Originally published on 11/09/2020. Last updated on 03/02/2024.
Navigating the complexity of the digital world can feel overwhelming, especially for small business owners. However, intentional planning is essential for maximizing your online presence and achieving your business goals. A solid digital strategy may feel abstract, especially with new technologies emerging all the time. That’s why we’re here to guide you. This article will guide you through how to develop a digital strategy that helps you achieve your business goals.
Defining Your Goals
Before getting started, it’s important to know where specifically you want to go. You may know that you need an e-commerce website to satisfy customers’ needs, but don’t be afraid to get more specific than that. Usually, you want to go about setting SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound). So, put in exact numbers that you think are realistic for your business.
An example of this might be: “By May 1, I will have an e-commerce website that will bring in $8,500 per month in sales.”
From there, you would start to break down exactly what you need to do to reach these goals. For example, you could hire a third-party company to build the website and begin marketing it to customers.
Building a Digital Strategy
In its essence, a digital strategy should answer the following questions: why (the purpose)? What (your business and goals)? Where (which platforms)? And when (your timeframe)? If you can bring an answer to all of these, you’ll put yourself in good shape to proceed.
The challenge comes when trying to plan for the long term. What comes next? With digital technology rapidly changing all around us, a digital strategy requires a certain amount of flexibility. For example, how you are posting on Instagram now may not be the same in a year or even six months.
Simply put, be open to changing with the world. Staying in the same rigid schedule or posting style could make your brand look inflexible or out of touch. As you open yourself up to the changes, you will open your business to new customers and opportunities.
How to Achieve Your Digital Strategy Goals
Having clear and measurable goals forms the foundation of a successful digital strategy. This section will outline specific steps to take to achieve some of the most common digital strategy goals. Remember, a personalized strategy may require additional tactics beyond what’s listed here.
Improving an Existing Platform
Your existing website or digital platform can be a powerful tool for achieving your online goals. However, over time, websites can become outdated, hindering user experience and failing to reflect your brand’s current identity. Here are a few ways you can breathe new life into your existing platform and maximize its effectiveness:
- Conduct a Design Audit: Take a critical look at your website’s design elements. Is it visually appealing and aligned with your current brand aesthetic? Are there outdated layouts or functionalities that detract from user experience? Consider using online design assessment tools or collaborating with a web designer for a professional evaluation.
- Focus on User Experience (UX): User experience is all about how visitors navigate and interact with your platform. Utilize website analytics tools like heatmaps to identify areas of user frustration or confusion (e.g., slow loading times, unclear navigation menus). Prioritize improvements that enhance user experience and make it easier for visitors to find the information they need.
- Content Refresh: Regularly review your website content for accuracy, relevance, and alignment with current SEO best practices. Update outdated information, remove irrelevant content, and consider creating new content that addresses your target audience’s pain points and interests.
- Optimize Images: Ensure all images on your website are high-quality, compressed for fast loading times, and have descriptive file names and alt text. This improves both user experience and search engine optimization.
- Test Functionality: Regularly test all buttons, links, and forms across different browsers and devices to ensure smooth operation. A broken link or malfunctioning form can quickly frustrate visitors.
- Accessibility Audit: Accessibility is about making your website usable for everyone, regardless of ability. There are a number of online tools that can help you assess your website’s accessibility. Taking steps to improve accessibility broadens your audience reach and demonstrates your commitment to inclusivity.
Building a New Platform
For businesses ready to establish a strong online presence or launch new digital products and services, designing and building a new platform is essential. Follow these steps to ensure your new platform serves as a powerful launchpad for your brand:
- Choose the Right Platform: Thoroughly research the various options for building a website or e-commerce store. Consider factors like cost, features, ease of use, scalability, and integration with other tools. Seek recommendations and compare platforms to find the best fit for your specific needs.
- Understand Your Target Audience: A deep understanding of your ideal customers is crucial when designing a new platform. Their needs, preferences, and online behaviors should inform every step of the design and content creation process. Consider conducting audience surveys or interviews to gather valuable insights. Think of their experience and expectations first when making decisions about the look and feel of the platform.
- Focus on Branding: Ensure your new platform visually aligns with your existing branding (logos, color palettes, fonts) and accurately reflects your brand’s unique personality. Consistency across all digital touchpoints reinforces brand recognition and trust.
- Content Planning: Develop a strategic, long-term content calendar. Create pillar content pieces that target high-value keywords, answer common customer questions, and demonstrate your expertise. Include a diverse range of content formats (blog posts, videos, infographics) to engage different segments of your audience.
- Pre-Launch Testing: Before going live, conduct thorough testing on different browsers and devices. Ensure all links, forms, and shopping cart functions (if applicable) work seamlessly. Address any issues discovered during testing to avoid frustrating your initial visitors.
Increasing Your Social Media Presence
Having a strong social media presence is essential for connecting with your target audience, building brand awareness, and driving traffic to your website. Here’s how to increase your reach and engagement across your chosen platforms:
- Strategic Platform Selection: It’s not about being everywhere, it’s about being in the right places. Research where your ideal customers spend their time online. Identify 2-3 primary platforms on which to focus your initial efforts.
- Develop a Content Strategy: Tailor your content for each platform’s strengths and audience. Create a mix of informative, engaging, and shareable posts. Use relevant hashtags to expand your reach and tap into trending conversations.
- Engage Actively: Respond to comments and questions in a timely manner, building relationships with your followers. Participate in industry-relevant conversations and foster a sense of community around your brand.
- Utilize Scheduling and Measurement Tools: Save time by scheduling posts in advance, ensuring a consistent stream of content. Use social media analytics dashboards to track key metrics (engagement, reach, website traffic) and identify areas for improvement.
Start Achieving Your Digital Strategy Goals
Whatever you may be trying to achieve with your online presence, a digital strategy can serve as your guiding principle when you navigate through the plan itself. It will help keep your priorities in line and give you a sense of direction as you navigate your digital transformation.
Vervology’s focus is to help small businesses as they craft their own digital strategies. If you’re interested in having a partner as you navigate through these tumultuous times, please feel free to schedule a consultation. We’re always eager to help.