Effective digital marketing is a combination of online tactics that drives potential customers to a business. For most businesses, a successful marketing plan includes a website, social media, search engine optimization, content marketing, and e-mail. It should also involve nearly every person on staff.
The whole effort can be overwhelming—and overwhelmingly technological. That’s why we’ve broken down modern digital marketing into a complete checklist for business owners and managers. This digital marketing checklist can be divided up among appropriate staff members, or used to determine what tasks should outsourced to a marketing firm.
Website
___ Build site with optimized structure (i.e. schema markups, site maps, etc.) and HTTPS (for security and higher search engine ranking)
___ Organize content into easy-to-navigate pages (including About Us and Contact page)
___ Design website with uniform branding and content tone
___ Make website mobile-friendly for smartphone use (this is not optional)
___ Optimize website content (written) for search engines and voice search
___ Produce and locate optimized images and video
___ Build site with fast-loading speed (A one-second delay while loading a mobile website can decrease conversions by up to 20%. – Google)
Content Marketing
___ Add blog to website
___ Create content production calendar (with deadlines, topics and questions that follow sales cycle, responsible parties, etc.)
___ Add optimized posts with quality images, content, and video
___ Evaluate and adjust future calendars accordingly
Local Search Engine Optimization
___ Claim Google My Business listing
___ Update listings in local online directories
___ Develop a multi-channel strategy for eliciting positive reviews on review sites (i.e. Yelp, Manta, Better Business Bureau)
- Ask for a review from satisfied customers with a follow-up e-mail
- Have the salesperson at final meeting
- Put a sign by the register asking for reviews
- Include a flyer in product packaging with a request for a review
- Ask for review when corresponding with customer in social media messages
- Include a request for reviews in e-mail newsletters and with receipts
Social Media
___ Select social media site(s) where target audience is active
___ Develop plan for social media marketing (with deadlines, topics that follow sales cycle, posts, etc.)
___ Collect images and information for social media (outsource the task if needed)
___ Evaluate social media efforts periodically and adjust plan accordingly
___ Designate a staff member to monitor and promptly respond to comments and messages
Email Marketing
___ Develop multi-channel approach for asking for e-mail addresses
- Add e-mail opt-in page to website
- Ask for customer e-mail address at register
- Post website page with e-mail request on social media
- Have sales team ask for e-mail addresses at meetings
- Include request for e-mail address in follow-up e-mails
- Add postcard with ask for e-mail address in product shipments
___ Set regular schedule of e-mails (with deadlines and topics that follow sales and event calendar)
___ Produce regular e-mails in e-mail marketing programs (i.e. Constant Contact, Mail Chimp, etc.)
___ Regularly evaluate open rates and other data from e-mails to set future topics and schedule
