There are several key features of digital marketing, including Digital media, Websites, Social Media and online advertising. Marketing is defined as the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirements probability (Chartered Institute of Marketing). There are different sides to marketing including the analytical side which is data-driven e.g. coding and the other side which is more visual- these are skills included in marketing. The idea is to have more of a mix of both data and creative skills in digital marketing strategies. (Basic intro)
As a business, it is important to have a marketing plan to understand what marketing is and know your audience, the price and market you are entering into. Consider who is taking on different duties if you have a team. Ensure, what you are offering fits with the market you are entering into. Surveys are a good planning technique to research and interact with your audience.
The SOSTAC model is an internationally recognised marketing plan introduced by PR Smith. It is a strongly advised guide to use in the planning process of business strategies. The acronym stands for Situation Analysis, Objectives, Strategy, Tactics, Actions and Control. This model encourages businesses to think about who their customer is, what marketing trends there are and what skills they have to work with.
Using Content Management Systems (CMS) is essential for keeping your content organised. Incorporate content calendars and CMS into your planning strategy. Sites such as Hootsuite help massively for this, especially for social media.
The market is always changing so it is good to have a plan B. For example, PR and influencers have simultaneously become more or less the same job. Influencers are being used more now by advertisers, as well as interactive ads. Analyse how you are performing and research your competitors. Competitors are not always a threat. They could be potential collaborators in the future. When introducing a new campaign, give a space of 90 days to track the response of your audience. After this time period, you can make an active decision of whether to follow through based on the response.
Measuring your business is important through KPI’s, experience on websites, conversion rates etc. Google Analytics helps manage and track online engagement with your business. It provides detailed information about your website.
We hope this blog has given you further insight into digital marketing strategies and what to consider when starting up a new business.
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