Digital Marketing Today: From Chaos to Strategy

Digital marketing is evolving at an unprecedented pace, opening up new opportunities for businesses — from social media and email campaigns to in-depth consumer behavior analytics.

Feeling like it's time to bring order to your digital efforts? Every successful campaign begins with a clear strategy. Yet surprisingly, 49% of companies still operate without a defined digital marketing strategy. And that means: no direction — no results. Teams lose focus, tasks become vague, and goals remain unmet.

Don't become part of that statistic. Whether you're building your strategy for the first time or refining it for the hundredth — we’re here to help lay a solid foundation for your marketing initiatives.

What Is a Digital Marketing Strategy?

It’s a structured action plan aimed at achieving specific goals through online channels. A strategy answers the key questions:

• What are our goals and objectives?

• Who is our target audience?

• What metrics will we use to measure success?

• What is our timeline for achieving results?

A well-thought-out strategy helps define the platforms, tools, and resources needed to make your campaign work.

The Basics of Digital Marketing: Three Core Channels

Before building a strategy, you need to understand what digital marketing consists of. It's generally broken down into three types of media:

1. Earned Media — what you get for free: media coverage, reposts, reviews.

2. Owned Media — what you control: website, blog, social media profiles.

3. Paid Media — what you pay for: ads, targeted promotions, sponsored content.

   The Digital Marketing Mix

   Here are the 8 key components that shape a strong marketing ecosystem:

   1. SEO & SEM — search engine optimization and marketing.

   2. Content Marketing — creating value: blogs, videos, e-books.

   3. Social Media — promotion on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.

   4. Email Marketing — a quick, cost-effective way to work with your client base.

   5. Online Advertising — targeted ads and banner campaigns.

   6. Website & UX Design — your brand’s digital face.

   7. Analytics — data collection for evaluation and improvement.

   8. Mobile Marketing — making sure everything works on smartphones.

      A 12-Day Strategy Plan: Step by Step

      Days 1–7: Laying the Groundwork

      1. Goals, Audience, PositioningDefine what you're trying to achieve. For example:

      • Goal: increase lead generation by 20%.

      • Audience: IT managers in North America.

      • Positioning: competitive edge through innovation and service quality.

      2. Budgeting and KPIsSet your budget and define your key performance indicators (KPIs). Ask yourself:

      • What metrics are we tracking?

      • What ROI are we aiming for?

      3. Resources and ContractorsMap out which tasks your team will handle in-house and which will be outsourced. This ensures clarity and optimal use of resources.

      4. Market and Competitor AnalysisGather as much data as possible. Use tools like SEMrush and Moat to analyze competitors and search traffic.

      5. Customer Journey MappingSimulate your customer’s path from first contact to conversion. This will help identify bottlenecks and growth opportunities.

      6. Channel and Tool SelectionChoose which channels and formats to use: SEO, email, social media, ads, etc. Define content frequency and create a content calendar.

      Days 8–11: Execution

      7. Request Proposals and Finalize BudgetsCollect quotes from contractors, approve budgets, and create your media plan.

      8. Project Planning and ManagementUse project management tools like Asana to:

      • Assign tasks and responsibilities.

      • Set deadlines.

      • Track progress in real time.

      9. Agency and Team CoordinationSynchronize your internal processes with external partners. Implement request forms, briefing templates, and use tools like Adobe Creative Cloud for asset sharing and feedback.

      Day 12 and Beyond: Control and Optimization

      10. Monitoring and AdjustmentsTrack task execution, adapt priorities and deadlines, and remove blockers as needed.

      11. Measuring EffectivenessAnalyze data regularly. Set up real-time analytics dashboards to make fast decisions and avoid wasting your budget.