While print ads and mailers aren’t entirely dead, they’re only a small percentage of modern marketing efforts. Brands need a digital marketing strategy to stay relevant, improve online visibility, and stand out from the competition.
Here are some of the top considerations to keep in mind as you create a digital marketing strategy for your business.
Understanding the Audience
One of the most crucial considerations when developing a digital marketing strategy is understanding your target audience and their online behavior.
Many startups make the mistake of creating marketing collateral that speaks to the key stakeholders rather than solving customer pain points.
Take some time to clarify who your customers are and what they want, so you can position your offering as the solution to their problems.
Setting Goals and Objectives
Define your marketing goals and objectives, and ensure that they are measurable.
Setting clear goals should be about more than pleasing investors. Realistic goals are crucial for managing expectations and properly allocating resources. Take the time to research industry benchmarks and plan accordingly.
Objectives are the plan to put your goals into action. Determine every step that must happen to make progress toward your digital marketing goals.
Conducting a Competitor Analysis
You can’t succeed in marketing without a clear understanding of the competition.
Conduct a thorough competitor analysis to understand the market landscape. Note what the competition is doing well and what gaps they’re leaving for you to capitalize upon.
Your digital marketing campaigns shouldn’t just address what your customers need; they should showcase what other brands are unable to do for them.
Choose the Right Channels
At the dawn of the social media revolution, the recommendation was for businesses to be on every possible channel for the greatest potential reach. This recommendation is similar to advising that a brand target everyone instead of a relevant demographic.
Instead of being on every platform, choose the most effective channels (social media, email, search engines) to reach your target audience. If your audience is on TikTok and LinkedIn, that’s where you should be. If they aren’t on Instagram and Facebook, don’t waste your time.
It’s also worth mentioning the importance of not putting all your eggs in one basket. Taking a diverse approach with PPC ads, organic SEO, and email marketing is a must for a well-rounded approach.
Create Valuable Content
Create valuable, relevant, and consistent content that resonates with your audience. Use your audience’s needs and competitive gaps for guidance when creating content.
Don’t forget to leave space for repurposing and cross-posting content to get a higher ROI for your digital marketing efforts.
Take a Data-Driven Approach
Implement a data-driven approach, including tracking, analysis, and optimization of your campaigns. You should be continuously monitoring, evaluating, and refining your strategy to ensure it stays effective and relevant.
Set aside time each month to review your metrics and see what content resonated and what fell flat. Keep in mind that timing is sometimes everything with digital marketing. Use your analytics to determine whether the issue is the content or your user behavior and timelines.
Creating a digital marketing strategy requires review, planning, analysis, and creativity. When in doubt, hire a digital marketing specialist to help take your business to the next level.