top of page

Subscribe to get exclusive updates

Thanks for subscribing!

Developing a Digital Marketing Strategy: A Comprehensive Guide for Business to Business Markets

Kristin Gongora

In this article, we'll explore how to develop a digital marketing strategy that helps businesses achieve their B2B goals in the digital landscape.


Introduction


In today's digital age, businesses need to have a strong online presence to stay competitive. But simply having a website or social media accounts is not enough. To truly succeed in the digital world, businesses need to have a well-thought-out digital strategy that aligns with their overall business objectives.


Developing a digital marketing strategy can seem overwhelming at first, but it doesn't have to be. In this article we'll break down the process of developing a digital strategy into manageable steps. By following these steps, businesses can create a digital marketing strategy that helps them archive their goals and stay ahead of the competition.


What is a Digital Marketing Strategy?


A digital marketing strategy is a plan of action that outlines how a business will use digital technologies, channels, and platforms to achieve its goals. A digital marketing strategy should be aligned with the overall business strategy and should include measurable objectives, tactics and metrics for success.


Developing a digital marketing strategy involves analyzing the business's current digital landscape, identifying areas for improvement, setting goals and creating a roadmap for achieving those goals.


Why is a Digital Marketing Strategy Important?


Developing a digital marketing strategy is important for businesses for several reasons:

  1. Helps businesses stay competitive: In today's digital world, businesses that don't have a strong online presence risk falling behind their competitors.

  2. Increases brand awareness: A well-executed digital marketing strategy can help businesses increase their brand awareness and reach new audiences.

  3. Improves customer engagement: A digital marketing strategy can help businesses engage with their customers in new and meaningful ways.

  4. Drives revenue growth: By using digital channels to reach new customers and retain existing ones, businesses can drive revenue growth.

Developing a Digital Marketing Strategy: Step-by-Step Guide


Developing a digital marketing strategy can seem daunting, but by following these steps, businesses can create a comprehensive and effective plan.


Step 1: Define your Business Objectives


The first step in developing a digital marketing strategy is to define your business objectives. These objectives should be well aligned with your overall business strategy and should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART).


Some common objectives that can be achieved through a digital marketing strategy include:

  • Increase revenue

  • Increase brand awareness

  • Improve customer engagement

  • Expand into new markets

  • Improve operational efficiency

Step 2: Conduct a Digital Audit


Once you've defined your business objectives, the next step is to conduct a digital audit. A digital audit involves analyzing your current digital landscape, including your website, social media accounts, e-commerce, customer relationship management (CRM) and other digital channels and infrastructure.


During the digital audit, you should ask yourself the following questions:


  • What digital channels do we currently use?

  • How effective are these channels at reaching our target audience?

  • What are our competitors doing in the digital space?

  • What are the strengths and weaknesses of our current digital strategy?

Step 3: Identify Your Target Audience


The next step is to identify your target audience. Your target audience is the group of people who are most likely to buy or influence the purchase of your product or services. To identify your target audience, you should consider such factors as:

  • Geographic Location

  • Target Market

  • Sales Channels

  • Procurement Methods

  • Industry

By identifying your target audience, you can tailor your digital marketing strategy to reach this group of people more effectively.


Step 4: Define your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)


Key Performance Indicators, or KPIs, are measurable metrics that can help you track progress towards your business objectives. When developing a digital marketing strategy, it's important to identify your KPIs so you can track the effectiveness of your digital tactics.


To define your KPIs, start by looking at your business objectives. What specific outcomes do you want to achieve? Then, determine the metrics that will help you track progress toward those outcomes, including a mix of both leading and lagging indicators where possible.

Some common digital KPIs include:

  • Website traffic

  • Conversion rate

  • Click-through rate (CTR)

  • Cost-per-click (CPC)

  • Cost-per-acquisition (CPA)

  • Social media engagement

When defining your KPIs, it's important to make them specific, measurable and relevant to your business objectives. You should also ensure that you have the tools and systems in place to track your KPIs effectively.


Once you've identified your KPIs and begin tracking, you can use the results to make data-driven decisions about your digital marketing strategy.


Step 5: Determine your Digital Tactics


Once you've defined your business objectives, conducted a digital audit, identified your target audience and defined KPIs, the next step is to determine digital tactics. Digital tactics are the specific actions you will take to achieve your objectives.


Some common digital tactics include:

  • Search engine optimization (SEO)

  • Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising

  • Social media marketing

  • Content marketing

  • Email marketing

  • Mobile marketing

  • E-commerce

When determining your digital tactics, it's important to consider your target audience and the channels they are most likely to use. You should also consider your budget and resources when choosing which tactics to prioritize.


Step 6: Create a Content Strategy


Content is a crucial part of any digital marketing strategy. A content strategy involves creating and publishing high-quality content that is tailored to your target audience and aligned with your business objectives.


When creating a content strategy, you should consider the following:

  • What types of content will resonate with your target audience?

  • What topics are relevant to your business and your audience?

  • What channels will you use to distribute your content?

  • How will you measure the success of your content?

Step 7: Consider Digital Infrastructure and Integration of Systems


When developing a digital marketing strategy, it's important to consider the digital infrastructure that supports your digital activities. This includes tools and systems such as your website, content management system (CMS), customer relationship management (CRM) software, and product information management (PIM) system.


A PIM system is particularly important for businesses that sell products online. A PIM system allows your to manage product information and ensure that it's accurate and up-to-date across all of your sales channels. This is essential to delivering a consistent and seamless customer experience across all touchpoints.


Another important consideration is the integration of systems using APIs or middleware. APIs (application programming interfaces) allow different software systems to communicate with each other and share data, while middleware is software that sits between different systems and facilitates communication between them.


Integration of systems can help you streamline your digital activities, reduce manual data entry and improve the accuracy and consistency of your data. For example, if you integrate your CMS with your CRM software, you can automatically capture leads from your website and add them to your CRM system, making it easier to track and follow up with potential customers.


When considering digital infrastructure and system integration, it's important to ensure that you have the right tools and systems in place, and that they are properly configured and integrated. You may need to work with a digital agency or technology partner to help you set up and configure these systems.


Step 8: Develop a Budget and Resource Plan


Developing a digital marketing strategy requires resources, including time and money. It's important to develop a budget and resource plan to ensure that you have the resources you need to execute your digital marketing strategy effectively.


When developing a budget and resource plan, you should consider the following:

  • What is your overall budget for digital marketing?

  • How much will you allocate to each digital tactic?

  • What resources will you need to execute your digital strategy (e.g. staff, tools, software)?

Step 9: Implement and Monitor Your Digital Marketing Strategy


Once you've developed your digital marketing strategy, the next step is to implement it. This involves executing your tactics, creating and distributing content, and monitoring your KPIs to ensure that you are making progress towards your business objectives.


Monitoring your digital marketing strategy involves tracking your KPIs, analyzing your results and making adjustments as needed. It's important to have a system in place for monitoring and reporting on your digital marketing strategy's performance.


FAQs


Q: How long does it take to develop a digital marketing strategy?

A: The time it takes to develop a digital marketing strategy varies depending on the complexity of the business and the scope of the strategy. Some businesses may be able to develop a digital marketing strategy in a few weeks, while others can take several months.


Q: Do I need a digital marketing strategy if I already have a website and social media accounts?

A: Yes, having a website and social media accounts is a good start, but to truly succeed in the digital world, you need a comprehensive digital marketing strategy that aligns with your business objectives.


Q: Can I develop a digital strategy on my own or do I need to hire a digital marketing agency?

A: It's possible to develop a digital marketing strategy on your own, but it can be helpful to work with a digital marketing agency or consultant who has experience in developing digital strategies for businesses like yours.


Conclusion


Developing a digital marketing strategy is essential for businesses that want to succeed in today's digital world. By following the steps outlined in this article, businesses can create a comprehensive and effective digital marketing strategy that aligns with their overall business objectives. Remember to define your business objectives, conduct a digital audit, identify your target audience, define your KPIs, determine your digital tactics, asses your digital infrastructure, create a content strategy, develop a budget and resource plan, and implement and monitor your digital marketing strategy. With a well-thought-out digital marketing strategy in place, businesses can increase brand awareness, improve customer engagement and drive revenue growth.


Ready to Get Started?


Ready to get your digital marketing journey started? Contact Insight2Innovate today to begin mapping out your path to digital marketing strategy success.




2 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page