Yes, it's true that running marketing campaigns is becoming easier and more accessible thanks to digital technology, but that doesn't mean it's simple or that it doesn't require a certain degree of specialization. Likewise, whoever wants to get into digital marketing on their own or hire a marketing agency, should know a few things so as not to learn through basic mistakes, or be fooled by complacent agencies.
First of all, a digital marketing strategy needs the same as traditional ones:
Market segmentation
Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound objectives
Scheduling and assignment of tasks
However, it is also essential to take advantage of tools to obtain accurate data, as well as to ensure that the execution of each step of the strategy is done in the best possible way, with the most effective investment available.
Web site
Yes, seriously, it's a marketing tool. No, it's not just the equivalent of being on the Internet like being in a phone book. Even if you don't have an online store, a company that doesn't have a well-designed website loses a lot of potential customers, which means sales opportunities that go down the drain. The website is the convergence point for all elements of the campaign.
SEO Strategy
It goes hand in hand with the site and requires content marketing. In short, the site must make clear what you offer, what your customer can expect differently from your competitors, some way to resolve any questions they have and an area of valuable content that is updated frequently (at least twice a week). Without this, then the full potential of a digital strategy is lost.
Online advertising
No, it's not a fight between which is better: SEO or SEM. First, online advertising is not limited to search engines. Secondly, it must have its own objectives. Digital advertising has an advantage over traditional advertising: it is possible to accurately monitor its reach and interaction with the audience, as well as to avoid wasting resources on people who are not part of the target audience.
Social networks
Yes, they all work, but not for everyone. The most popular networks today are Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Snapchat is struggling with competition from the first two, and others like G+, Pinterest and Linkedin have very specific audiences. If you know your audience, you will know which ones you need to be present on and what messages to communicate.
Website monitoring tools
It's about more than just Google Analytics, which is very useful. It is important to have a way to monitor visitor traffic: where they come from, where they click, what they are most interested in, who they are, what they like, and how all this is complemented by what is and is not on the site. Analytics is good, but it is better to complement it with tools such as Hubspot or Marketo, which facilitate these tasks and provide many other data.
Communication, technology and adapting to change are essential to digital marketing. If someone doesn't offer that as a minimum, beware, they may not be a reliable or experienced enough agency or provider to genuinely care about your business.
