- Be clear about your goals for the program.
If you don’t know your goals, you will never know if you are successful or not. Sit down and really evaluate what you want out of your online presence. Do you want more eyeballs? More sales? Are you trying to replace a channel you used previously?
A good example of replacing a channel is with newspaper classifieds. Some time ago staffing companies realized classifieds were not as effective as they once were, so they needed to replace the channel with online traffic. - Plan for the Long Run
Marketing takes time. Moving your site to the top of search results doesn’t happen overnight. Connecting with your clients and potentials via social media takes more than setting up a Facebook page. You have to build relationships. Don’t look for a quick fix or always chase the hit “viral campaign.” That’s like throwing a Hail Mary pass every play of the game. Plan to build a lasting online presence. Usually, the quick solution is just as quick to die as it was to start. - Be Creative in Order to Connect
Think outside the box. The best way to stand out online in any field is to show your added value. Don’t do something just because everyone is doing it, leverage what your company does better than everyone else, and gets creative with how you present it. - Follow the Numbers
The proof is in the data. Make sure you have some sort of way to quantify your online efforts: Website analytics software, social monitoring tools, etc. If you aren’t tracking the response to your marketing you’re flying blind! - Be Flexible
Not everything is going to work all the time. However, if you’ve established your goals, you’re in it for the long run and you’re tracking your progress, you should be able to adapt to any changes or challenges that come your way. With this, you will be able to create a successful online marketing program. So, remember: Evaluate and iterate, evaluate and iterate.
Your Turn
Do you have any tips for creating the best online marketing plan? Let us know.
