A digital marketing plan identifies your target market and the value proposition of your brand. It is the framework from which you initiate your various campaigns. An effective plan is measurable and should be flexible to the extent that you can make adjustments as you go along. Creating an effective digital marketing strategy provides a practical framework to take your business into the online world. A world that over 5 billion people visit daily. Below, we’ll explore what a digital marketing plan entails and how to create one.
What Is A Digital Marketing Plan?
A digital marketing plan is a blueprint for your digital marketing strategy. It lays out how you are going to market your business online and what you want to achieve by doing so. On a more detailed level, it is a roadmap to how specific digital marketing strategies and actions will help a business achieve its strategic objectives.
There are many templates and how-to guides on the Internet that will steer you in one direction or another. Or you can get lucky with a viral social media post that attracts millions to your business for a week or so. Either way, it’s still important to have a solid plan in place that suits your business and its needs. Now, regardless of whether you do it alone or employ a digital marketing agency, there are tried and tested steps that everyone should follow when creating a digital marketing plan.
Firstly, any effective digital marketing plan starts with the customer. How are you going to reach them? How are you going to make them want your product or service? And how are you going to make loyal customers who don’t abandon you to the competition? Then comes the carefully planned out customer journey. This starts with knowing your target customer, attracting them to your business and engaging with them. You need to make sure you fulfil their needs and provide value so that they come back time and time again.
Components of a Digital Marketing Plan
More and more businesses are including digital marketing plans in their overall marketing objectives. This helps them to create an omnichannel marketing presence where they can distribute the same messages across various channels.
A traditional marketing plan finds ways to use print, TV, radio, outdoor advertising and even guerilla marketing to reach potential customers.
8-Step Guide To Create A Winning Digital Marketing Plan
- 1. Define your digital marketing goals
- 2. Define your audience
- 3. Decide on a budget
- 4. Analyse your competitors
- 5. Conduct a SWOT analysis
- 6. Create a content calendar
- 7. Choose your digital channels
- 8. Analyse your digital marketing outcomes
