Although most business owners would undoubtedly tell you they have a good Internet marketing strategy in place, without any hesitation, this is usually only half true. That’s because what most businesses actually have is a set of ideas or activities they want to try.

In other words, they don’t have a strategy so much as they have a to-do list.

That’s not a bad starting point, but it’s never going to help you dominate your competitors online. To really make the most of all the opportunities that exist over the Internet, you actually need to work on developing an internet marketing strategy that takes you from wherever you are now to the place you’d like to be later.

Here are a few elements that are usually required as part of that strategy:

A comprehensive audit of your existing efforts and results.

You can’t get to where you’re going until you know where you are and what you have. Too many businesses try to jump in headfirst without properly evaluating their current position. Look at who you’re targeting and why, and then evaluate how it’s going and what you could change to reach your new destination.

A philosophy that takes into account demographics and motivations.

Without a firm sense of who your buyers are and what you want to convey to them, it’s difficult to form a meaningful plan of attack. Figure out who you’re trying to reach and what you’re trying to tell them and then use your company’s personality to send your message always keeping your end goal in sight.

A day-to-day (or week-to-week) plan that is realistic and executable.

Using a calendar or spreadsheet, create a list of how you’re going to reach your buyers. Is it through Social Media? Who will be in charge of that element? Will you be making blog posts? Who will develop the content? Your “calendar checklist” should only come into play once you have the other elements in place. Even then, it’s important to know who is responsible for which parts of the plan, and when they’re going to happen.

A set of measurable yardsticks that you can use to guide your plan along the way.

Do you have a plan in place to track your efforts? Your strategy is a playbook that can be amended once you’ve seen how the market responds. To determine when it’s time to make a move, you have to have measurable goals and milestones in place.

Shampoo. Rinse and repeat.

Analyze past accomplishments and otherwise, set new or modified goals based on that analysis and do so on a monthly basis to stay on top of your game.

Need help developing your Internet marketing strategy? Use the link below to fill out our questionnaire and we’ll:

  • Research your most profitable keywords
  • See what your competitors are doing and analyze their SEO strategies
  • Look at consumer behavior
  • Get in touch with how we can help