In the latest blog in our informative series ‘A beginner’s guide to the web’, find out how getting started can be as easy as one, two, three.
1 – Set clear goals
Like any project or task, having clear goals and expectations from the outset is key to online success. It’s especially important where internet marketing is concerned, as without direction it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the huge range of options available. Firstly, consider your ultimate goal and work down from there, breaking up your key objective into manageable chunks. It’s advisable to start with the first step, working towards the ultimate goal – as working backwards can confuse things and result in missed steps. Working upwards also allows you to adapt and change your strategy if needed. If you are a start-up and need your site to start ranking for key products or services quickly, then your priority is your website, and driving traffic to it. If you’re an established business needing to build on an existing web presence, the first step is to consult with experts to analyse what you’re doing now, and see how that can be successfully adapted. Maybe your website is in hand – so now your first step is a strong social media campaign. Your goals (and the action you need to take) will be unique and individual to your business, so it’s important to think about them carefully.
2 – Build and market your online presence
Once you have solid goals in place, you can make a start on building your online success. The very first step here (no matter what your projected plan looks like) is creating a website – or ensuring your existing one is up to scratch. This needs to be a responsive website that suits your needs, the needs of your users. Crucially, it needs to be Google-friendly. When liaising with your web development team, be honest about how you see your online marketing plan progressing. For example, you may choose to take care of maintenance yourself – so you’ll need an easy to use interface you can easily update. Alternatively you could have a complex web marketing strategy ahead – so the site needs advanced functionality and the flexibility to adapt continuously. You’ll also need to provide plenty of information about your target market and current customers, so that they can get a feel for how your potential clients need to be communicated with. Once your website is ready to go, so is your online marketing strategy.
3 – Analyse and adapt
As you move through your goals and implement the strategy you have created it’s important to continuously monitor your progress, analysing and adapting as needed. It’s natural for things to change in your business – and for the online landscape to alter. New technologies, trends and tools can all change your perspective and direction. Feedback from your website analytics (such as bounce rates, visitor numbers and traffic sources) is invaluable – this shows you what parts of the plan you’re getting right, and which you may need to look at again. The results of your campaign may surprise you, so be sure to keep on top of any data you receive from your website and social media channels, and adjust accordingly.
Struggling to get your head around the intricacies of internet marketing? Want to learn more and implement a successful strategy for your business online success? Speak to us today.
