Getting to grips with digital strategy planning

June 17, 2016

Understanding how to effectively manage your marketing online is only becoming more and more important. Suddenly being seen first on Google is a better way for your brand to be ‘seen’ than on billboards. Businesses need strong Digital Strategy Planning in order to have a powerful online presence and be successful.

We have put together 5 tips to think about when considering how to make the best of the technology and techniques available; so it is your website that customers are clicking on, and not your competitors!

Before You Start…

Your digital strategy should never be an after thought. Instead it should be the very thing that drives the direction of your marketing campaigns. The data you need to understand your online audience is out there, and it’s simply a case of taking the time to find it.

Do Your Research

‘Good artists copy; great artists steal.’

Great Digital Strategy Planning looks closely at your competitors, and steals ideas based on what they’re doing well. Look at why they are above you on Google, what they did to achieve that and (crucially) how you can do it better. There are so many tools out there to help you understand where you fit in amongst your competitors through analytics, so use them!

Be Industry Specific

What will work for other companies might not work for you. Think carefully about the industry you’re in, what you’re trying to provide and what kind of people you are best to target as potential customers. Not targeting accurately is the equivalent of standing on a street corner, yelling out your name to passers by. Instead, find the people looking for what you can provide.

Do this by whatever methods work for you, be it pay per click advertising, or a cool blog attached to your website. Be targeted, make sure the people that might want to find you, definitely do. In fact make it almost impossible for them not to!

Tech Is Your Friend

What’s the point in having amazing content on your website if customers can’t find it? SEO is your friend, and the most important acronym you shouldn’t be afraid of. Google has some great resources, such as this Search Engine Optimisation Guide, which covers the basics in detail. Another good place to start is Google engineer Matt Cutt’s video ‘Understanding SEO’ which explains exactly how search engines work, which is definitely worth a watch.

New technologies come and go, so try to stay current. Sometimes programs and techniques revolutionise how we work, but other times they’re forgotten in a few weeks, and the Internet moves on to the next cool thing. You don’t have to spend a lot of money, as sometimes the most useful tools such as Google analytics are inexpensive, or even free! Keep your eyes open, and don’t be afraid to try new things. Be creative and unique in your approach to content, but make sure it fits you and your brand.

Check How It’s Going

Once your Digital Strategy Planning is in place, don’t just leave it alone! You would buy a pet dog then leave it to fend for itself after a few weeks, and you should take the same care with your online marketing. One good way to evaluate what’s working is to check where your referral traffic is coming from – how exactly are people finding you, what’s working well and what areas could be improved on? Use the Data you collect effectively.

Take time and have patience. Set achievable goals and work towards them. The key is to find what works for you, and run with it.

If you need advice on how to create a strong digital strategy plan contact us today and a member of our team will be more than happy to help! Call us on 01254 447050.

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