Digital marketing channel questions
"Walk me through how you would build a paid search campaign from scratch." Strong answer: start with keyword research (match type strategy, negative keywords, search volume vs competition), structure campaigns by theme for quality score, write ad copy with clear CTAs and extensions (sitelinks, callouts), set bidding aligned to goal (Target CPA for lead gen, Target ROAS for e-commerce), establish conversion tracking before go-live, then optimise: check search terms weekly, pause underperforming keywords, test ad copy variants. Show the full cycle, not just setup.
"What is the difference between SEO and SEM?" SEO (organic search) is long-term and earned: you optimise content and technical factors so Google ranks you without payment. SEM (paid search) delivers instant visibility through ads. They complement each other: use SEM to drive traffic while SEO builds authority, and use SEM to test conversion messaging before investing in organic content for those terms.
Analytics and attribution questions
"Explain the difference between last-click, first-click, and data-driven attribution." Last-click gives all credit to the final touchpoint before conversion: easy but undervalues top-of-funnel. First-click gives all credit to the first touchpoint. Linear splits equally across all touchpoints. Data-driven attribution (GA4 default) uses machine learning to assign credit based on actual conversion probability at each step. In 2026, GA4's data-driven model is the recommended default for businesses with sufficient conversion volume.
"How would you measure the success of a content marketing campaign?" Define KPIs aligned to the goal before launch. For brand awareness: impressions, new users, branded search uplift. For lead gen: form completions, cost per lead. For revenue: assisted conversions in a multi-touch model. Vanity metrics (page views, social shares) are secondary signals — always connect content activity to business outcomes.
Tools and technical knowledge
Digital marketing roles in 2026 expect proficiency in: Google Ads and Meta Ads Manager, GA4 (Universal Analytics is fully retired), Google Search Console, and a marketing automation platform (HubSpot, Klaviyo, or Salesforce Marketing Cloud). Familiarity with A/B testing tools and basic SQL for querying marketing data in BigQuery is a genuine differentiator. Know the 2026 landscape: third-party cookies deprecated in Chrome, AI-powered campaign optimisation (Performance Max, Meta Advantage+), and the pressure AI-generated content creates on organic search.
How to prepare
Have specific numbers ready from campaigns you have run: CTR, conversion rate, cost per acquisition, ROAS. Interviewers judge credibility by whether you know your own metrics. Show that you are up to date: mention that GA4 replaced Universal Analytics, that you have worked with cookieless attribution approaches, or that you have used AI tools in your workflow. Generic 2020-era answers stand out poorly against current market knowledge.