically handle the marketing budget, deciding how much to invest in digital advertising, content creation, events, team salaries and other marketing activities.
• Campaign performance, evaluation and analysis: Managers take a broader view of campaign metrics, examining how each effort contributes to overall business goals. They use data to make informed decisions and adjust strategies.
• Brand management: Marketing managers oversee the company’s brand identity, ensuring consistent messaging, visuals, language and tone across all platforms and communications.
• Cross-functional collaboration and strategic alignment: In addition to leading the marketing team, managers work closely with other departments to create cohesive strategies that support company-wide objectives.

Skills required for a marketing manager

To succeed in this role, a marketing manager typically needs to combine strategic thinking with practical marketing knowledge:

• Strategic planning and execution: Managers must be able to design and execute long-term marketing strategies.
• Leadership and mentorship abilities: Strong leadership skills are essential for managing a team, fostering growth and encouraging collaboration.
• Budget and financial management: Marketing managers may need to make decisions that align with the budget.
• Analytical, critical thinking and decision-making skills: A marketing manager should be comfortable interpreting data, drawing insights and applying those to improve campaigns.
• Adaptability and innovation: Successful marketing managers stay updated on industry trends and are open to experimenting with new strategies and resources.

Differences between a marketing coordinator and a marketing manager

Although both roles work toward improving your marketing department’s output, they have distinct functions. Let’s take a closer look at the main differences.

Level of responsibility and influence

The marketing coordinator typically executes tasks. A marketing manager is a leadership role that often sets strategies and oversees the broader marketing direction.

Scope of work and impact on goals

A coordinator’s work is typically hands-on and task-oriented, while a manager’s responsibilities are analytical and decision-focused.

Coordinators execute day-to-day activities. Managers focus on long-term goals and outcomes.

Experience, skills and knowledge depth

Marketing coordinators typically have several years of experience and handle campaign coordination, content creation, task management and day-to-day troubleshooting. Marketing managers usually have five to 10 years of experience and are well-versed in strategy development, budgeting and team management.

Contribution to business goals

Marketing managers contribute directly to high-level business goals by shaping the overall marketing strategy. Coordinators support these goals by implementing campaigns and gathering data.

When to hire a marketing coordinator

Hiring a marketing coordinator might be a good choice if:

• You want to build a startup team from scratch.
• Your marketing team needs support in daily operations.
• You’re focused on execution over strategy.

Related: Marketing Coordinator Interview Questions

When to hire a marketing manager

Consider hiring a marketing manager for the following scenarios:

• Your business is growing rapidly or expanding.
• You need a comprehensive marketing strategy and direction.
• You need help managing multiple channels and campaigns.
• You want to drive higher revenue, visibility and impact.

Related: 5 Marketing Manager Interview Questions and Answers

Making the right hiring decision between a marketing manager vs. marketing coordinator

Choosing between a marketing coordinator and a marketing manager depends on your company’s specific needs and objectives. If you’re focused on executing established strategies and have a strong leadership team in your marketing department, a coordinator may be the perfect addition to handle daily tasks.

If you want to define the brand, drive growth and create long-term impact, hiring a marketing manager may be a better fit.