A good digital marketing strategy is one that you feel comfortable being able to execute on with the resources you have.
To succeed, a digital marketing strategy has to have a dedicated, regular and ongoing effort.
As part of my daily job, I talk to business owners about how they can market their business online by working on a digital marketing strategy. Most seem overwhelmed by the choice of options and are worried about not understanding the technical aspects. This is an important point to address, because to succeed, a digital marketing strategy has to have a dedicated, regular and ongoing effort.
Choosing the right mix of digital marketing tools depends on how you choose to execute your efforts and the audience you are trying to reach.
An example might be a local restaurant using their own website blog, Twitter, Google+, or Facebook to establish a way to provide updates, deals or announcements. Once your customers know that they can follow you for updates or informative content then they expect for this to continue going forward. This is where the ‘dedicated, regular and ongoing effort’ comes in.
To keep your customers engaged you need to give them related content that they find useful or interesting. In the case of a restaurant, one such way could be regular cooking tips or links to local events that might attract new customers who are visiting. You could also have a regular deal that you announce on a weekly basis to boost sales on a slow night.
The aim is not always to attract a huge number of followers, but to attract the right followers who are either interested in using your products or services, or who will tell others about you if they are asked.
Your Own Professional Website Is A Must
It is really important to have your own professional website presence and this is where a lot of business owners fail in their digital marketing efforts. Social media can be a great way to spread the word about your business or services but ultimately your goal should be to drive clients to your own web presence, not away from it. Think of your own website as a foundation for your business online that you control the look and feel of as well as how the content is displayed.
Tips for your digital marketing strategy:
- Have a professional web presence which is up to date and offers as much information as possible about your products or services
- Work out what tools you will use for your digital marketing strategy first e.g. WordPress Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google Plus, Paid Search, Pinterest etc
- Set yourself a budget just like any other sort of marketing activity
- Make sure that your efforts are dedicated, regular and ongoing
- Give the digital marketing role to someone in your business who will monitor and contribute to your efforts
- If the effort is too great then consider getting outside help or advice for your digital marketing
- Measure your results on a regular basis to make sure you are getting a return on any digital marketing investment. Google Analytics is a great place to start measuring your website visitors.
