Digital marketing strategy? Well, it’s not easy. Will you use your strategy by sticking to the letter or use it as more of a guide?
Pivot
Currently this is quite a buzz word. Because even if you have the best strategy idea in the world the world is going to change either half way through writing it or just as you click ‘Save’.
You’re going to have to be pragmatic. Being sensible and realistic is the only way to deal with the digital marketing world. Your plan is going to have to change at some point.
Is it Worth Creating a Strategy?
Absolutely. You need a north star and you are going to have to make a decision as to how long to pursue that star. Should you pivot now?
Give the strategy sometime especially if you are using organic traffic as a key channel.
I’ve written plenty of strategy documents for clients. Most progress quite nicely until the market changes. The strategy is the anchor. Why? Well, consistency about what you do in online marketing is key.
With a strategy you can measure your tactics and the actions that stem from those tactics.
How Long to Give it?
Impossible to say as it varies for every business. But you’ll know. So, try to anticipate when that is going to be by looking at your plan’s Control. That is the milestones, the targets you have to meet to be solvent AND to grow.
S.O.S.T.A.C Plus SMART Goals
I also use SWOT but this little post is about being realistic with strategy.
S.O.S.T.A.C has been a boon to everything I do for a client. It is the ordered planning of digital that makes a difference.
So…
Situation
Where is the business now? Do be very realistic. What do you have at your disposal and is it enough? It is bootstrapping? Where’s the budget? Are you going after funding?
Objectives
Where to you want to be? I would keep this down to three at the very most.
Strategy
How are you going to make the Objectives happen? This is an overview vision. A statement (one that might change overnight). For example in a niche you may want to become the authority website.
Tactics
The detail of your strategy. So, if you are looking to become an authority website you should know about Google’s E.A.T. model (Expertise, Authority, Trust) and will be looking at content marketing to build traffic, engagement and purchase.
Actions
How are you going to go about your tactics? List every you can think of in the plan. Every single one. Now prioritise them.
Control
The measurement of how you are getting there. Your targets by month, if not by week, your budget, your people.
SMART Goals
This is a time management exercise aimed at achieving your goals
Clear goals should be:
Specific (focused like a laser)
Measurable (Meaningful and inspiring as well)
Achievable (be ruthlessly realistic)
Relevant (is this goal going to be reasonable)?
Time Bound (what is the time scale and is this realistic with everything else you are doing)?
Conclusion
Write a strategy but define where the possible ‘pivot’ points are likely to happen.
About Conversion Detectives
Conversion Detectives is a full service digital marketing agency in Hertfordshire.
We find the best quality traffic for your website and convert more of that traffic into sales or sales leads.
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