It is no secret that digital marketing and social media have changed the way we do business today. Marketers are realizing the importance of being present on multiple channels and using content to gain traction and make an impact. As a result, more and more brands are investing in online marketing and social media strategies.

What is surprising is that many businesses still consider the success of their online marketing to be out of their control. Truth to be said, much like any other aspect of marketing, the speed at which you can grow your online marketing efforts is unpredictable. The following steps will show you how to grow your online marketing and arm your team with the resources they need to be successful.

Set A Goal

The very first step to effective online marketing is to set a goal. Before you can grow your team or your strategy, you need to know exactly where you are heading. There are a few key metrics you can use to track the success of your online marketing strategy – hits, traffic, conversions, and ROI (return on investment). Setting a goal for your online marketing is very similar to setting a goal for any other aspect of your business. For example, if you are looking to increase your web traffic by 2020, then you can use the following metrics to track your progress:

• hits
• unique visitors
• time on site
• conversions
• ROI (return on investment)

You can use these metrics to benchmark your progress and determine whether or not you are reaching your target audience. If you are still deciding which ones to use, then perhaps begin with the simplest and most straightforward – hits. As a beginner, you may not have the luxury of choosing which metrics to use, so begin with the basics then build from there.

Set Up Regular Meets With Key Players

One of the most important things you can do to effectively grow your online marketing efforts is to establish regular meetings with key players. These players could include members of your marketing team, your in-house creative agency, your web developer, and even external agencies that specialize in digital marketing. In addition to these players, you could also consider inviting some of the top thought leaders in your industry to give keynotes or seminars at your company’s conference tables (e.g. marketing meetup groups).

Establishing and maintaining regular meetings with key players is critical in order to keep everyone on the same page and ensure that everyone’s objectives and strategies are aligned. Ideally, you should meet at least once every fortnight.

Determine The Best Channel(s) To Use

The next step is to determine the best channel(s) to use to grow your audience. This is not as simple as it sounds. Deciding which channels to use depends on your marketing goals and the structure of your company. If you are looking to grow your web traffic, then you should begin with SEO (search engine optimization) and content marketing. If your goal is to increase your social media engagement, then you could try out content creation, Instagram stories, or even Facebook Live.

If you have a physical retail store, then you might want to consider using online marketplaces like Shopify to increase traffic to your store. There are many different channels and tools available to marketers, which means you can find the perfect one for your needs. Remember: no matter what channel you use to reach your audience, the goal is to grow your audience.

Plan Your Content Marketing Strategy

After you have determined the best channel(s) to use to grow your audience, the next step is to plan your content marketing strategy. This is where you put all the pieces of the puzzle together – the metrics you collect along with the goals you set for your digital marketing program. A good rule of thumb is to create content that is relevant, interesting, and unique. You should also make sure that your content is always accessible. If you want to create memorable brand experiences for your audience, then you need to make sure that they can find your content when they need it. When planning your content strategy, you must also consider the lifespan of that content. What will you be doing five years from now? The last thing you want to do is create content that no one looks at anymore. Creating content that will still be relevant in five years is the perfect way to ensure that your investment in content marketing will not be wasted.

Grow Your Audience On Multiple Channels

The last step in growing your online marketing is to grow your audience on multiple channels. The key to successfully doing this is to make your content relevant to as many people as possible. If you want to increase your presence on a particular platform, then you should consider creating content for three reasons:

• to grow your audience
• to gain in-demand skills
• to create an influencer

If you want to grow your audience on social media, then you should examine the structure of your competitor’s audiences on different platforms. By understanding how your competitors are achieving success, you can determine the best way to grow your own audience. If you want to create an Influencer, then you should seek out a relevant and popular niche, and use platforms like YouTube to build a following. When creating content for these purposes, you should make sure that your team is always keeping an eye on the business goals and objectives. The success of your content strategy depends on your ability to keep the long-term vision in mind while working on the short-term goals.

Monitor, Measure, and Maintain

The last step in growing your online marketing is to monitor, measure, and maintain your progress. Just like with any other aspect of marketing, your digital marketing efforts will not go unnoticed. You should be measuring the effectiveness of your marketing strategy every step of the way with clear goals in mind. The following metrics can help you determine the effectiveness of your digital marketing activity –

• hits
• unique visitors
• time on site
• conversions
• ROI (return on investment)

These metrics should be used to measure the success of your digital marketing activity and determine whether or not you are reaching your target audience. If you are still deciding which ones to use, then perhaps begin with the simplest and most straightforward – hits. As a beginner, you may not have the luxury of choosing which metrics to use, so begin with the basics then build from there.

As you gain experience and more data, you can begin to determine which metrics to use and create dashboards to track your progress. Maintaining a healthy social media following is necessary for brand awareness and credibility. If you want to grow your business, then you must be present on social media.