Digital marketing has become imperative for modern business. Here you can learn how to create a holistic digital marketing strategy in an ever-changing digital world. This comprehensive guideline will allow you to create a strategy that works for your brand.
What Is Digital Marketing?
This is a strategic marketing tool for business that comprises all promotional efforts within the digital environment. This is effectively your company’s presence online, and those without one are missing out in a big way.
Importance of a Digital Marketing Strategy
Beyond the basic fact that not having an online presence in this current, low-touch economy is extremely detrimental to business, there are so many benefits for those who decide to go this route.
Cost-Effective
Traditional marketing strategies – print, television and radio – are actually incredibly expensive and continue to remain so, despite digital options. With a digital marketing strategy, you’re benefiting from – not only a cost-effective option – but also one that is very layered, allowing you to find a strategy that complements your business size and budget.
Real-Time Data
With traditional marketing formats, the return-on-investment is increasingly difficult to track. And even if the sales are happening, it’s not always evident which market you’re reaching and why. With an effective digital marketing strategy, you are able to accumulate useful data on every individual that clicks on your site, track the type of audience that’s interested in specific products, and then customise your approach for enhanced performance.
Adjust the Approach
Putting together a marketing campaign takes a lot of time and energy, but if it isn’t having it’s intended effect, then digital marketing allows you to tweak the campaign along the way. You benefit from real-time feedback directly from the customers which can then be used to enhance your marketing strategy.
Build a Brand Reputation
The first thing many potential customers do is to research the company online and assess the brand’s reputation. Fortunately, businesses are in the position to drive their brand’s reputation by creating the online content, engaging with consumers, and building a solid business presence. This forms part of an effective digital marketing strategy.
Establishing Brand Authority
Another benefit of an impactful digital marketing strategy is establishing your company as an authority in a certain field. Whether it’s a product or idea, you can effectively become the ‘go-to’ organisation for all queries and concerns, providing maximum exposure.
Bigger Reach
All offline or traditional marketing strategies tend to have limits in terms of audience reach, but with a digital marketing strategy, there’s no limit. Good content and quality products or services will reach the targeted audience – and beyond.
Enhanced SEO Rankings
An effective digital marketing strategy will generate great content, create content sharing on social media, thereby improving your business’ search engine optimisation (SEO) rankings.
Improved Customer Satisfaction
Because a digital marketing strategy enhances your brand image and loyalty, positions your company as industry experts, and gives you a platform to engage directly with the consumer, you are improving overall customer satisfaction.
Key Elements of an Effective Digital Marketing Strategy
Anyone can put together a digital marketing strategy, but to put together a great digital marketing strategy, there are certain elements that cannot be overlooked. These include:
- Constant communication – It’s no use putting together a fantastic marketing campaign, setting it up, and then sitting back and waiting for the results. A well-versed digital marketer will engage constantly with consumers, building up a positive image while attending to any concerns and queries.
- Quality content – It’s important that the content you share – whether it’s blog posts, web content, social media posts, or general adverts – is well-written and directed towards your target audience.
- Know your audience – Thorough research needs to be done into the target demographic for this particular digital media campaign so that you don’t miss your mark.
- Identify keywords – Keyword research is vital to creating targeted marketing content that elevates search rankings and ensures you’re reaching the intended audience.
Types of Digital Marketing Strategies
A digital marketer will research your company, the market and the competition to customise a digital marketing strategy for you, but there are obviously certain strategies that have been proven across industries. Here’s a look at some of the more effective online marketing methods.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
Research has shown that around 75% of online customers will not look past the first page of search engine results. This alarming statistic indicates exactly why you need to tackle your company’s SEO from the get-go. Enhancing SEO – through quality content, streamlined design and backlinks – will boost your business to the top of the search engine results page (SERPs), meaning more people will find you.
Improved Web Design
Because digital marketing is effectively driving consumers to your website, it’s vital that your site’s design is top-notch. It’s best to work with a qualified web designer who can customise your site to reflect your brand, make it user-friendly, and provide the required information to make a sale.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
This strategy allows you to boost rankings quickly, is affordable, and reaches people who are actually interested in your product. PPC advertising also allows you to target audiences according to demographics, location and preferred device.
Email Marketing
Rather than sending out spam to unwilling recipients, email marketing has an opt-in approach which means everyone receiving your emails is interested in your products or services. This form of digital marketing allows you to customise the emails to the subscriber.
Social Media Marketing
One of the most valuable digital marketing solutions is across the various social media platforms available – Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp … and any new ones that have emerged. Billions of people use social media daily, and the data gathered gives insight into the consumers’ opinion on your brand.
Content Marketing
Quality content will position you as an industry expert, improve your SEO rankings, and organically grow your customer base. It’s important that your digital marketing strategy outlines exactly what your brand wants to communicate, and where you’re looking to gain ground online.
Online Analytics
Part of your digital marketing strategy should include the analysis of your online presence, including aspects such as cost-per-lead and conversion rates, as a way to improve your marketing campaign and generate more revenue.
How to Create a Digital Marketing Strategy
A professional digital marketing agency will take a holistic approach to your campaign, analysing your strengths and weaknesses, finding ways to leverage the former and improve the latter. Here’s a look at some of the ways a digital marketing strategy can be created.
1. Outline Your Goals
The first, and possibly most important step, is outlining your goals for this particular marketing campaign. These goals need to be attainable, yet not so simplistic that you’re not getting your money’s worth. It’s also vital that your goals are easily measured and constantly tracked.
2. Determine the Buyer Persona
Going beyond just the analysis of consumer data related to occupation, age, gender, location and interest, marketing strategies now involve determining the ideal customer by surveying consumer groups.
3. Blogging Opportunities
A great way to build an organic online presence is by creating quality content that sets you apart as industry experts. By blogging, either inhouse or by using blogger outreach, you are able to extend your online presence and direct traffic back to your website.
4. Getting the Right Technology
You might have to invest in the right digital marketing technology, such as automation software, as a way to enhance your strategy. However, if you outsource your marketing to industry professionals, there is no need to invest in it yourself.
5. Direct Connection to Your Site
Make sure your digital marketing strategy is not so complex that the route to your site is convoluted. The key intention is to drive visitors to your site and secure sales, so make sure your strategy makes customer engagement as easy as possible.
6. Include Mobile
The world is increasingly reliant on mobile phones, so it’s vital that your digital strategy incorporates the mobile experience. This means designing the website, as well as SEO practices, all suited to a mobile device.
7. Check Out the Competition
Make sure you thoroughly research the competition, determine what is working for them and what sets you apart. You need to find ways to leverage these unique selling points as a way to make yourself seen online.
8. Track and Adapt
One of the biggest benefits of online marketing is the ability to track the impact in real-time, and then pivot the strategy if needed. You need to utilise this tool by constantly monitoring the campaign’s performance, engaging with consumers, and then adapting if needed.
When it comes to digital marketing, there are many missteps that need to be avoided as they could be detrimental to a brand in the long run. It’s best to partner with a digital marketer that is able to fully assess your company’s current presence, review what’s needed, and implement the strategy effectively