Beginners Guide to Crafting an Effective Digital Marketing Strategy

Brand leaders are always on the lookout for new ways to take their products to market. An ever-evolving landscape, with rapid technological advances, has made experimentation a survival necessity. Even though a significant chunk of their marketing budget goes into traditional methods - TV, Newspaper and OOH Boards, the internet and social media are becoming more important over time. Over time, Indian businesses have recognised the importance of establishing their online presence, opting to manage their marketing operations either internally or through outsourcing to digital marketing agencies. Prioritising newer audience engagement and strengthening brand awareness remain the main focus when formulating digital marketing strategies.

The digital media market is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of over 30%, sustained by substantial media expenditures from the FMCG, e-Commerce, and financial service verticals. According to statista, The Indian influencer marketing industry is undergoing rapid expansion and is expected to reach a value of 28 billion Indian rupees by 2026. The expenditure on digital media in India's marketing has been rapidly increasing, reaching 35% in 2022 and potentially rising to 45% by 2024, which would surpass spending on TV.

Strategic Planning for Digital Success

Are you a brand owner trying digital marketing platforms, still facing challenges in generating returns? You are in the right place:

Start by defining clear and specific objectives for each platform—whether it's Facebook Ads, Google Ads, or Instagram Ads. Whether your goal is to drive website traffic, generate leads, boost sales, or enhance brand awareness, having distinct objectives will provide a solid foundation for your strategies. Equally crucial is ensuring that these goals align with the broader objectives of your brand. By aligning digital marketing objectives with your business's core aspirations, you ensure that every effort contributes directly to your overall success. To excel, you need to start on a clear and organised path.

1. Start with the Assessment

Begin by gaining a comprehensive understanding of your current digital landscape. Use tools such as Google Analytics and leverage Social Media Insights to explore important data that gives you an understanding of how well you're doing online.

2. Define Clear Objectives

Set clear objectives that align with your digital journey. These objectives should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

3. Frame Your Digital Strategy

With your objectives in place, it's time to create a digital strategy that outlines the roadmap to success. This involves identifying your target customers, understanding your unique value proposition, and deciding the right platform to reach your audience.

4. Execute Your Strategy

Break down your strategy into actionable tasks that you can assign and keep track of. Make a clear plan to improve your website, decide when to share content that your audience likes, use your resources wisely for different parts of your plan, and manage your budget smartly to get the best results.

5. Analyse, Learn and Grow

Adopt a continuous improvement mindset by constantly monitoring your progress. Use analytics tools to track key metrics such as audience engagement, reach, traffic sources, and the user journey. Use these insights to adapt your approach and refine your strategy. Prioritise and optimise your digital initiatives according to that.

Using the Right Online Platforms to Reach the Right People

When people begin to think about buying something, they first search for information. They check out things like Social Media, blogs, and regular websites. This marks the starting point of their shopping journey. In this phase of your Digital Strategy, the biggest challenge is making sure your message gets to the right people.

Using the right online platforms to reach the right people is vital. For example, If your business revolves around offering professional software solutions, platforms like LinkedIn might provide better opportunities for networking and reaching industry professionals than platforms focused on entertainment.

• When choosing a platform, focus your efforts on platforms where your target audience is most active.

• While promoting ads, tailor your content to suit each platform's unique characteristics. Choosing from the best options such as Google Ads, Social Media Ads, Email marketing, and LinkedIn Marketing must be based on your audience

Establishing a Strong Online Presence

Just like how a store needs to be inviting and well-organised, a strong online presence is vital in the digital world. This means actively managing vibrant social media profiles, making sure your website pops up when people search, and creating content that speaks directly to your audience's interests and needs. It's about making your online space the go-to destination for anyone interested in what you offer.

According to a survey conducted by Salesforce, 85% of consumers engage in research before making online purchases. The study highlights that websites (74%) and social media (38%) are the leading platforms utilised for this research process.

• Maintain an active presence on relevant social media platforms. Post consistently and interact with followers.

• Craft concise and compelling ad copy that clearly communicates your value proposition.

• Highlight benefits and solutions to capture users' attention. Share authentic and compelling stories about your brand.

• Utilise the power of video content. Create informative, entertaining, and shareable videos to engage your audience on platforms like Instagram reels, YouTube shorts etc.

• Influencers can create authentic content that resonates with your target audience. Partner with influencers who align with your brand to tap into their followers' trust. Strengthen your message by partnering with influencers, increasing brand reach and credibility.

• Respond promptly to comments, messages, and mentions. Promote meaningful conversations with your audience. Engagement enhances customer loyalty and encourages sharing.

Adapting to Evolving Consumer Habits

According to a study by Atlantis Press, consumer behaviours, often driven by emotional impulses rather than rationality, profoundly influence digital marketing strategies. People's shift towards digital media reflects changing consumer behaviour. With more people spending time online, businesses must align their marketing efforts with the platforms and channels their target audience prefers. It's like speaking their language and engaging them where they're most comfortable. This involves stepping into the world of social media and creating advertising that attracts the target audience.

• Build and nurture an email list to connect with your audience directly.

• Send personalised and valuable content, offers, and updates to maintain engagement and drive conversions.

Keeping Up with Trends

In this ever-changing digital realm, staying ahead of the game is a must. The digital landscape is like an ocean – always shifting and shaping. Businesses should embrace the thrill of trying out new platforms, experimenting with fresh formats, and adopting strategies that perfectly resonate with their unique goals and the people they want to reach. It's a dynamic adventure that leads to exciting opportunities.

Analysing Results

As businesses invest more in digital marketing, it becomes vital to understand how well these efforts are paying off. This is where measuring and analysing results come into play. By using tools that help track campaign performance, website visits, conversion rates, and how engaged people are, businesses can fine-tune their strategies for even better results. It's like constantly nipping the recipe to make the dish even tastier.

For daily evaluation, you can use Google Analytics, Instagram Insights, etc. And for analysing digital advertising, tools like Google Ads Dashboard, Facebook Ads Manager, etc., can provide valuable insights.

While these techniques definitely enhance your digital marketing strategy, are you sure they're the ultimate solution? Think again! There's something even more potent – the power of 'Word of Mouth Marketing.' Picture someone passionately sharing your brand with their loved ones. That's where Katha stands out and our personal advertising shines, turning your customers into your brand advocates.

Sneak peek into Jeevan Uthaman's (Business coach) talk on how micro-influencers impact digital marketing :