Figure Out Your Goals and Make Sure Everyone’s On Board
When you’re mapping out ideas for your digital marketing mix, you usually think about stuff like online ads, blog posts, email blasts, and social media – you get the idea. But just doing a little bit of everything isn’t super effective. You need to get specific about who you’re trying to reach and how each marketing channel helps you connect with those people.
Start by taking a step back and looking at what you’ve done in the past. What worked well? What was a total bust? Where are people dropping off in your sales process? Getting clear on those questions will help you see where to focus this year’s marketing efforts and budget.
Set Clear Goals Based on Real-Deal Metrics
“Increase sales” sounds awesome, but how much do you wanna increase them by? Get granular! Maybe you wanna see a 5% sales bump this year or 500 more email newsletter signups. Define those big, juicy goals first.
Then break it down into smaller chunks. If you wanna boost revenue by 5%, how many more site visitors do you need each month? How about demo requests or free trial signups? Map it backward like that so you’ve got clear targets guiding everything you do.
Keep a Close Eye on What’s Working (and What’s Not)
If you’ve been running digital marketing for a while, you should be drowning in data. Don’t ignore those analytics. Dig in and see what they tell you. You might find stuff like keywords that should be performing better or ads that aren’t quite hitting the mark.
Sit down regularly with someone who knows digital marketing and go through all that data together. They can help you spot issues tanking your results or hidden opportunities to help optimize your efforts. Tweak and test based on what the numbers tell you!
Steer Clear of These Common Digital Marketing Mistakes
Setting Impractical Performance Targets
It’s tempting to set targets based purely on what you want to happen. But wishes and dreams don’t always line up with reality. Do some objective research on typical growth rates in your industry for companies at your stage. Comparing to real-world benchmarks helps create goals that are ambitious yet grounded.
Expecting your revenue to instantly triple when the average is only 15-20% year over year sets you up for failure. Set mini-milestones instead for steady gains over time.
Failing to Continuously Learn About Emerging Platforms and Tactics
Ooh, look at that – chatbots are trending this month. No wait, it’s influencer virtual reality now! It’s vital to keep tabs on emerging digital marketing tech and tactics. But every month some new platform or feature lures marketers with its promises.
Before chasing each bright shiny object, sincerely evaluate if it aligns with your goals and audience. Jumping on bandwagons that don’t move your specific strategy forward only leads to wasted time and resources. Stick to what will have the highest impact.
Taking a One-Message-Fits-All Approach to Content
The days of brands blasting out mass generic content are gone. Today’s customers expect hyper-personalized interactions catered specifically to them. Sending the same ebook about your industry to your entire email list just doesn’t cut it anymore.
Yes, it requires more effort upfront, but crafting targeted content addressing different groups’ specific challenges, questions and needs pays dividends. When you speak directly to their pain points, they listen.
DIYing Specialized Marketing Capabilities
Some pieces of digital marketing have a super steep learning curve, like paid search ads or technical SEO. When you try wearing all the hats in-house, you stretch yourself thin instead of focusing on your zone of genius – your own business.
Complex platforms like AdWords require serious expertise. Don’t go it alone just to say you did. Consider getting specialist partners to handle intricacies beyond your specialty. You don’t build your payroll software, so don’t DIY everything in marketing either. Play to your strengths.
Wrapping Up – How to Crush It with Digital Marketing in 2024
- Get crystal clear on ideal customers and how to reach them
- Set goals tied to cold, hard revenue numbers and conversions
- Regularly review analytics with an expert advisor
- Dodge typical mess-ups like chasing trends or going overboard on complexity
- Test and refine what’s working rather than an annual total overhaul
Stick to these essentials and you’ll be ready to grow your digital marketing results in 2024 and beyond.
Of course, even the best strategies require execution by an experienced team. For stellar growth marketing fueled by data-driven strategies crafted by leading experts, connect with the digital marketing powerhouses at Freedom Media.
Our ensemble of strategists, designers, engineers, and analytics gurus collaborate to drive rapid expansion for top brands. Ready to achieve your pinnacle of marketing success? Let Freedom Media’s trailblazers catalyze transformative growth for your business.