To strategize or not to strategize.
When you need a digital strategy—and how to design it.
We get it. Business is busy enough as is. Between SWOT analysis, marketing campaigns and financial reports, do you really need to add another to-do to your list? We’re here to set the record straight—and simplify that list.
Long story short: If your clients or customers are online, you need a digital strategy—but it doesn’t need to be complicated. In fact, we’re big fans of keeping things simple. Like simpler than deciding whether or not to eat that donut. (Spoiler alert: The answer’s always yes.)
First things first, the funnel
Here’s the thing: Whether you know it or not, you’ve got a marketing funnel—and it’s better for your bottom line if you get friendly with that funnel and design it to capture and convert leads.
Hold the phone—what’s a marketing funnel?
It’s your customer’s journey from where they are now to purchasing your product or service. Your job is to meet your customer where she’s at with ads that speak to her level of awareness.
The Levels of Awareness
Unaware
Realistically, we know a user may not be aware of our brand, and that’s why we’re advertising, right? The thing is: She may not be aware she has a problem. So, ads introduce her to your brand and the reason she needs your brand.
Problem-Aware
Other times, when a user hits the Internet, she’s aware of her problem and searching for a solution. She’s introduced to different brands and weighs what they have to offer her.
Solution-Aware
After she’s done her research, our user is not only aware of and interested in our brand, she wants it. She’s decided it’s the right solution for her and she’s ready to buy.
Most Aware
When our user is most aware, she’s handing over her sweet, sweet cash for our solution.
Your online cocktail
Like a copper-clad Moscow Mule mixes ginger beer, vodka and a splash of lime to perfection, your digital strategy is a mixture of advertising ingredients—except you get to play bartender and mix only the ingredients your business needs. Don’t know what it needs? Here’s the Cliff’s Notes version:
Digital Strategy Ingredients
Social Ads
Social ads include everything from the promoted post that appears in your Instagram feed to the sidebar ads you see on Facebook. Thanks to their powerful targeting features, social ads are best for introducing your brand to an unaware audience.
Display Ads
Display ads are the banners you see when you’re surfing the Internet—they’re powerful for building brand awareness and retargeting users who are already familiar with said brand.
Search Ads
Search ads are the listings you see at the top of a Google search, almost passing as organic results. When your users are ready to buy, search ads are your go-to because they speak to high-intent users, ready to buy a product, service or even a specific brand.
At the end of the day, your digital strategy depends on who you’re targeting—new leads, familiar faces or old friends. All these users are moving through your funnel, so design that funnel to speak directly to them. Because like your business, each of your users is a special snowflake best handled with care.
