3 Strategies for Defining Digital Marketing Success

When you’re looking to embark on a digital marketing initiative, the amount of research, setup, and skill required may feel overwhelming. It may even cloud the need to work on one of the most important tasks: setting expectations for and definitions of success. After all, how will you know if you are truly receiving a return on investment if you haven’t identified what digital marketing success will look like?

This is just one of the reasons that any venture into digital marketing, whether adding to your company’s marketing arsenal or just getting the ball rolling, should start with creating a strategy. If you’re not sure where to start or what this means, take a few minutes to read this.

Crafting a digital marketing strategy requires a hard look at competitors, benchmarks, current performance (if any), and use industry best practices to set attainable goals. By making strategy a priority, you will ensure the accuracy of success measurement and help you avoid generic statements such as “it went well” or “I don’t feel like it’s working”.

Whether you are working with a digital marketing partner or assigning a project to your internal marketing staff, you must know going in how you will define success. I’m outlining three ways to do just that.

Stalk Your Competition

Chances are, your competitors are in business because they know how to do something right (at least the ones who are growing and thriving). That can cause feelings of defensiveness when you think about your own business, but rather than seeing your competition as enemies, look at them as benchmarks and lessons.

What are they doing right now that fits into your definition of success? Have they grown their customer base substantially over the last several months? Has their digital footprint expanded on networks like Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn? Do you see more of your potential customers leaving positive online feedback through Facebook or Google reviews?

Figure out what results your competitors are getting that are frustrating you the most. That will help you create a good starting place for setting goals for your own business.

Reach Out to Your Network

If you’re a locally or regionally-focused business, you can look to other areas of the country, with similar markets to your own, and find other companies who do what you do. Look at how they are publishing content online. If you see a trend that catches your eye or are curious about a specific campaign, reach out to them. You never know what information you might glean by simply asking the right questions.

Partner Up

Sometimes you can be too close to your business to be able to outline SMART digital marketing goals (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound). After all, your job as an entrepreneur, CEO, or president is to be the dreamer of the company. Thinking on a grand scale is part of your day-to-day, but when it comes to setting digital marketing goals, it’s equally important to be able to specify smaller milestones for measurement.

A third party might be the best fit to help you define realistic expectations for the campaign or endeavor. Make sure the partner is well-versed in your business and takes time to learn your industry. You should also make sure they fit you on a relationship level because to have a successful partnership, you’ll need to actually like and respect the people who help you! Work with the partner to create a digital strategy, complete with targets for success.

Ready to talk to someone about helping you take your digital marketing to the next level? Reach out to us!