Creating an effective digital marketing strategy for your business is the secret recipe to ensure your goals will be reached. Having all the specific tasks and steps outlined will guarantee the success of seeing results on the objectives you’ve set to accomplish.
Now, for some of you, the mere word “strategy” brings waves of anxiety over you. Designing a step-by-step strategy shouldn’t have to be a stressful and anxious task. The secret is to break it into small, realistic steps.
So, let me share with you a couple of essential steps to make this task easier and more enjoyable for you, and at the same time ensuring the successful accomplishment of your goals.
1.Make sure you know your target customer
Most likely, you have a general idea of who your target audience is, but that’s not enough. Target customer personas go beyond generic characteristics, into specific details. And the more specific the better.
Having a definitive picture of your target customer will help you find improved ways and strategies to engage and target your audience.
There are a few free tools you can use to create your persona. Here are a couple you can try out: MakeMyPersona and Persona Creator.
2. Analyse your past performance and competitors
Before moving to setting your goals, it’s important to take some time analysing your performance so far. Go in for the details and figure out exactly what worked and what didn’t.
It’s important to have a clear picture of your past performance in order to know what changes need to be made as you move forward.
Another great way to find ideas for your digital marketing strategy is to analyse your competitors. After you’ve discovered which are your strengths and weaknesses, move on to analysing your competitors. Be as objective as you can and make judgements from a marketing point of view.
3. Identify your goals and the right tools to help you achieve them
Goals are the core of your strategy. Simply put, without them, you can’t have a strategy.
Everything that comes before identifying your objectives (customer persona, performance analysis, analysing competitors) should focus on helping you clearly define your goals. The steps that come after you’ve identified those goals should focus on helping you achieve them.
Since goals represent such a crucial part of your strategy, it’s important to define them correctly. Make sure your goals are measurable. If you can’t measure them, you can’t keep track of your progress, which makes it hard to analyse your performance.
Keeping track of your performance can be an easy task if you find the right tools. For example, Google Analytics can be a great resource for keeping track of all the numbers. If you’re using multiple platforms, make sure the results summary provided make it easy for you to identify your progress, and they don’t just overwhelm you with countless numbers.
4. Take blogging into account
Marketers predict that 2017 is going to be a great year to start a blog.
Blogging is a great tool to boost and drive your traffic. If you make it a priority to keep your blog up to date, you have a great chance to establish and increase your social media presence. If your topics are relevant for your users you will easily be found through search engines.
So, think about starting a blog this year as part of your digital marketing strategy. It will make it easier for users to reach you.
5. Optimisation, optimisation, optimisation
There’s always room for improvement, no matter how great you’re doing. Right? If you want to be the best you need to always think about ways you can further improve.
Here’s where optimisation comes into the picture. Always look for opportunities to optimise your landing pages and conversion rate.
Once you know your goals, look for optimisation opportunities through those lenses.
6. Choose the right channels
How can I identify the right channels? The right channels are not the same for everyone, which is why this might seem a bit tough. But it isn’t. The right channels for you are the ones that support and help accomplish your goals.
Now, you have to be cautious of the tendency most marketers have to try everything, “the more the merrier”, right? No. In fact, it’s better to have fewer but effective channels that will make your strategy applicable.
Here are a few questions to help you narrow down the right channels for your digital marketing strategy:
- What should each channel help accomplish?
- What role will each channel play in moving prospects through the buying cycle?
- Which channels are responsible for bringing leads/customers?
- Which will move leads down the funnel?
- Which approaches would be engaged?
7. Value your differences
What makes you different from your competitors? Those are your differentiators.
Identify them, thrive in them, confirm them. Introduce your customers to your differences, make sure they know exactly what makes you different from others.
Think of your differentiators as your secret weapon, not as your weakness. Diversity is key, owning it will help you establish a stable brand.
8. Experiment, adapt, adjust
Your digital marketing strategy doesn’t have to be this perfect, set-in-stone rulebook to which you have to abide. Not at all!
Think of it more as a framework for your goals. Be brave enough to experiment and constantly be aware of what works and what doesn’t. Come back to it frequently and adjust it constantly.
The truth is there’s always room for improvement. As long as you’re aware of it, you’re on the right track.
If you have any further questions about your marketing strategy and how to attract the right clients for your business, Super Savvy Business is here to help you. From digital marketing strategies and business coaching to website development, our specialists are here to assist you. Contact us now.