Digital marketing is the use of any digital media to market your products or services. How do we build out a plan? Let's see...
Ok, let’s start with a couple of definitions.
What do we mean by Digital Marketing?
Digital marketing is the use of any digital media (web, email, online content, social media, paid ads etc) to market your products or services. Each media type has systems in place to engage, communicate and connect with your target audience, as well as increase leads and generate sales.
What is Strategy?
The dictionary definition of strategy is as follows:
‘a plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim.’
Ok, so what next?
We now have the 2 key elements defined, so let’s gel these together and get a better understanding of what a Digital Marketing Strategy is.
We are going to cover the 2 most important parts of a Digital Marketing Strategy.
No. 1
Starting with the end in mind is the most important element of any digital strategy (or any strategy).
- What is it you want from your digital marketing.
- What are the goals? (be clear), and
- In 12 months time what results do we need to see for the strategy to be successful?
These are all important questions and where you should always begin.
Without defining your goals there is no way you can put together the actions and implementations to get you there.
So a great Digital Marketing Strategy should begin with your goals – what next?
No. 2
A great place to follow on from your goals are defining you target market you want to engage with. You need to know who you are going to speak with so you can get the right tone of voice, and to understand the best ways to help your audience. It is also very important to understand where you audience hangs out – this will determine where your energy should be focussed. Are your target market on Facebook, searching Google, watching videos on youTube?
Ok – so goals are in place and your market defined. With this information you are in a great place to now start piecing together your Digital Marketing action plan.
Below is a quick bulleted list of parts that can tie this all together:
- Assign a budget (including monthly paid advertising)
- Choose your platform or platforms
- What reporting/analytics methods will you use
- Build out your content (will be influenced by your platforms)
- Schedule a calendar of content
- What online software will you use (Hootsuite etc)
- Build in time to review and iterate
- Listen to your audience
- How will you track your leads or conversions so you can actually build a successful plan
Phew, lots to think about!
Hopefully this has helped to get you started on building out a Digital Marketing Strategy that will work for your business.The more grunt work you put in at the planning stage, the better the results will be. Happy marketing!
