Digital strategy. It’s a buzz word that’s used frequency, more and more so considering the shift towards online channels and the move away from traditional, offline mediums. But what does it actually mean?
This blog post will discuss what the concept is, what makes a good digital strategy, and also what can be achieved with one. Studying at Salford Business School whilst working full time as a Digital Operations Manager has allowed me to both consider theoretical and practical implications of digital strategy, and so a combination of the two will be used.
To start with, digital strategy is all about planning. And a plan can’t be formed unless you’re crystal clear on what you actually want to achieve – what is the overarching aim of the campaign and why? And what secondary goals do you have? Without clear direction, a digital campaign will fall at the first hurdle.
Once you’re clear on the aims, think about the data and tracking behind your campaign. For example, are you utilising relevant first, second and third party data you have at your disposal? Is all relevant tracking in place so you can see all steps of the decision-making funnel, all the way from awareness to conversion? Your website search engine optimised (SEO)? These two things will not only facilitate a more targeted campaign, but also enable you to report on KPIs and ROI.
One the architecture is in place, consider the channels – where are your target audience and what is their user journey? A combination should be used at the outset, and refined as the campaign is progress to hone in on those performing best. Social media for example may start as several different tactics, but following A/B creative testing and sequential messaging, only end up with one advert that’s driving most of your conversions.
Digital strategies are always in flux too – it’s important to keep abreast and aware of any platform changes, e.g. the recently introduced paid search (PPC) expanded ads – whilst they weren’t mandatory for advertisers at the start, a competitive advantage could be achieved by being an earlier adopter – it’s important to be aware of any innovations or technological advancements.
And then finally, reporting is a key facet. Optimise throughout but more sure you can see what’s happening. The beauty of digital is that it is all so transparent and offers a world of data and insight that be used to make campaigns excellent if used right, so make this a priority. Use platforms like Google Analytics to assist with this.
In conclusion, it’s important to have a holistic view when creating and implementing a strategy – making sure everything is in place and considering a range of channels will ensure an effective campaign. Key however is to always be fine-tuning and making things better – if your digital campaign isn’t constantly changed, then there’s no digital strategy in place.
Digital Innovation 