1 skill that will make you a Top Digital Marketer.

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What’s the one trait I see in every successful digital marketer?

Pragmatism.

Stay with me.

Knowing the skill isn't enough — how you apply it matters just as much, and I break it all down for you below.

It's about knowing that a solution exists, even if you haven't found it yet.

It's about piecing things together and experimenting until you hit the sweet spot.

But let me tell you, pragmatism means embracing failure just as much as success.

In my 10 years, I’ve run 100s of campaigns.

But honestly, it’s probably just 20 of them that really defined my career.

Those marquee campaigns, the ones I’m known for, weren’t magic—they were built on the back of countless experiments, mistakes, and even failures.

So when you’re looking for a great marketer, don’t just look at their biggest wins. Look at their approach. Ask them this:

"What’s the most complex problem you’ve tackled?"

For me, the process—the strategy, the thought process, the journey—is way more important than the result.

In digital marketing, results often hinge on things you can’t control: customer support, user experience, pricing, competition, partnerships, you name it.

When all of these stars align, boom—you get that game-changing campaign. But more often than not, you’re just hitting targets or falling short.

So, yeah, pragmatism is key. Here's what the dictionary says it means:

Here’s how pragmatism shows up in 3 core areas of digital marketing:

1. Digital Ads

Here's the thing: the problem that lands on your desk isn’t usually the real problem.

You have to dig deep, ask hard questions, and adjust your approach as you go.

In digital ads, everyone’s watching the numbers—impressions, clicks, conversions—and they’re quick to judge based on short-term performance.

But that’s where pragmatism is hardest and most needed.

I always tell my clients: let your ad team wander a bit, try new things, and yes, fail sometimes. Out of five approaches, maybe only one will work, but you’ve got to give it the space to happen.

I once spoke with a lead whose agency promised to take their ROAS from 2.5 to 6 in three months. No room for pragmatism there, just false hope.

Spoiler: They’re not hitting that target.

2. Retention Marketing

This is where pragmatism shines brightest.

If you’re working in retention, you’re constantly in the trenches—running campaigns, analyzing data, and pivoting strategies daily.

You’ve got to be flexible, adapting to what’s happening in real-time.

Pragmatism here is about staying fluid, trusting your gut, and making decisions on the go.

3. SEO

SEO is a bit of a balancing act.

You can’t be too loose with your strategy, but you do need to stay on the lookout for new opportunities.

Leveraging content—whether it's videos, infographics, or blogs—is where pragmatism helps.

Be smart about what other teams are creating and how you can make it work for your SEO efforts.

The Wrap-Up

At the end of the day, pragmatism is about being adaptable, persistent, and willing to test the waters until you find what works.

And honestly, that’s how I’ve approached every campaign in my career.

The willingness to wander and fail is what leads to real success.

If this resonates with you, I think you’d love my Dream Performance Marketing Masterclass.

It's a deep dive into performance marketing, where I work with just 10 people over 10 live sessions to help them understand the ins and outs of the craft.

We’ll cover it all—ads, retention, SEO—and yeah, we’ll get pragmatic about it.

Spots fill up fast since I only do this every 3 months, so if you're serious about levelling up, let’s do this together.

Until then, keep being pragmatic, keep experimenting, and trust that the solution is out there.

Cheers,

Apurv