In a recent Google search for “marketing strategy 2019”, I was curious to learn more about the top strategies experts are recommending for the new year. In a review of the top 5 search results, there were 23 different digital marketing strategy recommendations for the new year!

Holy moly! No wonder small and local business owners come to us scratching their heads, confused on what to do and where to start.

Even as a digital marketing expert, I was shocked by the range of recommendations I was reading. From ‘keep doing what you are doing’ to virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and chat bots, your marketing strategy in the new year certainly can take any shape or form that you want.

The question is…what do you want achieve with your digital marketing strategy in 2019?

For most small business owners, the only thing that matters is sales and revenue. The beautiful part of digital is that you can measure how each click relates to the revenue coming in your doors. So, where do you start if you feel like your digital marketing strategy hasn’t been working the way you want it to?

First, look at what you are already doing. 

Whether you are happy with results or not, the only way to figure out what is going to work for 2019 is to audit what you are currently doing and how that is working for you.

• Where are you spending your time, attention, and budget dollars?
• What types of results are you getting from these efforts?
• What type of results do you want to see from these efforts?

If you aren’t seeing the results you want, set goals to measure in the coming months. Remember to create S.M.A.R.T. goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound).

Next, finds areas to optimize.

Based on your audit of current efforts, it is now time to dial in on areas of optimization in your digital strategy. Consider the goals you want to achieve in the coming year and let’s dive into actionable areas to make changes, updates, or improvements to your current strategy.

Depending on your long-term and short-term goals, you will have a different strategy for each.

For example, a long-term strategy of increasing rankings on Google will require a commitment to SEO and content strategy in the new year. Results make take 3-6 months before you have any notable changes, but the investment now will pay-off down the road.

A short-term strategy could be finding additional revenue on the table with existing clients or that email list of people who were at one time interested in your product or service. Through some strategic email messaging, you could convert some new projects or upsell an existing client.

Then, make sure you are measuring the metrics that matter.

It is nearly impossible to know where to start if you are not looking at the right metrics for your business. Since every click in your digital marketing strategy can be tracked and measured, make sure you are measuring the metrics that matter most for your bottom line.

At a minimum, you should be able to track the following metrics in your digital strategy. If you are not already, you should start. If reporting, data, and analytics scares you…find someone to help you with this!

• Total Ad Spend or Marketing Budget
• Total Visitors
• Total Leads or Opt-ins
• New clients
• Conversion Rate
• Revenue
• Revenue per lead
• Revenue per client

Finally, identify new areas to explore.

Once you know what is working to generate revenue for your business, stay focused until you’ve mastered these channels. Then, start exploring new strategies. The digital world is full of ‘shiny new strategies’ that can be distracting. If you are intrigued by the latest and newest strategy, make a quick list of those you want to try. From there, choose one or two to test.

CAUTION: Make sure you allocate the right amount of time, attention, and budget to new strategies. Too much time or budget on a new strategy that ultimately doesn’t work is not a good idea. Conversely, too little time or budget on a new strategy could have you walking away before you see the fruits of your labor.

Have a strategic plan with the right expert partners to help you with any new strategies for your business.

Some of the most recommended strategies are:

• Video marketing continues to be the top of most expert recommendations. Video content captures the attention of most audiences better than any other type of content.
• Chatbots & Messenger bots are the newest product that is the result of combing customer service with AI to try to create a customer-centric, helpful website experience.
• Marketing Automation is pivotal in creating strategic customer journeys for your target audience. Through automation, businesses can find efficiencies and opportunities to generate more revenue.
• Personalization can augment your ideal client’s experience with your brand. Finding key points in their journey to personalize their experience shows them you are paying attention and will deliver what they want/need.

Digital marketing is no longer a set-it-and-forget-it tactic. To stay competitive in this digital consumer age, both B2C and B2B businesses must embrace digital marketing strategy and dial in how to find, attract, and convert ideal clients. Clients and consumers are savvier than ever.

If you are struggling to figure out where to start in the New Year or need fresh ideas on what you are currently doing, let’s chat. Schedule a free 30-minute consult with Smart Girl Digital. We can discuss your goals for 2019 and determine your strategic next steps.