What is your digital marketing strategy?

At Peak Performance Digital, we take a consultation-first approach to every relationship. Whether you want to build a website or plan your company’s digital marketing strategy, our goal is to make sure you are doing the right things as well as doing things right.

When it comes to digital marketing practices, simply using the tools available isn’t enough. You have to have a well-planned digital marketing strategy to really put it to work for you. Helping businesses plan and execute their strategy is what we do best. Contact us if you want to learn more.

Why you need a digital marketing strategy

Digital marketing has never been easier. There is an abundance of platforms and systems available to assist you with what you need to do. Consider:

Tools like Wix and SquareSpace can help you build a website in minutes.
Platforms like MailChimp allow you to build an email list on the cheap while also sending emails made with custom-developed templates to your distribution list.
Social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter enable you to establish business pages and connect with your customers at little to no cost. You can use their advertising programs to connect with even more prospective customers who are in your target demographic.

It’s readily apparent that you have all the tools you need at your disposal. But all the digital marketing tools in the world won’t do any good if you don’t have a plan on how to get the most out of each platform:

You can easily build a website. But do you know what content you want to include to attract and persuade new customers? Do you know the keywords you want to include to utilize search engine optimization (SEO), attracting internet search engine users looking for what you’re offering?
You can easily set up an email list. But are the right people included in it? Are you wasting your time on cold leads or are you targeting an audience looking to engage with your content/offer?
There are so many social media channels your business can appear on. Are your customers even on the platforms you’re using?

In other words, the tools are great to have, but they’re nothing if you don’t have A) a pre-planned strategy to deploy those tools in the most valuable way possible, and B) the capability to execute that plan.

The importance of setting your objectives

When you’re designing your digital marketing strategy, it helps to begin at the end. What are the primary objectives you’d like to achieve? Are you looking to get more people to download a lead magnet and sign up for your email list? Do you want to make more sales?

Having your goals in mind will help inform the type of actions you include in your digital marketing strategy.

What major components should make up your digital marketing strategy?

Your digital marketing strategy may include tasks, subtasks, deliverables, deadlines, and milestones. But, there are four high-level components you should consider when developing your plan:

1) Identify your target market

What you say in your messaging and the type of content you develop depends on who you’re talking to. Who needs what you’re selling?

2) How does your product/service meet your target market’s needs?

You have an audience you’re trying to attract. You also have an offer you’re making them. It’s critical to understand how your product or service meets their needs.

Your target market has a problem. Ideally, the product or service you’re offering provides them with the best solution to that problem. You need to understand exactly how and why your offer is the best solution for them.

3) Communicate your value proposition clearly

The only way to make sure your digital marketing strategy helps connect your desired customers with your solution is to communicate how it brings them value and how it solves their problem. This can be done in a number of ways, including:

Providing testimonials from other satisfied customers.
Demonstrating your product or service in action.
Outlining the various benefits your product or service provides while showing the customer you have a complete understanding of the problem they have.

4) Which platforms should you use to communicate with your audience?

Once you’ve identified your customers, figured out how you can help, and determined how to communicate your solution, you’re now ready to spread your message to the channels your customers are using. This means strategically using the various platforms available to you – email marketing, your website, social media, etc. – and meeting your customers where they are.

You may have to do some research on your target market to understand what platforms are most effective at communicating with them. This makes sure you get a high ROI for your digital marketing resources and time spent.

Understanding all four components – knowing who your audience is, how you help them, how to communicate your value, and where to spread your message – will make up the backbone of your digital marketing strategy. It will guide how you develop your various informational products meant to educate, and ultimately, persuade your audience.

How to NOT use digital marketing for your business

Sometimes when it comes to digital marketing, it’s just as important to know what NOT to do as it is to know what to do.

For example, you may see social media as a valuable tool in your digital marketing toolkit. Of course, you’re correct – social media is a low-cost and effective way to talk to new and existing customers.

But how you use it, and what type of platform you use, greatly depends on the type of business you’re in. Let’s say you offer federal government consulting services and want to establish your company as a thought leader in the management consulting space. Having blog posts on LinkedIn, a social media channel mainly for businesses and professionals makes sense.

But what if you run a small dog walking business? Having a LinkedIn page may not be worth your time. Setting up an Instagram account posting pictures of the dogs you walk is probably a better idea.

Don’t forget the “strategy” part of setting up a digital marketing strategy, and make sure you think strategically. Know your audience and which channels they’re likely to use so you increase the chances of reaching them with your message.

Do you have more questions about setting up your digital marketing strategy?

You can also schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation to help answer any questions you may have.

Or you can always contact us with any questions!

What is your digital marketing strategy?