Why digital strategy?

Mar 16

Written By Martha Barnard-Rae

Getting from average to awesome doesn’t happen by accident. It takes a plan.

A mud map. A strategy.

And with so much digital noise out there, ‘spray and pray’ marketing is becoming less and less effective.

If you’re still not convinced, here are 3 of the benefits of having a smart digital strategy.

Navigating digital platforms

When it comes to digital marketing, hatching your plan can be confusing and overwhelming. There are simply so many things. Where do you start? Insta stories? Facebook ads? A blog? A newsletter? What about a good ol’ fashioned website? And, is Pinterest still a thing? (Sure is.)

Yikes.

Sounds scary, but a strategy is your secret weapon in the quest to get the best from digital platforms.

The first thing that you need to let go of is the idea that “if you build it, they will come”. We’ve all been there: we press publish on our shiny new website and wait for the enquires to roll in.

But what tends to happen?

Crickets.

The only way people will know about you is if you tell them, folks. And the best way to do that is with a clear, structured digital strategy that takes your goals, superpowers and limitations into consideration.

Make your digital strategy work for you

This plan is going to work hard for you, my friend. With a clear strategy in hand you will:

Boost your brand - by ensuring all digital platforms work in harmony. This starts with your website. If you haven’t already, get in touch with a designer who can help you isolate a few great colours and fonts that you’re happy to look at all day long. Phoebe at Shelter and Gather did ours and we luurrrrrrve it. Then use that same look across all platforms.

Same goes for your brand voice. A copywriter can help you identify the tone of voice that goes with your business. If you’re going for playful, knowledgeable and switched-on, (like us) be sure to keep the tone consistent.

Be more meaningful - by targeting your efforts so you reach the right people at the right time. All our fave social media platforms come with lots of analytics, which can help you work out what’s working and what’s not. Find out when your people are online and serve your message to them at the right time, not when they’re making kids’ dinners or sawing logs.

This is doubly important when you’re paying cold, hard cash for ads or sponsored posts. These need to be in front of the right eyes at the right time. A digital strategist will be able to help you figure out when your golden hours are, so you’re not wasting your hard-earned money.

Save time - by planning and scheduling things like newsletters and social posts in advance. This is key. The information you get from analytics, paired with some rad scheduling tools, can make getting your message out there at the right time much easier.

Get smart - by creating hero pieces of content that you can slice and dice across different digital platforms. The lifespan of a piece of content varies from platform to platform. On Instagram, for example, your content is buried in an average of 4 hours. Your blog, on the other hand, can be re-shared and re-purposed so that it works hard across digital platforms, giving it a longer lifespan.

Get started today

The first step is easy. Say it with me: I WANT A DIGITAL STRATEGY. There are stacks of resources on the Internet and many marketers promise done-for-you content and marketing plans. The thing is, you need something personalised. Something that screams [insert your brand here].

And honestly? The best way to do that is to speak to a professional. Any strategist worth her salt will want to have a big long chinwag about your brand, your values and your goals. They’ll want to know weird things too, like whether you ever had a successful lemonade stand when you were a kid. Once they have a firm understanding of what you’re looking to do, a digital strategist will be able to tell you which channels to focus on, and which to ignore for the moment.

‘Cause look: No small business is going to be able to show up consistently on all channels. Your strategy will make life easier because it will allow you to focus on the digital offerings that are going to be most profitable. With a clear strategy in place, you switch from being reactive to proactive. And you’ll go from average to awesome in no time. That’s if you weren’t awesome already.

Over to you…

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Martha Barnard-Rae is a Denmark WA-based SEO copywriter. She supports businesses in Denmark, Albany, the Great Southern and beyond with all the wordy things they need to stand out in the best possible way.

Her words live on the websites, blogs, videos, emails, and socials of businesses all over Australia. An accomplished speaker, Martha helps brands, business owners, schools, and Government Departments understand what they need to do to find their voices.

Martha holds an Honours Degree in English and a Master’s Degree in Education — communication truly lights her up. When she’s not crafting delicious words, you’ll find her walking two giant pooches, practicing her ukulele, or wrapped around a cup of tea, planning out her next Instagram reel.

To stay up to date, join the Word Candy crew on Instagram, or connect with Martha on LinkedIn.

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Martha Barnard-Rae