Why Coding Gives Digital Roles a Competitive Edge?

Here’s how it enhances effectiveness no matter your position

I started my programming journey over 15 years ago, and even today, I believe coding is an incredibly valuable skill to have—even if you’re not a full-time developer. Whether you’re in marketing, e-commerce, or any digital field, understanding code can make a significant difference.

Knowing how to code speeds up communication. As an e-commerce manager, being able to write code has been a game-changer. It allows me to understand how things work under the hood and even prototype ideas quickly. Instead of spending time explaining what I want, I can write some code—even if it’s not perfect—and show it directly to a developer. Suddenly, we’re on the same page without the need for lengthy business requirement documents.

It bridges the gap between business and technical teams. Understanding code helps me communicate more effectively with both sides. I can read code, see logical dependencies, and better estimate how long it might take to build, test, and launch a feature. Occasionally, I even solve coding problems myself, which can be quite satisfying.

Coding boosts productivity through automation. Creating something, even something simple, can be a huge productivity boost. Automating tasks and connecting systems helps in understanding data better and transferring it between platforms. While tools like Zapier are great—even without coding skills—knowing how to write code opens up possibilities for more advanced automations.

It enhances user experience with deeper insights. Knowing how a system is built gives you a better sense of what’s possible and what users might experience. This insight helps optimize the digital customer journey, spot potential friction points, and understand how changes might impact user experience. In e-commerce, minor improvements in user experience can have significant impacts on conversion rates.

Understanding code fosters creativity and innovation. If you know what’s technically possible, you can come up with more innovative marketing campaigns—like creating interactive content, gamification elements, or new ad formats. Coding skills expand your creative toolkit and allow for more personalized touches that can make a big difference in engagement.

You can leverage AI APIs directly. Here’s a bonus: knowing how to code means you can tap into AI APIs like OpenAI or Anthropic directly. This allows you to connect powerful AI models to whatever you want, however you want, without relying on third-party services that are often quite pricey compared to paying for raw AI tokens. It’s a cost-effective way to integrate cutting-edge AI capabilities into your projects. Like I did here(super-simple app).

It helps in assessing vendor quality and negotiating costs. When it comes to outsourcing development—which is common in business—knowing how to code helps me assess the quality of vendor work. I can look at their code and understand if it’s well-structured, efficient, and secure. It also helps in negotiating costs, ensuring I’m not overcharged for simple changes.

But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes, focusing too much on code can be a downside. I find myself diving into the technical details when I should be evaluating features, tools, or services from the user’s perspective. It’s tempting to code more rather than writing a brief and sending it to the project manager. You might catch yourself in the “brief paradox,” realizing that the time needed to explain what you want is equal to the time it would take to build something yourself. It’s a slippery slope that requires setting clear and healthy boundaries between you and other team members.

In the end, I believe everyone in the digital field should at least have a basic understanding of how code works. You don’t need to become a full-fledged developer, but grasping the fundamentals can make you more effective, adaptable, and creative in your role.

If you’re interested in starting, here are some great places to begin:

• Codecademy offers beginner-friendly, interactive lessons in various programming languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Python.

• freeCodeCamp is a completely free resource that offers practical projects alongside lessons, making it great for hands-on learners.

• W3Schools is a classic, no-nonsense resource to learn the basics of web development at your own pace.

• Coursera offers coding classes from universities around the world if you prefer structured courses.

These resources are ideal for building foundational knowledge, which can give you more control over your projects, enhance your creativity, and ultimately make you better at what you do.