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Digital Marketing Plan Workbook


For defining a digital marketing strategy and plan
About your workbook templates
This workbook includes different templates to help you work with colleagues or clients to quickly create
an effective integrated digital marketing strategy. In creating this workbook, our aim was to create the
most comprehensive set of templates available for a full digital strategy review covering all digital
channels and customer lifecycle touchpoints across the 25 key activities in the Smart Insights RACE
lifecycle planning system, but to also enable you to create a simple version for a quick review.

Short on time? Start here.


Thought so, we all are! To help simplify for the quickest route to creating a strategy, or if you are
working on a strategy for a smaller business, your best options are:

1. Complete the FIVE key strategy templates marked CORE that you can use to summarise the strategy
including the one-page strategy summary shown below – these are marked see the table of contents
that follows. Also available in the companion Powerpoint Digital marketing planning template for
presenting to colleagues or clients.

2. View the Smart Insights Quick Win on Planning a multichannel marketing plan: This has a simpler
template summary and also explains what to do at each stage.

3. Create a one-page summary of your plan. We recommend that as your main deliverable or output
from your digital strategy you create template 1.3.1 in this workbook: the CORE Strategy Definition
Technique: Digital channel strategy objective summary: objective – strategy alignment grid.

Here is an example of a template (see 1.3.1 in this workbook) from our Digital marketing plan example
that we recommend you also download to use alongside this document.

The structure of this workbook

Digital Marketing Strategy for <Company name> 1


2

This workbook is structured around the Smart Insights RACE Planning framework which covers all online
marketing touchpoints which need management as part of a digital strategy.

Smart Insights RACE Planning is our framework for developing an integrated digital strategy covering the
entire customer lifecycle.

The components of RACE are:


 1. Plan – Create a digital marketing strategy and summarise it in a plan.
 2. Reach – Increase brand awareness and familiarity and increase visits to company websites, apps
and social networks.
 3. Act – Increase audience interactions with content on company websites and social media
platforms to generate leads and subscribers.
 4. Convert – Increase conversion rates from leads to increase sales achieved online or offline.
 5. Engage – Increase long-term customer engagement and loyalty leading to repeat sales and
advocacy.

Each of these 5 strategy components are broken down into 5 numbered activities to manage and
associated deliverables.

Branding
This document is unbranded with minimal formatting and made available in Word so you can easily
format it for your company or your clients. Click into the headers and footers to amend.

Other recommended Smart Insights resources


The workbook is designed to be used as a “standalone” resource, but should be used with other Smart
Insights resources which provide explanation and examples of how to apply the templates depending on
your preference for different learning formats.

 Powerpoint Digital marketing planning template – a shorter Powerpoint alternative to this document
if you prefer to develop and present your strategy using Powerpoint
 7 Steps guide to creating a digital marketing strategy - an in-depth ebook to support the whole
process
 Digital marketing plan example - an example of creating a digital plan using completed versions of
these templates
 RACE Digital Marketing E-learning qualification – an alternative to the 7-steps format explaining the
RACE planning process.
 SOSTAC® Plan example – a short, one-page summary or a full guide: Download PR Smith’s SOSTAC®
Planning guide.

How were the templates developed?


The templates were developed by Dr Dave Chaffey, Smart Insights expert commentators and partner
agencies when working with clients when consulting and training to develop digital strategies from the
mid 1990s to today – we’re still actively mentoring marketers to create plans. They have been applied to
international brands in different sectors including 3M, BP, HSBC, Mercedes, Mars brands, Nike and Tui
Travel and many smaller businesses across sectors including B2B, Travel, Financial services, Healthcare,
Pharma, Publishing and Retail.

Digital Marketing Strategy for <Company name> 2


Table of Contents for Strategy templates

Table of contents
(Click on the numbers to go to the relevant template)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY..........................................................................................................................5
1. Opportunity..................................................................................................................................5
2. Strategy........................................................................................................................................5
3. Action...........................................................................................................................................5
1 PLAN..................................................................................................................................................6
1.1 Performance review and situation analysis – Where are we now?..............................................6
1.1.1 CORE Strategy Analysis template: Digital marketing-specific or Multichannel SWOT................6
Strategy Analysis tool: Key issues summary (Optional)........................................................................8
1.1.2 CORE Strategy Analysis template: Company Digital Marketing capability assessment...............9
1.1.3 Google Analytics customization review......................................................................................10
1.2 PLAN. Set Vision and Objectives – Where do we want to be?....................................................12
1.2.1 Strategy Definition Technique: Define vision for digital channels.............................................12
1.2.2 Strategy Definition Technique: Define SMART Objectives and track KPIs using a digital
marketing performance dashboard.....................................................................................................13
1.3 PLAN – Define Digital Strategy and Governance – How do we get there?..................................15
1.3.1 CORE Strategy Definition Technique: Digital channel strategy objective summary: objective –
strategy alignment grid........................................................................................................................15
1.3.2 Strategy Definition Technique: Strategic digital marketing initiatives priority matrix..............16
1.3.3 CORE Strategy Implementation Technique: Strategic initiative roadmap.................................17
1.3.4 Strategy Definition Technique: Digital channel growth opportunity analysis (Optional)..........18
1.3.5 CORE Digital Governance or Transformation plan.....................................................................19
Digital Marketing Strategy – How do we get there?...........................................................................22
1.4 PLAN. Customer segmentation and targeting............................................................................27
1.4.1 Strategy Analysis Technique: Marketing persona outlines (Optional).......................................27
1.4.2 Strategy Analysis Tool: Online customer insight source review (minor importance)................28
1.4.3 Strategy Definition Technique: Online communications targeting capability review...............29
1.5 PLAN. Define Online Value Proposition and Experience.............................................................30
1.5.1 PLAN Strategy Analysis tool: Marketplace map (Optional)........................................................30
1.5.2 Strategy Analysis Tool: Online competitor benchmarking review (Optional)............................32
1.5.3 Strategy Definition Technique: Online Value Proposition summary..........................................34
1.5.4 Strategy Definition Technique: touchpoint review of positioning messages............................35
2 REACH..............................................................................................................................................37
2.1 Digital media channel effectiveness review...............................................................................37
2.2 Search Marketing......................................................................................................................40
2.2.1 Search Marketing Gap Analysis..................................................................................................40
2.2.2 Search Marketing Plan................................................................................................................42
2.3 Owned and Earned Media.........................................................................................................45
2.3.1 Social Media Plan........................................................................................................................45
2.3.2 Influencer Outreach plan............................................................................................................45
2.4 Paid media................................................................................................................................46
2.4.1 : Paid and Display media priorities and schedule.......................................................................46
2.5 Online Customer Acquisition, Campaign plans and budgets.......................................................47
2.5.1 Budget model.............................................................................................................................47
3. ACT.................................................................................................................................................48
3.1. Customer journey analysis.......................................................................................................48
Digital Marketing Strategy for <Company name>
Table of Contents for Strategy templates

3.3.1 Act Technique: Website “Quick Wins” analysis.........................................................................48


3.2 Website visitor and customer lead capture and profiling...........................................................49
3.2.1. Act technique: Website visitor profiling....................................................................................49
3.3. Optimize content.....................................................................................................................52
3.3.1 Content marketing audit: Gap Analysis review using the content marketing matrix................52
3.4. Optimize Landing or Entry Pages..............................................................................................53
3.4.1 Landing / Entry page check.........................................................................................................53
3.5 Content - Campaign planning....................................................................................................55
3.5.1 Campaign planning.....................................................................................................................55
4. CONVERT........................................................................................................................................57
4.1 Lead nurturing / Remarketing...................................................................................................57
4.1.1. Define Prospect Welcome sequence.........................................................................................57
4.1.2. Remarketing...............................................................................................................................58
4.2 Web personalisation.................................................................................................................59
4.2.1 Personalization option review....................................................................................................59
4.3 Assisted selling..........................................................................................................................59
4.4 Multichannel selling..................................................................................................................59
4.5 Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO).........................................................................................60
4.5.1 CRO capability review.................................................................................................................60
5. ENGAGE..........................................................................................................................................61
5.1 Customer Onboarding...............................................................................................................61
5.1.1 Customer Touchpoint analysis...................................................................................................61
5.2 Customer Digital Experience......................................................................................................62
5.2.1 Multichannel web customer satisfaction and loyalty review.....................................................62
Engage Technique: Assessing customer engagement.........................................................................64
5.3 Customer Service and Success...................................................................................................65
5.3.1 Multichannel Customer service review......................................................................................65
5.4 Customer Email marketing........................................................................................................66
5.4.1. Email marketing audit................................................................................................................66
5.5 Social media..............................................................................................................................68
5.5.1 Social media audit and plan........................................................................................................68

Digital Marketing Strategy for <Company name>


Exec Summary

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
As you will see, there are many issues to consider in creating a digital marketing strategy. So, the
challenge is summarizing your Opportunity, Strategy and Action!

After you have completed the relevant analysis templates and your plan is created, go back to this page
and create a 1-2 page summary that a busy, senior executive can understand and believe in.

The same Exec summary is useful for PowerPoint presentations should you need to present the bones of
your plan, and the ROI projections. An important part of your role is helping others understand what
digital marketing is, and the immense value that it can add to the business.

1. Opportunity
 Digital contribution review using analytics customized to the business – What is digital marketing
contributing now?
 Current digital marketing capabilities – How will we improve our governance of digital marketing?
 Digital or Multichannel SWOT – What are the key issues we need to manage?
 Defined SMART Goals, Objectives and KPIs – What will digital marketing contribute in the next
planning period?
2. Strategy
 Vision for digital channels – What will digital marketing contribute in the long-term?
 Segmentation and Targeting – What existing and new targeting approaches will we use to boost
acquisition and retention?
 Value Proposition – How can we improve value delivered by our brand(s)?
 Roadmap for implementing RACE initiatives – What are the prioritized lifecycle initiatives which are
part of Digital Transformation which should meet our objectives and vision
 Budget for investment – What budget is needed to implement strategic digital initiatives?
3. Action
 Digital governance - The Digital Transformation plan to improve People, Process, Tools and Metrics?
 90 Day Implementation plans – How do we breakdown strategic initiatives to implement each
quarter?
 Detailed resourcing and timescales – What staff, agency and tools are needed to implement the 90
day plan?
 Measurement and testing – What optimizations are planned to improve efficiency and
effectiveness?

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1 PLAN
1.1 Performance review and situation analysis – Where are we now?
1.1.1 CORE Strategy Analysis template: Digital marketing-specific or Multichannel SWOT
Purpose: Summarise the current effectiveness of digital or multichannel marketing within a business and identify strategies to improve effectiveness.
Resource: For a completed example, download the Digital marketing plan example. Chart in 2.14.
Instructions: We suggest you start here and add to the template as you review other templates. First, at the top, select 5-8 major internal strategic
strengths and weaknesses relating to digital media, technology and multichannel comms. Next, identify opportunities and threats applying to all in this
market. Finally, identify alternative strategies in the four other boxes.
Append each bullet with a letter relating it to PRACE or other organizational challenges e.g. (B) Brand development ;(M) Multichannel integration; (G)
Governance or resourcing; (T) Technology and data quality and integration.

Strengths: Weaknesses:
 
 
 
 
 
 

Opportunities (Market specific): SO Strategies WT Strategies


  
  
  
  
  
  

Threats: ST Strategies WT Strategies


  
  
  

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  
  
  

Note: In a large organization, or for a more complete summary complete a separate SWOT for Customer acquisition and conversion and customer
development; Different brands; Different markets; Different competitors – direct and indirect. We recommend using a TOWS matrix rather than SWOT for
reasons since this helps integrate your analysis with your strategy rather than the analysis being placed on the shelf and forgotten.

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Strategy Analysis tool: Key issues summary (Optional)
Purpose: This is an optional summary of strategic initiatives taken from your SWOT analysis to put into a report or presentation.
Instructions: This will clarify the strategy issues from across the customer lifecycle from the SWOT if you group these by RACE Planning.

Strategy focus Key issues (SWOT) Strategies to manage these issues


Plan – Brand  
Proposition issues, e.g. 7Ps,  
Segmentation, Targeting,  
Positioning
Plan – Governance  
Management and resourcing  
including staff skills, agencies,  
Martech and data/insight.
Reach  
Increase audience  
 

Act  
Increase leads  
 

Convert  
Increase online or offline sales  
 

Engage  
Increase customer loyalty  
 

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1.1.2 CORE Strategy Analysis template: Company Digital Marketing capability assessment
Purpose: This summary is powerful since it reveals quickly in a simple visual form, the current use of digital marketing in a company compared to others in
a sector, so it can be used as a simple shock tactic to show colleagues the need to act. It covers both digital marketing tactics and how digital is managed.
Instructions: Score each capability out of 5 compared to others in your sector, or for a tougher target, out-of-sector.
Recommended resource: For a more detailed quantitative review in a larger organization you will find this digital marketing benchmarking audit
spreadsheet for members useful. For a simpler, visual summary to discuss with colleagues, see our visual digital benchmarking templates.

Core capability One. Initial Two. Managed Three. Defined Four Quantified Five. Optimized
A. Strategic approach to
digital
B. Performance
improvement process?
C. Management buy-in

D. Resourcing and
structure
E. Data an infrastructure

F. Integrated customer
communications
G. Integrated customer
experience

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1.1.3 Google Analytics customization review


Purpose: To assess the effectiveness of site interactions it’s essential that GA is customized for the business and more advanced techniques like
segmentation are used for assessing different audience behaviours.
Instructions: Use the Google Analytics Setup audit and review the Google Analytics guide to assess current and implement customization improvements.

1. Goal setup
Review the range of goals, how grouped, where value set up, with funnels where relevant.
Examples:
 Email sign-up
 Setup account on site

Ecommerce:
 Add-to-basket (Event-goal based on clicking Add-to-cart)
 Sale complete

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2. Segments?
Review importance of some standard segments in Google Analytics which enable you to isolate audiences:
 New visitors vs returning visitors
 Non-paid search (SEO traffic)
 Mobile

Review relevance of non-standard segments


 Non-brand search (paid or natural)
 Smartphone vs Tablet
 Visits from email
 All social media referrals
 Visit included view of content marketing asset or landing page

3. Event tracking
Relevant event types:
 Carousel/slider on home page
 Promo call-to-action
 Content downloaded, e.g. PDF
 Video played

4. Custom variables
For example, Logged-in vs non-logged in users – Prospects, Customers, Signed-in.

Digital Marketing Strategy for <Company name>


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1.2 PLAN. Set Vision and Objectives – Where do we want to be?
1.2.1 Strategy Definition Technique: Define vision for digital channels
Purpose: You need to bring your colleagues with you, so define a vision statement to communicate main elements of vision to colleagues or partners
(mainly relevant for larger organizations)
Resource: Examples of vision setting are covered in Step 2 Define your vision for Digital in the members Guide Digital Marketing Optimization which also
covers goal and SMART objective setting with KPIs in more detail.
Instructions: Create a statement which shows how digital media and technology will transform an organization.

Consider referencing the 5Ss : Sell, Serve, Speak, Save, Sizzle


Aim to include quantitative targets, e.g. % of sales online or influenced by online channels

Short form of vision statement

Examples: Digital First, Digital-by-Default, Digital DNA

Longer-form vision statement

Example:

“Our digital channels will make it easy for shoppers to find, compare and select products using a structured approach to merchandising and improving
conversion to produce an experience rated as excellent by the majority of our customers.”

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1.2.2 Strategy Definition Technique: Define SMART Objectives and track KPIs using a digital marketing performance dashboard
Purpose: Review and then select relevant KPIs to build a business dashboard.
Resource: See Step 5 Define performance dashboards in the members’ Guide Digital Marketing Optimization.
Instructions: Select the measures that are most relevant for you to track as part of a review process across RACE. Mark the most important with a star.

We recommend five different types of measures to help you and colleagues look forward to the future offered by digital marketing:
You can start with the broad aims at the top, then become more specific, reviewing performance in a dashboard for the measures at the bottom.

 1. Top-level broad goals to show how the business can benefit


from digital channels
 2. Mid-long term vision to help communicate the transformation needed in a larger organization
 3. Specific SMART objectives to give clear direction and commercial targets
 4. Key performance indicators to check you are on track
 5. Comparison of performance against target

You should be as specific as possible in your goals. We recommend these should be:
 SMART – Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Relevant and Timely
 Based around the customer lifecycle – we use the mnemonic RACE to define this and give examples of different KPIs here: http://bit.ly/smartrace
 Define what the R is in ROI for you - it will likely be monetary but don’t forget digital marketing can be more than that
 Divided into key digital strategy areas of customer acquisition, conversion, customer development and growth - this is important to ensure you’re
covering all of the areas
Broken down into short, medium and long-term goals

If you know how to use Google Sheets, you can use our RACE Digital Marketing Dashboard for reporting from Google Analytics in a more visual form.

You may have dashboard summaries of different complexities for different roles and purposes, so for senior managers, the business value KPIs and
customer-centric KPIs are most relevant.

The majority of measures are available from Digital Analytics (e.g. Google, Adobe, IBM Analytics), but some KPIs may need to be integrated from other
sources such as social media or Marketing Automation systems

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Measure Reach Encourage Convert Engage customers to retain


Audience Action including lead generation To sale and grow

Tracking metrics Unique visitors  Online opportunity  Online sales  Email list quality
New visitors (lead) volume volume  Email engagement
Visits  Offline opportunity  Offline sales quality
Conversation volume (lead) volume generated volume generated  Transactions
from online from online
Performance drivers Share of audience  Page engagement rate  Conversion rate to  Active customers %
(diagnostics) Share of search (Bounce rate, duration) sale (site and email active
Brand/direct visits  Lead conversion rate by  Channel hurdle rates)
engagement tool conversion rates  Active social followers
 Category  Repeat conversion
conversion rates rate
Customer-centric  Cost per click and  Cost per lead  Average order  Lifetime value
KPIs cost per sale  Customer satisfaction value  Customer loyalty
 Brand awareness  Cost per sale index
 Conversation polarity  Customer  Customer advocacy
(sentiment) satisfaction  Products per
customer
Business value KPIs Audience share  Goal value per visit  Revenue per visit  Retained sales growth
(owned media) or  Online lead  Online-originated and volume
Share of voice (earned contribution contribution to sales,  Revenue per channel
media) (n,£, % of total) revenue and product and category

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1.3 PLAN – Define Digital Strategy and Governance – How do we get there?
1.3.1 CORE Strategy Definition Technique: Digital channel strategy objective summary: objective – strategy alignment grid
Purpose: A one page summary of your digital strategy linking SMART objectives in left column to how they’re achieved and detailed KPIs.
Instructions: Complete the objectives on the left and describe how you have estimated them (second column); how you will achieve them (third column)
and KPIS to prove you are on-track when reviewing strategy (4th column). Aim to include VQVC (Volume-Quality-Value-Cost) objectives

Objectives Substantiation Strategies to achieve goals Key performance indicators


(informed by situation analysis or insight) (critical success factors)
1 Reach objective(s)
Increase brand awareness and
visits to company websites,
apps and social network sites

2. Act objective (s)


Increase audience interactions
with content on company-
owned media platforms to
generate leads.

3. Convert objective(s)
Increase conversion rates from
leads to sales and sales
volumes achieved online or
offline.

4. Engage objective(s)
Increase long-term customer
engagement and loyalty
leading to repeat sales and
advocacy.

Completed example of tables: One page summary 1.1 in the Digital marketing plan example.

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1.3.2 Strategy Definition Technique: Strategic digital marketing initiatives priority matrix
Purpose: The main strategic initiatives are then reviewed by placing in this matrix to give approximate priorities:
Instructions: Take the strategic initiatives from the TOWS or objectives-strategies-KPIs grid and discuss with colleagues where they lie on this matrix.
The most important priorities (e.g. P1 or P2) with the lowest capabilities (e.g. C3 or C2) should be acted on first.

P1
=
Very
Important

P2
=
Important

P3
=
Lower
importance

C3=Below Average capability C2=Average capability C1=Leading capability

An alternative method of scoring strategic initiatives in a structured way is given at the end of this blog article.

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1.3.3 CORE Strategy Implementation Technique: Strategic initiative roadmap
Purpose: The roadmap is a long-term plan of initiatives since it usually won’t be practical to implement everything within a six-month period. The roadmap
shows the long-term commitment and investment needed for digital marketing.
Instructions: Take the strategic initiatives from the previous Prioritization matrix.
You can break it down in quarters, half years or years. Merging the Act and Convert steps can simplify here.

Strategic initiative H1 20XX H2 20XX 20XX 20XX/20XX


Reach

Act

Convert

Engage

Customer Insight and


targeting

Brand enhancements

Governance and
resources

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1.3.4 Strategy Definition Technique: Digital channel growth opportunity analysis (Optional)
Purpose: Review options for using digital channels to increase sales by developing new markets, products or services.
Instructions: Digital channels are often used simply for market penetration, so start here, then consider options for market and product development.

Existing Products or Services New products or Services:

New markets Market development strategies Diversification strategies


 
 
 

Existing markets Market penetration strategies Product development strategies


 
 
 

Example:

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1.3.5 CORE Digital Governance or Transformation plan
Purpose: To define how digital marketing is managed, structured and resourced within the business covering People, Process, Tools
Resource: If you’re looking at managing change in your business, or for your clients see our digital marketing transformation guide.
Instructions: The governance plan can be structured around the well-established McKinsey 7S management tool. This is a ‘big business’ corporate planning
tool, but many of these issues like systems and staff apply to all business.

Element of How does this apply to digital Key issues Summary of recommendations needed for
McKinsey marketing governance and managing digital media and technology
7S management (Examples in italics to amend)
Strategy Demonstrating how digital  Techniques for using digital Define digital roadmap for <time period>
strategy aligns with and marketing to impact
contributes to marketing and organization strategy.
business strategies.  Techniques for aligning digital
strategy with organizational and
marketing strategy.
 Gaining appropriate budgets Staff: Recruit Digital Business Analyst
and demonstrating/ delivering
value and ROI from budgets. Style:
Annual planning approach.

Structure The modification of  Integration of digital marketing Structure: Implement new digital team structure by end 2016
organizational structure to and e-commerce teams with
support digital marketing. other management, marketing
(corporate communications,
brand marketing, direct
marketing) and IT teams.
 Use of cross-functional teams
and steering groups.
 Insourcing vs outsourcing digital
skills.
Systems Digital Marketing capabilities  Campaign planning approach– Update campaign planning process to 'Digital first by April
including the development of integration.
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specific processes, procedures  Managing/sharing customer
or technology platforms and and marketplace insight.
information systems to  Managing content quality.
support digital marketing.  Unified reporting of digital
marketing effectiveness.
 In-house vs external best-of-
breed vs external integrated
technology solutions.
Staff Digital skills or talent  Digital skills development for Recruit Digital Business Analyst
competence amongst staff in existing staff and staff
the business – including both retention.
digital specialists and  Acquiring new digital skills.
marketing, IT specialists.  Insourcing vs outsourcing of
digital skills, e.g. from specialist
agencies.
 Staff development and training.
Style Includes both the way in  Achieving senior management Review brand personality to enable improved audience
which key managers behave buy-in/ involvement with digital
in achieving the organization’s marketing. engagement through social media
goals and the cultural style of  Relates to role of digital
the organization as a whole marketing team in influencing
strategy – is it dynamic and
influential or conservative and
looking for a voice?
Skills Distinctive capabilities of key  Staff skills in specific areas: Implement team digital education programme for Brand and
staff, but can be interpreted supplier selection, project
as specific skill sets of team management, content product marketers
members. management, specific e-
marketing approaches (SEO,
PPC, affiliate marketing, e-mail
marketing, online advertising).
Shared The guiding concepts of the  Shared vision for the future Define Digital Vision
values digital marketing organization impact of digital marketing
(Originally that are also part of shared  Improving the perception of the
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known as values and culture. importance and effectiveness of
Superordinat the digital marketing team
e goals). among senior managers and
staff it works with (marketing
generalists and IT).

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Digital Marketing Strategy – How do we get there?

The key elements of digital strategy involve revisiting and aligning the main thrust of your marketing strategy in an online context, make sure you draw
from other plans, if there isn’t one then use these headers. Don’t get drawn into the details at this stage. That’s the tactics.

But you may want to summarise the essence of some or all of the digital strategies below. How are you going to leverage the potential of digital marketing
to your business, and how does that meet the objectives. This is about your approach only, not the detail.

Consider breaking it down as well, it’s often easier to explain in smaller, bite-size chunks, this also helps when it comes to tactics which should hang from
the strategies below.

Here is an additional checklist showing all of the key strategy definitions to consider which are covered throughout this template.

Here are some suggestions of specific strategic issues you should consider.

A. Targeting and segmentation


Start by considering Target markets and opportunities for growth using the Strategy Definition Technique: Digital channel growth opportunity analysis
 Define your key buyer personas – see our Persona toolkit for examples and templates to create your own personas.
 A company’s online customers may have different demographic characteristics, needs and behaviours to its offline customers. It follows that different
approaches to segmentation may be required and specific segments may need to be selectively targeted though specific content and messaging on
your site or elsewhere on the web. This capability for “micro-targeting is one of the biggest benefits of digital marketing.
 Specific targeting approaches to apply online described in the book include: demographic, value-based, lifecycle and behavioral personalization.

B. Positioning
How do you position your online products and services in the customers mind? Consider
 Reinforcing your core proposition. How do you prove your credibility
 Define your online value proposition. This should flow from your positioning and be what the customer sees immediately when they interact with you
online.
 Define these in key messages for different audiences, e.g. prospects against existing customers, segments with different value you target.
 You need clear messaging hierarchies to effectively communicate your positioning both in online and offline media.

C. Proposition and the marketing mix

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Think about the digital marketing mix - how can you provide differential value to customers through varying the 4Ps online through Product, Price,
Promotion and Place and how can you add value through service. And don't forget what PR Smith calls the Eighth P of "Partnering"

Particularly if you sell online, you will want to explain how you will modify the marketing mix. For example:

 Product. Can you offer a different product range online. How can you add value to products through additional content or online services.
 Price. Review your pricing and consider differential pricing for online products or services.
 Place. Identify your online distribution issues and challenges. Should you create new intermediaries or portals or partner with existing sites?
 Promotion. Discuss the problems and opportunities of the online communications mix. These will be detailed in the acquisition and retention
communications strategies. Review approaches for online promotions and merchandising to increase sales. You may want to include exclusive
promotions to support the growth of different digital channels, i.e. Email, Mobile, Facebook, Twitter.
 People. Can use automated tools such as FAQ to deliver “web self-service” or should you provide online contact points through Live Chat or Phone Call-
back.
 Processes. List the components of process and understand the need to integrate them into a system.
 Physical evidence. Identify the digital components that give ‘evidence’ to customers of your credibility such as awards and testimonials
 Place. The eighth P. So much of marketing today is based on strategic partnerships partnerships, marketing marriages and alliances that we have added
this ‘P’ in as a vital ingredient in today’s marketing mix.

D. Brand strategy
Creating a compelling brand identity and personality is now paramount to success, how and where are you going to do that - brand favorability follows
credibility and trust - what do you understand will be the reasons to engage with your brand, why would they click through - or not - how will you
demonstrate credibility online.

E. Online representation or presence


This includes your own Web site domain strategy (one site or four, sub-domains, what are the site goals and how will they be achieved...) and priorities for
social presences. Representation also includes forming partnerships with publishers or other intermediaries to expand your reach (or acquiring them).

F. Content and engagement strategy


Which content will feature to gain initial interest, support the buying process (text and rich media product content and tools) and stickiness and to promote
return visits (blogs and community). Remember user-generated content too, such as reviews, ratings and comments. You will have to priorities content
types and ensure you devote sufficient resource to it to create quality content which helps you compete. All effective online companies see themselves as
publishers!

Use our Content Marketing Matrix in the Act section below to

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G. Digital channel acquisition communications strategy


Outline how you will acquire traffic, what’s are the main approaches you will use? Don’t forget to consider how you drive visitors through offline media and
integrated campaigns.

Key digital media channels for traffic acquisition would include:


 Search engine marketing (natural and paid)
 Social media marketing and Online PR (think brand strategy)
 Partner and affiliate marketing
 Display advertising
 Email marketing to leads database

H. Digital channel conversion strategy


 How does the user experience, which depends on information architecture, page template design, merchandising, messaging and performance help
you make it easy for visitors to engage and convert?

I. Digital channel retention communications strategy


 Often neglected, what will be the main online and offline tactics to encourage repeat visits and sales. Again integrated campaigns involving offline
touch points are crucial here.

J. Data strategy
What are your goals in permission marketing and data capture - what/where/how/when/why, what tools and value adds are you going to use. You might
alternatively reference these in the conversion strategy.
 How do you improve the quality of your customer data across channels to help increase the relevance of your messages through personalization

K. Multichannel integration strategy


 How you integrate traditional and digital channels should run through every section of your strategy since it’s key to success. One way to structure this
is to map customer journeys across channels as channel chains.

L. Social media marketing strategy


 We would argue that social media marketing is part of a broader customer engagement strategy plus brand, acquisition, conversion and retention
strategies, but many organizations are grappling with how they get value from this, so it may help to develop an overall social media marketing.

M. Digital marketing governance strategy

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 In larger organizations how you manage digital marketing is a big challenge. Questions that the governance strategy seeks to answer are how do we
manage internal and external resources through changes to structures and skills needed for digital and multichannel marketing.

Tactics and Actions


Tactics are where the rubber hits the road to get results, so you need to define how you will implement your strategy in the real world - when you’ll do it,
with what, your goals for each tactic aligned to the main objectives and how that will that be measured.

Each of strategy sections A to J will need implementation details which you can get specialists in your team or agencies to develop. Remember that with
digital, “the devil is in the detail”. The best digital strategies can fail if the execution is poor - search, email marketing and creating a persuasive web design
are classic examples of this we see daily.

If there’s only you, create a plan and Just Do It! You have the benefit that you can be more nimble, so can test and learn

How are you going to divide the year up - thinking about campaigns versus seasonal or business focuses, this helps to get the plan actionable. Consider
quarterly (90 day) blocks to focus on and ensure objectives, strategies and tactics are focused on that – see examples in our 90 day action planning
template.

Keep this section light and fact based and avoid too much description repeated in the strategy section. Hang your tactics under the strategic hangers, for
example traffic acquisition, so that it’s easy for others follow.

Control
Create measurable KPI’s to align against objectives and stay on track

Issues to reference include:


 Budgets - media, digital platform investments and resources
 Timescales including a longer-term roadmap if necessary
 Organize your measuring in dashboards so that it’s easy to summarise and keep up to date against the plan.
 Consider KPI’s (key performance indicators) that relate to tactics, strategies and so objectives, sometimes a KPI is an objective, for example a KPI could
be weekly total natural search traffic, home page bounce or email open rate. These can be good early warnings to objectives like ‘online sales revenue’
or ‘new leads’ not being met. Plain old Excel will suffice and will allow you to keep the latest results to hand.

The key is that (assuming your objectives were clear, detailed and relevant) you have the headers to site your KPI’s and measure against.
 Consider how you will measure and report using web analytics
 Are there other measurement tools and resources needed

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 What is the process to measure and report, for example looking at keyword level traffic daily is not actionable, but home page bounce can be if site
changes are made
 Think about creating a KPI summary dashboard

Governance
In larger organizations, you have to think about resourcing, i.e.
 Skills - internal and agency requirements to deliver on your plan
 Structure - do you have a separate digital team or can you integrate
 Systems - the processes to make things work and keep you agile

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1.4 PLAN. Customer segmentation and targeting
1.4.1 Strategy Analysis Technique: Marketing persona outlines (Optional)
Purpose: To make your website and online communications more customer-centered / less company or product-centered by selecting defined target
audiences to appeal to.
Resource: For examples and guidance on creating personas see our Customer Persona Toolkit. This forum answer outlines 5 sources of insight to build
personas.
Instructions: To create personas different insight sources including quantitative research (e.g. profile analysis) plus qualitative research (surveys and
interviews) are needed.
Persona names? Characteristics / segment? Personal goals? Needs (Brand, experience)? What we want to deliver?
Key questions.
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

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1.4.2 Strategy Analysis Tool: Online customer insight source review (minor importance)
Purpose: Highlight new digital marketing behaviours by review availability and quality of customer and marketplace insight to inform situation analysis
Instructions: Review range of insight sources in this table.
Aim to create a factbase summarizing audience characteristics, behaviours and preferences.
Aim to summarise in key audience personas to inform strategy and implementation. See our persona toolkit for details on this approach.
Insight sources Actions to improve insight quality Key insights (build into fact base)
1. Audience characteristics Online profile information:   Audience profiles online (%)
 Customer profile – from   Audience profiles offline (%)
online forms and sign-up cf
offline
 Google Analytics – where
audience based – can link to
characteristics with custom
variable
 Surveying social media
profiles
2. Audience behaviours Online behavioural information:   Conversion rates
 Google Analytics –   Average days to purchase?
particularly multichannel  Average channels before
funnels purchase
 Survey to research offline  % who browse by channel, %
purchase who buy by channel
See Smart Insights members’
downloads to consumer adoption
and usage statistics compilation and
online benchmarks
3. Audience preferences and  Customer feedback – see  Main reasons for:
sentiment http://bit.ly/smartfeedback   Not converting
 Not repeat-purchasing
4. Audience share compared to  Google Analytics benchmark   Share of search
competitors. option   Share of voice
 Similar Web Benchmark

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1.4.3 Strategy Definition Technique: Online communications targeting capability review

Purpose: Online channels have a rich variety of methods to target your audience in new, more precise ways. This list summarises some of these options.
See the Reach section for an alternative method of visualizing these.
Instructions: Review which of these methods you are using now and which you could use in the future.
Typical methods for applying these techniques: P: Paid media targeting E: Email personalization, W: Web or in-app personalization (when profiled, Owned
media)
Targeting approaches Method Current capability / Future relevance (of 5) Priority for future P1-P3

1. Classic profile-based Media targeting or personalized messaging on site and


demographic segmentation email based on characteristics disclosed in profile
(WE)
2. Search behaviour (P) Target consumer behaviour grouped: SEO+PPC
Also organic.
3. Content consumption (P) Using ad networks including Google Display Network
and re-marketing available in AdWords

4. Social Network interest- E.G. Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter interests


based targeting (P)
5. Web personas (WE) Combine other characteristics and behaviours

6. Customer lifecycle (WE) Target Email and Web messages according to length of
time using online services
7. Customer value (WE) Review current and future potential value for existing
customers, e.g. target VIP customers

8. Campaign message Use “sense and respond” behavioural targeting in email


response and behaviour and site personalisation based on RFM (Recency,
(WE) Frequency and Monetary value) and content viewed
9. Buying motivations and Evaluation method and sensitivity to pricing against
behaviours (WE) features, benefits, brand value

10. Channel preference (WE) Communicate with customers in their preferred media
e.g. Email vs Print and Phone (and according to value)

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1.5 PLAN. Define Online Value Proposition and Experience
1.5.1 PLAN Strategy Analysis tool: Marketplace map (Optional)
Purpose: To define a shared understanding of the range of types of online influencers and customer buyer behaviour as influenced by the online
marketplace within organization or between consultant, agency and client. It is valuable since the web introduces many new competitors or intermediaries
to engage and audience (e.g. within content and search marketing).
Resource: Brand audit and online marketplace template
Instructions: Start by summarizing ways of breaking down audiences via the column on the left. The columns are independent, i.e. no comparison across
rows.

Customers Customer search behaviour Publishers/intermediaries/influencers Destination sites/


Competing brands
Markets targeting Main search engines in market Example mainstream media, social Company name: Key brand
  networks or portals: differentiators
   
   
 

Customer segments: Demographics Main generic category / product Niche media sites or social networks: Competitor 1: Key brand
 phrases  differentiators
   
   
 
Customer segments: Personas Comparison searches Aggregators and super-affiliates Competitor 2: Key brand
  (where comparison sites relevant) differentiators
   
   
 

Customer segments: Value Value searches Smaller affiliates Competitor 3: Key brand
   differentiators
   
   

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Customer segments: Lifecycle Competitor searches Blogs and individual influencers Competitor 4: Key brand
   differentiators
   
   

Customer segments: Interest-based Other long-tail behaviours or Competitor 5: Key brand


targeting qualifiers differentiators
  
  
  

Notes: The consumer search behaviour summary worksheets on our SEO Gap Analysis template suggest a method of summarising the most important
consumer search behaviours and how to target them. You can see examples of visualising the marketplace using this method or across POE media in this
post.

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1.5.2 Strategy Analysis Tool: Online competitor benchmarking review (Optional)
Purpose: A competitor review is useful in a long-form digital marketing strategy to highlight the relative performance of a company alongside the
capability analysis.
Instructions: Complete the KPIs as far as possible where publicly available through tools described in our Competitor benchmarking guide. Effectiveness is
a qualitative evaluation.

Criteria Review company Competitor 1 Competitor 2


Reach KPIs
 Site visitors
 Conversation share
 Search visibility
Reach Effectiveness
 Content marketing
 Influencer outreach
 Strategic partnerships
Act KPIs
 Site engagement rates
 Social sharing
Act Effectiveness
 Persona targeting
 Core brand messages
 Content engagement devices
 Findability
 Personalisation
Convert KPIs
 Conversion rates (add-to-
basket, checkout, conversion
channel)
Convert Effectiveness
 Marketing Mix: Product,
Price, Place, Promotion
 Trust factors
Engage KPIs
 Recommendation,
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satisfaction scores,
community and email
benchmarks
Engage evaluation
 Service quality
 Community
 Personalisation
 Promotions

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1.5.3 Strategy Definition Technique: Online Value Proposition summary
Purpose: To define the unique forms of customer value you can offer through your websites and apps to encourage customers to do business with you
online or stay loyal.
Resource: Brand audit and online marketplace template
Instructions: Use the brand audit to define the marketplace positioning and value for the company

How would you describe your business in one sentence as perceived by its customers?

Choose the most important differentiating attributes that show how your business delivers to its customers. How can these be emphasized online.
Considering the marketing mix elements as ways to differentiate your services online (Product, Price, Place, Promotion, Physical Evidence, Process,
People)

 Financial Value – Your dependability brings your customers a quality product at a low price.

 Innovative Products – You are always bringing your customers the very newest products or ideas.

 Customized Relationships – You can tailor your services to meet the needs of your customers.

Summarise your online value propositions (OVPs)?

1. Selection online value. How does the content and experience in your sites/social media/communications help people choose the best products for
them?

2. Personal online value. How does the experience in your sites/social media/communications help people at home (e.g. education or entertainment) or
work (personal or career development)?
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3. Product online value. What benefits does buying from your business online offer compared to traditional channels or competitors? i.e. in the Marketing
Mix, e.g. Product selection, Differential price, Convenience of click and collect.

1.5.4 Strategy Definition Technique: touchpoint review of positioning messages


Purpose: Review online touchpoints across the customer lifecycle which influence brand familiarity and favourability leading to purchase intent
Instructions: Assess your use of these touchpoints and techniques against competitors

Touchpoint Techniques to review Evaluation and Improvements


Google SERPs - organic
 Meta description for home page
 Use of site links
Google SERPs - AdWords
 Site links for brand search
 Ad Callout and Structured snippet
extensions
Retargeting or Remarketing Use remarketing in AdWords or
retargeting using social networks or ad
networks
Website – home page
 Core brand offering
 Online value proposition
 Tailored for personas
Website – run-of-site
 Main nav showing OVP?
Website – product pages
 What makes us different?
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Website – blog
 Linkage to core product offer
Email welcome
 Quality of brand promise
E-newsletter
 Linkage to proposition
Exit-Intent surveys to review
 Assess brand promise gap online
Online brand perception Use these to understand customer
surveys brand familiarity and favourability

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2 REACH
2.1 Digital media channel effectiveness review
Purpose: A top-level review of 6 core digital marketing techniques to drive visits to a website
Instructions: Review each of the 6 channels comparing current approaches to competitors and priorities need for improvement
Give your summary assessment of opportunities to improve audience reach through the main media channels based on the techniques recommended in
the course.

VQVC Measures – use actual figures where known or rate e.g. Great, Good, Average, Poor
 Volume: Number or % share of site visits
 Quality: Dwell time or conversion rate to lead or sale
 Value: Revenue per visit (Ecommerce) or Goal value per visit (if goals set up for non-Ecommerce site)
 Cost: Cost per visit/lead/sale

Digital Channel Rating of current capability Priorities of success factors Priorities for new Overall priority or value
compared to VQVC to improve? communications techniques compared to other reach
measures and competitors to trial? channels?
use of media
1. Search Marketing Volume : Quality : Value :
 SEO (Organic search) Cost
Review these keyword types
 Pay-per- separately:
click/AdWords
 Generic searches for
categories of product or
service
 Long tail searches
 Brand searches

2. Online PR Volume : Quality : Value :


 Influencer outreach Cost
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 Community

3. Online partnership Volume : Quality : Value :


 Affiliate marketing Cost

 Sponsorship

 Contra-deals with
complimentary sites
or brands

4. Display advertising Volume : Quality : Value :


 Ad networks Cost

 Social media ads

 Retargeting

 Site-specific media
buys

5. Opt-in email (for Volume : Quality : Value :


acquisition) Cost

 Growing own list of


subscribers, adding
to Welcome, nurture
and enewsletter

 Third party publisher


newsletter ads and
solus media buys to
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grow list

6. Social media marketing Volume : Quality : Value :


 Optimising social Cost
presence on different
social networks
 Social media ads

The next visualization of media effectiveness is recommended for comparing individual techniques and alternatives placements/content partners.

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2.2 Search Marketing


2.2.1 Search Marketing Gap Analysis
Purpose: Define the opportunity for driving more site visits from search by reviewing consumer behaviour against actual visits
Resource: Keyphrase gap analysis template – includes two examples
Instructions: Select keywords for different times of consumer search behaviour based on the Google Keyword Planner volumes and comparison to actual
visits to site
Targeting
Keyphrase group + volume? Keyphrase group + volume? Example search terms Landing page targeted
priority
 
1. Generic category searches 1. <category>
 
 
1. Generic category searches 2. <category> + <type>  
   
   
   
1. Generic category searches 3. <category> + Value
   
   
   
2. Brand terms 1 <Brand> + brand core
   
   
2. Brand terms 2 <Brand> + <category>
   
   
   
2. Brand terms 3 <Brand> + value    
   
   
   
2. Brand terms 4 <Brand> + location
   
3. Supplier brand term 1 <supplier>    

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3. Supplier brand term 2 <supplier> + <category>
   
   
4. Competitor 1 <Competitor>
   
   
2 Competitor + <category>
4. Competitor    
   
   
4. Competitor
3 <competitor> + value    
4. Competitor    
   
4. Competitor 4 <competitor> + location
   

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2.2.2 Search Marketing Plan

Purpose: Define focus of Search Engine Marketing


Instructions: Define current use of search marketing
Resource: Table taken from RACE Quick Wins Template

REACHING customers
Visitor acquisition tactic review & recommendations
Evaluation Recommendation
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
1 Current performance snapshot 1 Current performance snapshot
% of visits, leads or sales: 

2 Keyphrase analysis 2 Keyphrase analysis


Results of gap analysis 

3 Index inclusion
3 Index inclusion 

4 Document meta data
4 Document meta data 

5 On-page optimisation
5 On-page optimisation 

6 Internal link-building
6 Internal link-building 

7 External link-building
7 External link-building (including content marketing, E-PR, social media and partnerships)
Review relative to competitors: 

Current Domain Authority (via Moz.com):


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Backlink domain history (via Majestic):

(includes content marketing, E-PR, Social media and


partnerships)

8 Resourcing and process
8 Resourcing and process 

Pay Per Click (PPC) Marketing (Google Adwords)


1 Current performance snapshot 1 Current performance snapshot
 

2 Keyphrase analysis and selection 2 Keyphrase analysis and selection


 

3 Search ad network selection 3 Search ad network selection


 

4 Campaign structure 4 Campaign structure


 

5 Budgeting strategy 5 Budgeting strategy


 

6 Keyword matching 6 Keyword matching


 

7 Listing position strategy 7 Listing position strategy


 

8 Bidding strategy 8 Bidding strategy


 
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9 Ad creative 9 Ad creative
 

10 Landing pages 10 Landing pages


 

11 Resourcing and process 11 Resourcing and process


 

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2.3 Owned and Earned Media
2.3.1 Social Media Plan
Purpose: Set priorities for using social media to achieve goals for consumer RACE and for reputation management
Resource: Word-based Social media audit and Social media plan example
Instructions: You should define these sections:

1. Audit current use of social media


2. Define goals
3. Define priority audiences
4. Define priority social networks
5. Set short-term priorities
6. Set longer-term priorities

2.3.2 Influencer Outreach plan


Purpose: Priorities key influencers or Opinion Leaders (KOLs) in your sector to manage continuous contact, e.g. when encouraging sharing of blog content
or campaign content.
Resource: Influencers outreach guide
Instructions: The guide follows these actions:

1. Identify popular influencers


2. Categories your influencers
3. Manage contacts during campaigns

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2.4 Paid media
2.4.1 : Paid and Display media priorities and schedule
Tool: Content Distribution Matrix (Read more)
Purpose: Review options for paid and display media against current performance and set priorities
Instructions: Plot (1) Current use/effectiveness of media (2) Competitor use if known (3) Set priorities for future focus and tests using the 70:20:10 rule

Least effective media techniques Most effective media techniques


(Volume of visits/leads/sales) (Volume of visits/leads/sales)
Highest media Poor value methods Increase efficiency
investment  
 
 

Lowest media investment Slow and steady Star Performers


 
 
 

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2.5 Online Customer Acquisition, Campaign plans and budgets
2.5.1 Budget model
Purpose: Define priorities for investment in media to drive acquisition and campaign schedule to implement
Resources: 7 Steps guide to customer acquisition and budget spreadsheet and campaign planning template and guide
Instructions: Create a conversion-based spreadsheet budget model

    Month 1
TOTALS Monthly Traffic Targets 4,800
Planned Traffic (from
  Below) 40,648
     
  Budget (£'s) 38,500
  Customers 610
  Cost per acquisition (£'s) 63
  Revenue (£'s) 304,863
  Target ROI 7
  ROI 8
  Resources (Man Days) 16
     
    Month 1
Traffic Target (UV's) 15,323
% of Month's total UV
target 319.23%
Budget (£'s) 4,000
Customers 230
Search Engine
Cost per acquisition (£'s) 17.40
Optimisation
Revenue (£'s) 114,923
Target ROI  
ROI 29
Resources (Man Days) 2
Notes/Activity Description Enter notes here

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3. ACT
3.1. Customer journey analysis
3.3.1 Act Technique: Website “Quick Wins” analysis
Purpose: To identify “Quick Wins” to improve interactions and conversion with a site based on where visitors are arriving, common footfall and CTA
improvements.
Instructions: Complete a brief review of Google Analytics as described in our Using GA to improve results guide to identify improvements to increase
interaction and conversion.

Action / scent trail Evaluation of current site/social Recommended improvements:


Relevance
platform:
to our  Clear scent trail / Call-to-action
business? (CTA)
 Above the fold
Run-of-site
Site landing page analysis (GA). Which site 
sections and page drive most visits? How
can they be enhanced to generate more
interactions?
Forward path analysis (GA). What are the 
most common customer journeys for main
page types (e.g. home page). How can CTAs
and messaging be changed to make more
effective.
Reverse path analysis (GA). Which pages 
currently generate most leads and sales.
How can these be enhanced?

Browse paths. Which categories or 


products are most commonly browsed (use
GA content drilldown to evaluate footfall in
different site sections).
Search mode. Which search types are most 
important. Which convert to sale.
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View promo. Which content or offer 
promotions panels are most important?
Where-to-buy/How to buy? Is this clearly 
visible (important for non-Ecommerce
sites)
Register for Enewsletter. How can this be 
increased by increased visibility or pop-ups.

Sign-up for trial (SaaS). How effective is 


Home, blog section in achieving signups?

Share to social. How can social media 


sharing be enhanced by placement or type
of widget.
Segment analysis (GA). Repeat analysis for 
different segment types e.g. New visits,
visits from SEO, etc to identify CTA
effectiveness.

3.2 Website visitor and customer lead capture and profiling


3.2.1. Act technique: Website visitor profiling
Purpose: To review techniques to maximize leads collected from website and using social media
Resource: Landing page guide
Instructions: Evaluate the options below against your current practice and then test new approaches, e.g. using AB Testing

Note these are all alternative or optional approaches to be reviewed.

Website visitor lead capture and profiling approach


Evaluation Recommendation

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Prompting sign-up on site

 1. ‘Lead magnets’ developed to encourage email


collection?
 2. Range of content used for lead magnets for different
audiences?
 3. Cookies used to change offer for first time
visitors/non-customers, e.g. eBags 20% customer
discount on first visit?
 4. Calls-to-action used in primary navigation and in
promo panels across site to encourage signup?
 5. Pop-ups used to boost signup?
 6. Pop-ups optimized to balance signup against annoying
existing customers, e.g. limiting by timing, number or
frequency of visit?
 7. Landing pages used to boost form conversion from
visitors from media?

Profile data collected?


 8. 2-3 ‘Killer’ profile fields used to capture data that can
be used to deliver more targeted welcome and nurturing
emails later?
 9. Two-stage signup used for email and then more profile
data?
 10. Progressive profiling used to capture additional data?
 11. Preference centre used to capture / modify data or
select communications preferences/frequency?

Remarketing
 12. AdWords cookies for remarketing and/or…
 13. Google Remarketing setup via Google Analytics?

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Social media
 14. Social network business pages used to prompt lead
generate, e.g. Updates featuring lead magnets, Pinned
posts, CTA buttons on Facebook, apps.
 15. Retargeting used via Social networks to encourage
signup.

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3.3. Optimize content
3.3.1 Content marketing audit: Gap Analysis review using the content marketing matrix
Purpose: To review opportunities to improve content marketing to increase visits, interactions and leads.
Instructions: Notes on use – mark each in different colour / symbol.
1. Review current use by brand of content marketing for a specific market or audience type.
2. Benchmark current use by competitors (direct and out of sector) of content marketing for a specific market or audience type.
3. Brainstorm potential future use by brand of content marketing for a specific market or audience type.
4. Priorities and select most relevant content ideas for future use by brand, e.g. in next marketing campaigns.

Develop awareness and reach Encourage purchase


Outline how you will use content to increase Outline how you will use content to encourage
reach purchase
 
 
 

Using emotional levers Entertain Inspire


Outline how you will use content to Write down current and/or future content Write down current and/or future content
engage your audience through emotion types/examples types/examples
  
  
  

Using rational arguments Educate Convince


Outline how you will use content to Write down current and/or future content Write down current and/or future content
explain features and benefits of your
product and service types/examples types/examples
  
  
  
See http://bit.ly/smartercontent to view full infographic of the matrix.

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3.4. Optimize Landing or Entry Pages
3.4.1 Landing / Entry page check
Purpose: To review use of landing pages to maximize leads collected from website and using social media
Note 1: Here landing pages include both landing pages use for lead capture AND other entry pages.
Note 2: This diagnostic assumes your site already has goal setting set up as described in the 7 Steps guide.
Resource: Landing page guide and Google Analytics 7 Steps guide
Instructions: Evaluate the options below against your current practice and then test new approaches, e.g. using AB Testing

Landing page effectiveness


Evaluation Recommendation

Review current effectiveness of landing pages in Analytics


1. Use Google Analytics ‘Landing Pages’ reports to review
most / least popular of entry or landing pages and those that
generate the most leads and sales.

Look for opportunities to feature the most successful landing


pages (or lead magnets on them) more – in navigation,
welcome emails and through social media.

Where pages are popular by volume of entries, but are not


generating leads see whether you can add more prominent
calls-to-action to your main lead gen pages.

Note: If you set a Segment of New visitor while viewing


landing pages this will filter out some of the affect of
returning customers (apart from those who have had cookies
deleted)

 2. Segment the Landing pages report by ‘medium’ to see


which types of traffic are most effective in driving sales.

 3. Use Google Analytics ‘Content Drilldown’ for first time

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visitors to see which sections of the site are most
effective in attracting new traffic.
 4. Use Reverse Path analysis from signup pages to see
which pages are most effective in driving signup. Which
popular pages or page types are missing? How can these
be used to enhance conversion.

Apply best practices to Landing Pages

These are common ways to improve landing pages from top


to bottom – there is a lot more detail in our guide.
 1. Effective headline and subheadline?
 2. Brand identity and trust from logo, visuals and
typography?
 3. Clear call-to-action to next stage, e.g. Download, Buy
or next relevant piece of content?
 4. Combines Benefits as well as features?
 5. Page effective delivering all content above the fold?
 6. More detailed information available if required?
 7. Number of fields balance minimized to collect
information needed to follow-up with (if classic data
capture landing page)?
 8. Page is mobile responsive?

Digital Marketing Strategy for <Company name>


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3.5 Content - Campaign planning
3.5.1 Campaign planning
Purpose: Define a process for regular campaign tracking
Resource: RACE Marketing Campaign Planning Guide and Marketing Campaign Planning Template (detailed Word version of below) and Excel campaign
timeline
Instructions: Campaign tracking involves many activities covered in the guides above and the spreadsheet below under these 6 headings

Outline of campaign management process


Activities Campaign plan
1. CAMPAIGN GOALS AND TRACKING
 General aims for campaign – direct response leads sales
and branding goals
 SMART Conversion goals – across RACE / VQVC
 Profiling requirements
 Response tracking – Google Analytics tracking codes
2. CAMPAIGN INSIGHT: CUSTOMER INSIGHT AND TARGET
AUDIENCE.
 Target audience (personas)
 Audience motivations (scenarios)
 Search behaviour target keywords
 Competitor review
3. OFFER, CONTENT AND MESSAGING

 Campaign “Big idea” or Value Proposition


 Promotional offers
 Online value proposition?
 Messaging hierarchy
 Brand values, personality, tone of voice and messaging

4. MEDIA PLAN / SCHEDULE / TIMELINE

Media integration of campaign waves – see spreadsheet


timelines
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5. CAMPAIGN PRODUCTION
 Creative brief
 Content asset creation
 Online media asset production
 Offline asset media production
 Campaign localization
6. CAMPAIGN EXECUTION
 Pre-live testing
 In-flight optimization
 Post implementation review

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4. CONVERT
4.1 Lead nurturing / Remarketing
4.1.1. Define Prospect Welcome sequence
Purpose: Define the purpose, offer and messaging for a triggered email sequence including a Welcome sequence
Resource: Email sequence / contact strategy template
Instructions: 1. Define the aim of each email. 2. Specify copy and creative to achieve this aim. 3. Add Content and Dynamic content.

Automated Trigger Source Trigger Message Primary Secondary Transactional / Subject line Headline Email Block 1 (Lead)
Email code event interval focus marketing marketing service template
aims aims purpose used

Welcome- Online Landing +2h Welcome. 1.Explain A. Generate Welcome, Enjoying Let us help Standard Do you need any
E1 brochure page Build brand brand values. callback, B. acknowlege your XX you choose template help?
download favourability "Ask the and thank for brochure? the right Acknowledge
and familiarity Expert" to download. course brochure
2. Convince capture phone download
about number or (including

Digital Marketing Strategy for <Company name>


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company book online. multiple
proposition. brochures).

3. Offer help

Welcome- Online Landing +2d Try our service Generate Generate Offer help Have you Learn more Standard Need to find out
E2 brochure page taster additional callback, "Ask tried our about the template more? Try the
download lead event the Expert" to <next lead <brand> <lead type>.
capture phone type>? Experience Acknowledge
number or brochure request.
book online.

Note: This is partial – download the spreadsheet for additional fields for targeting with dynamic content.

Digital Marketing Strategy for <Company name>


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4.1.2. Remarketing
Purpose: Ad Retargeting / Remarketing guide
Resources: Display Retargeting guide and AdWords guide (AdWords Remarketing section). Relevant platform help sections on Digital Media Cheatsheet.
Instructions: Use this template (similar to the top-level digital media channels table) to define the types of remarketing you will use

Digital Channel Rating of current capability Priorities of success factors Priorities for new Overall priority or value
compared to VQVC to improve? communications techniques compared to other reach
measures and competitors to trial? channels?
use of media
1. AdWords Volume : Quality : Value :
Cost
 Remarketing

2. Facebook Volume : Quality : Value :


Cost
 Custom audiences
 Lookalike targeting
3. Twitter Volume : Quality : Value :
 Cost

4. LinkedIn Volume : Quality : Value :
 Site-specific media Cost
buys
 Ad networks
 Social media ads
 Remarketing
5. Other Ad networks Volume : Quality : Value :
 Cost

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4.2 Web personalisation
4.2.1 Personalization option review
Purpose: Use personalized containers with recommended product, content or offers
Instructions: This simple template helps you review your site personalization placement options on website or on mobile.

Targeting by placement or location on screen / site sections


Personalization tools such as Evergage provide options across all of these placements. Others focused on Ecommerce merchandising like Barilliance focus
on promotions on product pages. HelloBar is a simple header or footer popup or bar.
Channel Homepage Run-of-site Header or Left or right Inline text Category Product Search Other page
pop-up or footer pop- sidebar promos e.g. pages pages results templates
overlay up on blog
Website
Mobile

4.3 Assisted selling


Direct interactions with real people almost always have higher conversion rates than on-page website conversion. This is why options like livechat have
increased in popularity.

Options for assisted selling via sales or customer service people to be reviewed include:
 Live Chat, e.g. pop-ups deeper in the site or after certain dwell time on page
 FAQ and customer service portal
 Contact Us encouraging
 Outbound calling based on lead scoring and content accessed

4.4 Multichannel selling


This is most relevant for multichannel retailers who are seeking to integrate their physical store network with their website. It involves clear signposts and
explanation of multichannel options.
Simple options to review include:
 Store locator
 Product finder
 In-store or website exclusives
 In-store digital terminals and Point-of-sale integration

Digital Marketing Strategy for <Company name>


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4.5 Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO)
4.5.1 CRO capability review
Purpose: To identify improvements to process, people and tools for how CRO is managed.
Resource: Conversion Optimization guide
Instructions: Review current capabilities for CRO using the table below

Optimisation Business contribution Campaign Site Voice of customer


Maturity stage reporting performance optimisation

Your assessment

1 Initial Ad-hoc review of traffic Ad-hoc post-campaign Ad-hoc review of page Ad-hoc collection of
volumes and outcomes review of performance popularity and conversion customer feedback

2 Managed Regular actionable Actionable review of Defined outcomes Regular surveys and
structured review campaign efficiency reviewed for different monitoring customer
during campaign referrer segments conversations

3 Defined Actionable review against Multichannel influence AB page testing Actionable review of
target reviewed Micro-conversion review customer conversations

4 Quantitative Review involves Micro-analysis of Page portfolio review Structured customer


drill-down to ROI conversion quality Multivariate testing of key satisfaction reporting
performance of assets Review of referrer pages
attribution

5 Optimizing Continual optimisation of Real-time optimisation Real-time personalisation Closed-loop reporting


targets given performance during campaign based on context informing NPD and service
quality

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5. ENGAGE
5.1 Customer Onboarding
5.1.1 Customer Touchpoint analysis
Purpose: Review use of marketing automation through email and web personalization for prospects and customers (here we’re just looking at customer
onboarding, but can be broader)
Resource: Define email goals and messing in our Email sequence / contact strategy template
Instructions: Plot current touchpoints for email marketing and, if relevant, website personalization and then add additional options for communications

Channel Reach Act Convert Convert Convert Engage Engage Engage Engage
Email Third-party Email Browse Abandon Post Product Social media Promotional Reactivation
mail welcome product or shopping purchase review email engagement or campaign
partnership category cart transaction and/or emails
s and ads mail / satisfaction
Welcome survey
Website or Post sign-up Post
mobile page transaction
page

This visualization gives a simple way to give a simple ‘Before/After’ visualization of touchpoints :

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5.2 Customer Digital Experience
5.2.1 Multichannel web customer satisfaction and loyalty review
Purpose: To review factors that are discouraging repeat purchase or brand preference
Resource: For detailed advice on boosting customer loyalty, see our Customer Retention guide
Instructions: Review your customer satisfaction survey techniques

Purpose: To review and then improve the drivers/levers for effective customer engagement and loyalty.
Instructions: Consider these categories of organizational People, Process or Tools that may be holding back your content marketing.

Customer retention technique Assessment: 0-5 Summary of current approach Recommended improvements

1. Evaluation of customer
engagement. Through insight – using
the 6 techniques above

2. Understand the satisfaction gap.


Identify the factors which limit
satisfaction and so reduce loyalty.

3. Define customer value proposition.


Which combination of products, offers
and added-value online services (e.g.
community) will be used to encourage
future purchase and loyalty.
4. Define customer targeting and
contact strategy. Define targeting and
sequence for messages delivered by
Marketing Automation across web,
mobile, email and social platforms.

5. Review and improve customer


service. Define how customer service
and onboarding can be improved to
increase satisfaction.
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6. Define advocacy techniques. How
can social sharing and member-get-
member methods be used to
encourage customer acquisition.
7. Implement and improve marketing
automation and customer data.
Implement a customer loyalty system
capable of delivering the strategy
defined above.

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Engage Technique: Assessing customer engagement
Purpose: To review and select the most relevant measures of customer engagement from those covered
Instructions: Assess which of these methods are currently used to assess online customer engagement and how they can be improved.
1. The Forrester 4Is?

2. E-loyalty - latency and hurdle rates, e.g. percentage of customers or subscribers who are 90 day active?

3. Value-based segmentation: Current against future value?

4. Cohort analysis – most relevant for subscription services or systems requiring login.

5. Net Promoter Score

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5.3 Customer Service and Success
5.3.1 Multichannel Customer service review
Purpose: To review the options and effectiveness of different online customer service options
Instructions: Assess each of the channels for the approach used against best practice. For each consider service level targets and customer satisfaction
ratings
Customer service technique Assessment: Summary of current approach Recommended improvements
0-5

People Process Tools People Process Tools


1. Customer self-service on site
For example, FAQs, knowledgebase
2. Contact us
Suitability of form

3. Inbound email response


Actual against agreed service levels

4. Social media customer service


Includes inbound and proactive
outbound of enquiries.

5. Review and ratings (if relevant)


For transactional businesses, reviews
of products and overall experience
6. Live chat
For assisted selling and customer
service
7. Service for local stores or outlets
(if appropriate)
e.g. Google MyBusiness
8. Inbound calling phone response

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5.4 Customer Email marketing
5.4.1. Email marketing audit
Purpose: Review use of email marketing as a strategic communications tool across the whole customer lifecycle including all types of email from
Enewsletters, automated and campaign mails.
Resource: Excel-based Email marketing audit developed by consultant Tim Watson
Instructions: The Email marketing audit covers around 100 questions to evaluate your email marketing under these headings:

1. Objective setting and value review

2. Evaluation

3. Email communications strategy includes profiling, segmentation, targeting and email types

4. Copy and design

5. Deliverability and permission

6. Governance

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5.5 Social media
5.5.1 Social media audit and plan
Purpose: Define best use of social media to achieve company goals for social media
Resources: Word-based Social media audit and Social media plan example
Instructions: Complete these sections

1. Goals and specific objectives (See one Page Strategy Summary of social media objectives across RACE – at end of Plan example document)

2. Short-term tasks (Quick Wins)

3. Target audience (Personas)

4. Strategy (Content, Interaction, Link to conversion)

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5. Tactics (Framework and approach for managing blog and individual social networks)

You’re now at the end of the workbook! We hope you have found our templates useful for structuring your ideas and creating your plans.

If you have other requirements for resources or to feedback and ask questions please use our member forum: http://www.smartinsights.com/answers/.

Thanks, Dave Chaffey and the Smart Insights Team.

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