Most of you have probably heard about online marketing or web strategy. If you haven’t, don’t fret, we all start somewhere and I will try and outline it as simply as possible, here.
For the purpose of today’s exercise, we will call it web strategy.
As you read on, you will see the path I use to create content and develop a web strategy. This includes all the necessary elements needed to grow your business.
You’ve probably noticed that the web is full of sites, each containing hundreds or even thousand of pages. That is often the case for big ecommerce sites holding several thousands pages.
So is it fair and acceptable to ask:
What is web marketing strategy?
A web strategy is a continuity of your marketing plan. It will contain goals, processes, primary channels, timings and directions. Web design strategies are also useful to generate and display clean offers. Then the content you create will help you shape your online presence by guiding and/or outline the path you want the visitors to take.
Challenges and opportunities should also be identified at stages. So you’ll know how, when and where to find and use your resources.
When building a web strategy it’s essential to keep updating your content strategy document. Your main role is to answer the user’s emotional needs and wants.
Too often, I see people start a website strategy without thinking about the end user’ emotional needs.
To avoid this ask yourself how to keep delivering a great user/customer experience. As not all have the same demands or requirements.
Sadly, we also see many giving it a wild guess in the hope that people will come and buy from them. This is disappointing to see.
It is really important to understand the effort and commitment that is needed.
How to create a web marketing strategy?
As mentioned above you have to document your web Content Strategy following a checklist , as this allows you to see and lay down the moving parts of your site’ content.
All stays in one place, but never static. It will then become much easier to understand and figure out how to get there to achieve (initial pre-crafted) your goals.
This process, of course, also helps structure the content (via an effective road map) needed to reach a desired audience. It also prepares you for a much greater chance of success and return on investment ( ROI).
It is wise to keep in mind that many aspects of the web strategy can be broken down into categories. You don’t have to do it on your own and/or shouldn’t have to handle everything in one go to be more effective.
High-level phases to guide you in your content strategy:
Step 1) Research your industry and study your market
Step 2) Build, revise or update site and landing pages
Step 3) Talk and build relationships with users/customers
Step 4) Observe, check (analytics -which data to track) and listen (social media #hashtags) to your visitors/users
Step 5) Revise and refine what you have learned.
Further actions will be needed if you want to grow faster
For this to happen (depending on web strategy budget) it can be carried out as follows:
Distribute relevant content in the right ponds > Engage with your community (right individuals) > Be innovative and move faster than your competition > Invest in your team (i.e; VA, content writer…) >Keep learning and repeat.
Note: I’d recommend investing in yourself and your team, as it is well worth preparing for the future digital challenges.
In other words, hire a virtual assistant (VA) to tackle your content marketing, SEO, social media, or paid advertising. It is going to work if embedded and/or fitted together in the right place.
It can be quite confusing but does it have to be that way? I don’t think it should.
Always put yourself into the visitor/users shoes, asking multiple questions while keeping it simple, otherwise it can quickly become overwhelming and/or an horrible experience.
Why is web marketing necessary?
To build a winning web strategy you’ll need to consider multiple content aspects as described above (elements, external factors) including your customer’s journey.
A strategist must understand but also remember that a website content strategy is made up of multiple moving blocks, which must answer the questions that a particular audience or user group may be asking while browsing your site.
Keep reading as the following will help you develop and align your overall web positioning.
A web strategy plan is the continuous improvement (internal and external) process of your business. Businesses will need to cover all aspects – from vision, goals, a well researched industry, market trends, but also be able to identify and describe their audience inside out. At a later stage, they have to work on the user experience/ journey while building and feeding the main channels to attract them.
A detailed web marketing strategy is vital to succeed today. You need to be testing, in order to know what type of content is working for you. The web is full of blah, blah, blah, or in other words… poor quality written content.
If your online marketing approach consists of a website development strategy, a blog, few social media accounts with a fancy search engine optimisation (SEO) budget, then you are not taking your users/consumers very seriously. Surely that will quickly become a serious problem?
How to start a web strategy
The first and most important part within your online strategy is: to understand what you are trying to achieve.
Here you’ll describe your vision, business goals and brand/blog messaging etc.
Hint: Build and execute your web marketing strategy fully, as part of your overall business marketing plan.
Strategic phases to consider in your web strategy:
- Research market audience
- Set-up a business vision
- Consult your content plan
- Which social media /Pr campaigns to try
- How, when and where to communicate with customers
- Find/recruit/hire a copywriting team
- Identify services and products should you sell (niche market…)
- How to create a multi-channel strategy
- Which platforms web responsive, Web 3.0
- Study topic keywords for better page optimisation
- Web content planning (Copywriting, content, onpage SEO…)
- Controlling resources – People and technology
and much, much more is needed as you continue.
“Fail to plan and you’re planning to fail”
If you’re running a business feel free to download our digital strategy and assess your business/organisation to see your missing blocks/ elements. A strategic positioning will help you align your business aspirations, goals and short-medium terms objectives.
We offer a well crafted road map that is vital for any “integrated online marketing strategy program” to succeed.
We will work it from the ground up so you will get to see a comprehensive (step-by-step) and effective web strategy planning.
Here is a simple framework example.
Start building your web content planning
Use this web strategy framework:
- Use and/or redefine your business vision
- Create attainable short and medium term goals
- Share those goals and objectives with your team
- Define the content road map with clear phases
- Create your content marketing plan
- Understand & select best digital channels
- Distribute, engage and communicate daily
- Setup and control metrics ( KPI’s)
- Web content matrix to identify new business opportunities
Build a Comms Worksheet – here is an example
[ Content/Communications Plan Matrix image ]
The above digital communication matrix example shows all the phases to include from your web strategy.
These are actions following your initial goals as well as actual status with latest steps discovery comments.
Conclusion
Our web strategy framework process will help set the tone whilst giving you a sort of content menu of what a web strategy looks like.
Ideally, you’ve got your web strategy draft under way, making it easy to guide you through the initial important phases. The content strategy process will serve you well to help your website strategy planning and/or site’s future updates. The social media channels have been identified, the customer journey mapping tells you the path they are taking so you can deliver your best content to improve the user experience.
Follow the above, know your role within the team and improve as you go along.
Remember you can and should delegate parts that you don’t understand.
We are here if you need any help – just drop an email or call 01252 679885 today and we’ll reply within one to two hours.
Page updated: 29.05.20