Where do you start if you want to implement a strategic digital marketing process? Most people don’t even know why they need digital marketing, never mind where or how to start…
What is strategic digital marketing?
Strategic digital marketing is a defined marketing plan. It sets a path for you, as to when and how you will use platforms in a guided manner. There are many available online platforms to reach your relevant audience to assist in growing your business.
It is a framework
Strategic digital marketing provides a framework. This gives the logical sequence to follow, ensuring the inclusion of all key activities of strategy development and implementation.
It is becoming more and more important to stay up to date with the latest technology. Media technology is taking over, and how we consume information is going to determine the end result.
Receiving content
One of the biggest game-changers of the past decade has been how people are consuming content. Advertising has adapted to technology methods too. People are getting their products where they spend most of their time, which is on their screens!
The debate about the pros and cons of digital media versus traditional media is ongoing. We will never know the answer to that question. Yet we do know that having a strategic digital marketing plan, is important for any new-age company.
The challenges of creating a digital marketing strategy
A common challenge is where to start with strategic digital marketing. A massive analysis and report are required, and a lean strategic plan would work best. Strategic digital marketing can be summarized as a strategy. It has tactics linked, with SMART objectives.
We recommend creating a lean strategic digital marketing plan. To gain traction, our RAS Hourglass Model is the simplest method to put into place.
Digital Marketing changes all the time, and its sheer scope and scale of it are challenging. There are so many great digital marketing strategies. They range from search, social and email marketing, to improving digital experiences, etc.
To taste success
Within each digital marketing strategy, there are lots of detailed tactics, which are important to success. They need to be evaluated and prioritized. An example is, dynamic content for email automation, website personalization, programming, retargeting and skyscraper content.
Why is strategic digital marketing important?
Strategic digital marketing is vital to support digital transformation and company growth. Effective strategic digital marketing will help you make the right decisions. This will lead to a company wheeling and dealing much more effectively online.
Today, most purchasing decisions begin online!
That being the case, an online presence is necessary—regardless of what you sell.
The online digital presence helps in many ways:
- It will make it easier to create awareness and engagement both before and after the sale
- You can convert new buyers into rabid fans who buy more (and more often)
- You will enjoy all the benefits of word-of-mouth and social sharing
A strategic digital marketing plan is the primary step. This leads to defining effective marketing tactics and objectives. You need a strategic plan with tactics and smart objectives. And, if you don’t have this plan, you will not receive the desired results.
- 72% of marketers believe that traditional marketing is no longer enough. Digital marketing will increase the company’s revenue by 30%
- Most components of business need some sort of planning or strategy. Many marketers still don’t see the importance of a strategy
- 49% of organizations do not have a defined strategic digital marketing plan
Strategic Digital Marketing has become a very important part of business today, as it helps to build an online brand and a strong customer base.
There’s no doubt that organizations that do not have a strategic digital marketing plan, are in a much worse position than businesses that use a strategic digital marketing plan, and they might have their reasons for not creating a strategic digital marketing plan, but after all, has been said and done, a strategic plan is important and here’s why…
1 – Key to successful marketing
The primary element of successful marketing is the strategic digital marketing plan itself. If you are still not convinced, we have 9 more reasons written down.
2 – A Documented strategy matters
The success rate of 94% comes from those who have documented a strategic plan. Content Inc. author Joe Pulizzi said: “Marketers who document their strategic plan, are much more likely to reach their content marketing goals, and be successful, than those who don’t.
3 – Top marketers set goals
Marketers who set goals are 97% more likely to report success than those who do not. And 81% of those successful, goal-setting marketers actually achieve them. Without specific goals, it is harder to know what results you are looking for. It becomes difficult to measure how well you have fared.
4 – A strategic plan provides clarity and direction
It is vital to know why you are doing what you are doing. The motivation for doing whatever it might be will soon pass.
5 – Everybody is on the same page
A documented strategic digital marketing plan ensures that there is a vision and a method. And Everyone on board adheres to it.
6 – Differentiate yourself from your competitors
Smart organizations recognize the benefits of a well-laid-out strategic digital marketing plan and do not shy away from integrating it into their core business plan. You have to fight off your ground, to differentiate your business from your competitors.
So be out there. Fighting.
7 – Optimize and stay ahead
A documented strategic digital marketing plan is a way to ensure continued improvements. It will benchmark your marketing activities. This, in turn, will enable you to measure performance at all possible levels.
8 – Integrate with other channels
You will be able to integrate your digital marketing tactics and activities, into other areas of your business. A well-planned strategy ensures your campaigns are aligned with other marketing platforms. Thus, making digital marketing an integrated part of the marketing process.
9 – Assign the right budget to digital marketing
This plan outlines where you are lacking in resources to achieve your goals. Based on this you can allocate a practical budget to digital marketing.
10 – Appeal to your target audience
A strategic plan can help you dig deep into finding out ways to encourage customers. This will encourage customers and fans to engage with your brand, boosting both engagement and sales. You already know that in this modern business world a huge part of your marketing is going to be digital, so this plan will help pave the way forward.
So, why are you still postponing strategic digital marketing?
Why would you choose to postpone putting time and effort into digital marketing? Some small business owners may come up with a variety of reasons to avoid this form of marketing. In the end, procrastination is still procrastination.
Small Businesses believe that they do not have the time or the money to be competitive online. They think they can only face so many challenges all at once. These businesses are still learning the ins and outs of business in general. Many of them may prefer to take things slowly and stick with one or two basic forms of advertising. Assuming that their business will evolve as time passes.
This is not an effective approach. There is never a guarantee that your business will attract customers by simply existing. Even if it does, you may not attract as many customers as you need to make your business become profitable.
Objective
At RAS Digital Marketing, we aim to clear the confusion about the strategy and tactics that work, as well as how to best use them to grow your business. We stand against those so-called gurus who promote the next “shiny object”.
Digital marketing is here, and it is here to stay.
The strategic digital marketing fundamentals
Here, it is all about strategic digital marketing fundamentals:
1 – Your customer value chain
The Customer Value Chain is the strategic foundation for every marketer. It is the process in which the marketing strategic plan is built, regarding strategy and tactics. Use this process to create a winning strategic plan for your business.
2 – Developing a content marketing strategy
If done right, then your content marketing will not only attract prospects but also move them through a marketing funnel. This will drive more sales and grow your business. Here it is about how to plan your content marketing strategy and how to create “perfect” content.
3 – Creating a digital advertising plan
The secret to powerful strategic digital marketing is traffic. If you can master traffic acquisition, you can drive traffic, sales, and growth. Here, it is about the secrets to crafting a digital advertising plan that actually works.
4 – Managing social media marketing
“Going social” is not about being active on Facebook and Twitter. Here it is about the Social Success Cycle. It is also about how you can best use it to attract your fans and followers, engage them, and even sell to them.
4 – Following email marketing best practices
Forget any rumours to the contrary. Email marketing is alive and well—and if you know how to use it, it will help you grow your business. Here it is about the role of email in a growing business. It’s also about how you can use it to move prospects and customers through the Customer Value Chain.
5 – Designing your search marketing strategy
Search marketing has changed in the last few years. But we see that as good news! Today, it can boost your website’s traffic and visitors’ trust, while supporting your digital marketing process as well. Here it is about doing search engine optimization (SEO) in the right and most effective way.
6 – Making digital marketing decisions based on statistics
If numbers are not your thing, we have you covered. Website analytics is a powerful tool for helping you figure out what is working, what’s not, and what to do next. Here it is about using analysis tools, such as supporting tools like Excel, to make rational decisions based on statistics. Anyone can use this.
A few extra tips
Here are a few extra strategic digital marketing tips. Keep these tips in mind when you are planning your posts:
- Maintain a strong online presence! It is important that Social Media Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat should be labelled or branded. This is to build awareness of your business
- Studies show that 80% of online shopping searches lead to ACTUAL sales! So, most importantly, make sure your website is mobile/cell phone-friendly
- Generate positive reviews and shout-outs on social media
- Make sure everything posted on your site is shared through various media platforms
Best Practices exist to help navigate the ever-developing and changing online marketing landscape. Learn how to make a content calendar that will help you organize your strategy and content. That’s a good place to start.
But we can make this process a lot easier and less stressful for you, as we specialize in strategic digital marketing!
It does not matter where you are in business, jump on board with us at RAS Digital Marketing, and let our team help you grow your business online, by making use of our RAS Hourglass model.
