Breaking into Cybersecurity Marketing

Why cybersecurity marketing should be your next career move.

Cyber’s not just for tech bros

The industry everyone's talking about isn't just hiring, it's desperately seeking women who can bridge the gap between complex technology and human understanding.

Right now, there are 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity positions globally. Women currently hold just 22% of these roles, but that's changing fast. The opportunity isn't just in the technical trenches, it's in the rooms where cyber companies are struggling to communicate why their solutions matter.

Here's the truth: cybersecurity marketing is where technical precision meets human psychology. And women are uniquely positioned to excel here.

Why Cybersecurity Marketing Needs You

I've built my career in this space, and I know how cyber companies are struggling to tell their stories. The industry has a communication problem and let's be honest, it's very boring. It's drowning in jargon, fear-mongering, and technical specs that mean nothing to the people making buying decisions.

Cybersecurity marketing isn't just about promoting products. It's about translating complex threats into clear solutions, building trust in an industry built on suspicion, and helping organisations protect what matters most to them. It's strategic, creative, and incredibly rewarding.

I fell in love with the industry because it has an impact on people’s lives – not only that it is pretty James Bond when you look past the hoodies and overuse of padlocks.

Your Roadmap: From Curious to Confident

1. Start with Strategic Understanding

Before you dive into marketing tactics, understand what you're marketing. Take Google's Cybersecurity Certificate or Coursera's Introduction to Cybersecurity. You're not learning to code, you're learning to think like your audience. When you understand the weight of a data breach or the complexity of compliance requirements, your marketing becomes authentic.

2. Master the Marketing Foundation

Cybersecurity marketing follows the same principles as all great marketing, but with higher stakes. Start with:

• HubSpot's Content Marketing Certification (free and comprehensive)

• Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath (how to make technical concepts memorable)

• The Choice Factory by Richard Shotton (behavioural science for marketers)

• Hooked by Nir Eyal – persuasive loops. ( encourage repeat engagement from buyers.)

• Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey A. Moore – tech adoption cycles. (Marketing & Selling disruptive tech)

• Alchemy - Rory Sutherland (All time favs emotion vs logic)

  
  

3. Learn the Language

Subscribe to industry publications like Dark Reading, Krebs on Security, and CSO Online. Follow cybersecurity leaders on LinkedIn. Attend virtual conferences. The goal isn't to become a technical expert, it's to understand the conversations your future customers are having.

4. Build Your Marketing Stack

Get hands-on with the tools that matter:

• Content Management: HubSpot, Marketo, or Pardot for lead nurturing

• Analytics: Google Analytics 4, plus security-specific tools like SANS reading room for research

• Design: Canva Pro or Adobe Creative Suite for visual storytelling

• AI Tools: ChatGPT for content ideation, but learn to fact-check everything in cyber

  
  

5. It’s ok to be a generalist

Marketing in 2025 is an ecosystem. Strategy, psychology, storytelling, SEO, funnels, content, testing, attribution, automation, branding… with 27 tabs open and 3 deadlines breathing down our neck. AI is changing marketing and being a generalist marketer is how I keep winning, and I am not afraid to admit that.

There is a lot you can cover, but I would get to know the below and have broad skills not a specialism.

• Demand Generation: Creating campaigns that generate qualified leads in a complex B2B environment

• Product Marketing: Translating technical features into business benefits

• Content Marketing: Building thought leadership through blogs, whitepapers, and webinars

• Event Marketing: Coordinating conferences, trade shows, and executive roundtables

• Account-Based Marketing: Personalizing campaigns for high-value enterprise prospects

The Skills That Set You Apart

Technical Empathy: You don't need to be a programmer, but you need to understand why a CISO loses sleep over zero-day vulnerabilities.

Storytelling Under Pressure: Cyber marketing often involves crisis communication. When a major breach hits the news, can you craft messaging that's both reassuring and realistic?

Data-Driven Decision Making: In an industry obsessed with metrics, your campaigns need to prove ROI. Learn to love spreadsheets and dashboard reports. But make those stats sing.

Relationship Building: Cybersecurity is built on trust. Your ability to foster genuine connections with customers, partners, and industry experts will define your success.

Look outside our industry box. B2C is driving marketing and B2B is behind. Cyber Security is only just getting started. Spend time at events for marketing but to be great in Cyber be at the events like Mad Fest, Hospitality Events, Ideas Festival and all the amazing communities that are out there. Museums, musicals, festivals anywhere that builds human connection is a great way to get inspiration. 

Your First Steps This Week

Monday: Sign up for a cybersecurity newsletter (start with SANS NewsBites) Tuesday: Create a LinkedIn profile that highlights your marketing experience and cybersecurity interest

Wednesday: Join relevant groups: Women in Cybersecurity, Cybersecurity Marketing Society, ISACA

Thursday: Start the Google Cybersecurity Certificate or a HubSpot marketing course

Friday: Attend a virtual cybersecurity webinar and take notes on how they present their solutions

The Reality Check

Cybersecurity marketing isn't easy. You'll encounter sceptical engineers who think marketing is fluff. You'll struggle with technical accuracy while trying to stay engaging. You'll work with sales teams who want immediate results in an industry with 18-month buying cycles.

But here's what makes it worth it: you're not just selling software, you're helping organisations protect their customers, their reputation, and their future. Businesses that I am sure you, your mum or your grandparents use. For me, it is all about protecting my kids. Every successful campaign potentially prevents a breach that could destroy livelihoods.

Your Advantage as a Woman in Cyber Marketing

The cybersecurity industry has traditionally been male dominated, but that's changing.

Women bring fresh perspectives to an industry that's often stuck in its own echo chamber. A new approach focused on  empathy-driven marketing, collaborative problem-solving, and authentic relationship building are exactly what cyber companies need.

Research shows that diverse teams make better decisions, and in cybersecurity marketing, better decisions mean better protection for everyone.

Making Your Move

If you're ready to transition into cybersecurity marketing, start building your network now. Attend local cybersecurity meetups, join online communities, and don't be afraid to reach out to women already working in the field. 

Most of us are eager to help the next generation break in.

The cybersecurity industry needs more women, and it desperately needs better marketing. You have the opportunity to be both the solution and the beneficiary of this massive market opportunity.

The question isn't whether you can break into cybersecurity marketing, it's how quickly you can position yourself as indispensable to an industry that's finally ready to listen.

Your next career move is waiting. The only question is: are you ready to take it?

Give the article a comment and I will be happy to share my comprehensive guide of all the resources I share with everyone we mentor and joining Marketing in Cyber Security

Ready to start your journey? Connect with other women breaking into cybersecurity marketing through WITCH's community platform, and remember – every expert was once a beginner. Your time is now. Connect with Kelly Allen – unboring.digital, LinkedIn, kelly@unboring,digital