A digital marketing strategy is your plan for marketing your business or website online. Having a successful digital marketing strategy will not only bring the right kind of visitors to your site but will increase your ability to generate the rewards from your digitally orientated business.

For many businesses having a successful digital marketing strategy will help drive new business outside of regular sales channels, often at a lesser expense than, for instance, a costly sales team or even hit and miss traditional advertising.

Below is an insight into digital marketing strategy planning, hopefully helping you identify what you need to factor into your planning and also pay consideration towards. Further depth to any of the points can be expanded upon in a meeting with Think or further articles on specific points are, or will appear, on our site.

Relevance to you and your business

Today we know just having a website is not enough if you are looking to the web for significant generated revenue and market exposure. Even to a vast majority of business directors, regardless of their online expertise, websites must now be more than just a point of presence online to prove the company exists.

With greater appreciation for well designed sites and online promotional tools, such as pay-per-click advertising, directors and managers are starting to understand they need to change their marketing thinking to readily encompass a digital marketing strategy.

What is clear is your website is your virtual business premises, whether a retail or leisure space, billboard or publicity centre. Like all physical premises your website will have a purpose, such as:

• A sales store – selling products directly online for instant cash return
• A shop window – brochure site raising awareness and supporting the company image/positioning
• A sales office – a lead generating site
• A booking centre – for hotels, holidays, venues and events
• A visitor centre/gallery/library – publishing news and articles
• A magazine – generating income through ad impressions or subscription model

Whether positioned on the high street for footfall, a special centre out of town, a warehouse in an industrial park or an independent store, your premises says a lot about your purpose and ambition as well as the style of your business. The same applies online.

To match each location you need a matching digital marketing strategy...

Scope

Like any strategy there are a number of key components, which if successfully packaged and brought together effectively will result in the greatest success. We believe those components are:

• Your URL
• Your online branding/identity
• Choice of experienced agency
• Site design and imagery
• Site ergonomics and navigation
• Content and editorial
• Promotional planning
• Search engine marketing (on-site and off-site)
• Your customer service, sales and enquiry management

Hopefully this gives you an initial guide as to where your thinking should begin.

Contact Think If you would like to discus building a digital marketing strategy of your own whether you have an existing site or are planning to launch one.