Introverts are best known for their quiet demeanor, thoughtfulness, and independent learning and working styles — but there is more to this growing group of people than meets the eye.

Researchers estimate introverts make up anywhere between 16% and 50% of the country’s total population. While that number is up for debate, we do know that the number of people who identify with the personality traits of an introvert is on the rise.

Even though creative careers are most often associated with extroverts, introverts bring many underrated and valuable skills to the field of digital marketing.

As an introvert who works in digital marketing, I strongly support the “quiet rise” of introverts, knowing from experience how powerful (and sometimes underrated) we are to successful businesses.  

Take a look at my argument for hiring more introverts in digital marketing, and learn about the skills we bring that can take your marketing efforts to the next level.

Extrovert vs. Introvert: What’s the Difference?

In case you need to brush up on your psychology, let’s do a quick review of the two major personality types: extroverts and introverts.

Extroverts

Often referred to as “social butterflies,” extroverts get a majority of their energy from the presence of others. Extroverts focus on their external environment, including the people and activities around them.

Introverts

Introverts aren’t usually opposed to being in the presence of others, but they do often gain their energy while being alone in a comfortable environment. Introverts prefer to focus on one task at a time and will observe a situation carefully before “jumping in.”

Ambiverts

It’s worth mentioning that not everyone fits into a single category. In fact, after a quick Slack poll of the 9 Clouds staff, five people reported having both extrovert and introvert characteristics (known as ambiverts).

No personality trait is better than another; they are simply different.

Why Introverts Thrive in Digital Marketing

So what makes introverts succeed in digital marketing? We’ve got four reasons.

1. A Love for Listening

In a world full of people shouting, yelling, and fighting for attention both in person and online, perhaps one of the strongest characteristics of introverts is our ability to listen.

The best client and personal relationships are built on trust, which requires both parties to listen to each other.

How can you trust a marketing agency to have your company’s best interests at heart if its marketers don’t take the time to listen to you?

As power continues to shift to consumers, listening becomes a more valuable asset. This is where introverts excel. We listen more than we talk and think before we do speak, doing our best to focus on building a good relationship.

The inbound marketing methodology is centered around this idea of listening. Consumers are asking questions, and they want insightful answers.

As introverts, we can utilize our keen listening skills to help consumers navigate through the buyer’s journey, giving them the content they need and want along the way.

2. An Independent Work Ethic

Even though introverts are fully capable of working with a team, we often work best and most efficiently while alone.

This independence is very valuable because it shows that introverts are self-driven and easily motivated to work, something that makes every employer happy.

More digital marketing agencies (including 9 Clouds) are realizing that not everyone produces their best creative work in an office between the hours of eight and five. This is why introverts love flexible work hours and locations.

Working on their couch at home or in a coffee shop allows introverts to better focus on one task, without the distractions that sometimes come in an office setting (like John‘s bad dad jokes or Jenny‘s murder podcast recaps).

3. A “Get ‘Er Done” Mentality

We’ve all found ourselves in a meeting that could have been an email.

An hour-long meeting full of extroverts and a 20-minute meeting full of introverts will likely make the same amount of progress.

Why? Introverts have a desire to get straight. To. The. Point.

Having spent a majority of my professional career avoiding small talk as much as possible, I greatly appreciate when meetings and conversations have a purpose and agenda.

Is there a time and place for small talk in digital marketing? Of course, but we should also do our best to be as strategic as possible when it comes to our work time and resources.

4. A Creative Mind for a Creative Career

Even though introverts can be very analytical, many thrive in creative careers.

Since introverts work well independently, they aren’t as concerned about following what others are doing. This makes introverts more willing to try out original ideas.

The word creative doesn’t simply refer to your ability to design a flashy graphic. As a digital marketer, once you attract someone’s attention, you need to maintain engagement. A flashy graphic isn’t enough.

The excellent observation and listening skills of introverts allow us to connect with an audience in ways that aren’t as easy for extroverts.

While extroverts are experts at grabbing attention, introverts are experts at holding attention, getting an audience to engage with content that is as useful and informative as it is attractive.

Succeed in Digital Marketing with Personality Diversity

When businesses talk about “workplace diversity,” that shouldn’t always refer to a person’s age, gender, or nationality.

Employee personality should play just as big of a role in workplace diversity. In turn, it will help to create better working environments and more profitable businesses.

Whether you’re an introvert, extrovert, or ambivert, there’s a place for you to add value in digital marketing.

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