Creating a digital marketing strategy

• Share on Facebook
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on Bluesky
• Share on Threads
• Email this Page

Running a business today without a digital marketing strategy is a bit like trying to drive to a new location without a map — you might get there eventually, but it’ll take a lot longer, cost you more, and involve way too many wrong turns.

The good news? You don’t need to be a tech genius to create a simple, effective digital marketing strategy for your business. Let’s break it down into clear, easy-to-understand steps.

What is a Digital Marketing Strategy?

At its core, a digital marketing strategy is simply a plan that outlines how your business will get noticed online — and how you’ll turn that attention into sales.

It answers questions like:

• Who are you trying to reach?
• Where do they spend time online?
• What do you want them to do once they find you?

Think of it like a recipe. You need the right ingredients, a clear method, and the right tools to cook up results.

Why Your Business Needs a Digital Marketing Strategy

Whether you’re a local tradie, café owner, or run an online store, your customers are spending hours every day on their phones, tablets, and computers. If they can’t find you there — or if they find your competitors first — that’s money you’re leaving on the table.

A proper strategy helps you:

• Attract the right customers (not just anyone)
• Spend your marketing budget wisely
• Know what’s working (and what’s not)

Step 1: Know Your Audience

You don’t need to market to everyone. Focus on the people most likely to want your products or services.

Ask yourself:

• Are they local, or could they be anywhere in Australia?
• Are they younger, older, or somewhere in between?
• What problems do they need solved — and how do you solve them?

Knowing your audience makes everything easier, from deciding where to advertise to what kind of content to create.

Example: If you sell beauty products to 18-25-year-olds, TikTok and Instagram might be your best bets. If you run a legal practice targeting retirees, Facebook and Google are probably more useful.

Step 2: Scope Out Your Competition

Before you dive into marketing, it’s smart to see what your competitors are doing online. This gives you valuable clues about:

• What platforms they use (Facebook, Google, Instagram, etc.)
• What kind of content they’re posting
• What promotions they’re running
• What’s working well for them (and what’s not)

This doesn’t mean copying them — but it does help you see where opportunities exist for your business to stand out.

Step 3: Choose Your Channels (You Don’t Need Them All)

There are a lot of ways to promote your business online, but you don’t need to use all of them. Start with the channels that make the most sense for your audience and business type.

Some popular options include:

• Your website – Your digital home base.
• Search engine optimisation (SEO) – Helping your site rank on Google.
• Pay per click ads (PPC) – Google Ads or Facebook Ads to reach customers quickly.
• Social media marketing – Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, etc.
• Email marketing – Newsletters, updates, special offers.
• Content marketing – Blogs, videos, and helpful guides.
• Video marketing – Short videos on social platforms or YouTube.
• Affiliate marketing – Partnering with others to promote your business.
• Mobile marketing – SMS campaigns or messaging apps.

You can start small and grow from there. Focus on 1-2 platforms where your audience already hangs out and do those well.

Step 4: Set Clear Goals (That Actually Matter)

Without goals, your marketing is just guessing.

Some common digital marketing goals include:

• Getting more leads – People calling, emailing, or filling out your contact form.
• Increasing sales – More purchases, bookings, or appointments.
• Boosting website traffic – Getting more potential customers to visit your site.
• Building an email list – More subscribers to your newsletter.
• Growing social followers – But only if those followers could become customers.

Your goals should match your business needs — and they don’t all have to be about sales. Building awareness, getting newsletter signups, or growing a review profile can all be valuable.

Step 5: Create a Simple Marketing Calendar

One often-overlooked step is planning your content and promotions around key dates. Every business has seasonal trends, industry events, or customer habits that matter.

Examples:

• A water park might ramp up marketing before summer holidays.
• A sports memorabilia store might focus promotions around big game days.
• A florist might focus heavily on Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.

Planning ahead keeps your marketing consistent — and lets you prepare content and offers in advance.

Step 6: Create Helpful Content

Content doesn’t have to be perfect or expensive. It just needs to be helpful, interesting, or entertaining to your audience.

Some easy content ideas:

• Before & after photos of your work.
• Customer reviews or testimonials.
• Answers to common questions.
• Behind-the-scenes looks at your business.
• Special offers or sales.
• How-to tips or guides.

The goal is to be useful — because the more useful you are, the more people trust your business.

Step 7: Review & Adjust Regularly

Digital marketing isn’t something you “set and forget.” You need to regularly check what’s working, what’s not, and make adjustments.

Fortunately, there are free tools like Google Analytics that make it easy to see:

• How many people visit your website.
• Where they come from (Google search, social media, etc.).
• What pages they visit most.
• How long they stay.
• Whether they fill out a contact form or make a purchase.

You can also track how your social posts perform — likes, comments, clicks, and shares — to see what your audience responds to best.

The more you review and tweak, the better your strategy will perform over time.

Step 8: Budget Smart (and Be Flexible)

Not every form of digital marketing costs money, but some level of investment is usually needed — whether that’s your time or money.

Knowing how much you’re willing to spend will help you:

• Prioritise the most important platforms.
• Decide whether to hire help (like a marketing expert).
• Pace your campaigns throughout the year.

Consistency is key. A little bit of regular marketing beats big bursts followed by silence.

In Summary

digital marketing strategy doesn’t need to be complicated. It’s just a clear plan to help your ideal customers find your business online and give them reasons to choose you.

Quick Recap:

1. Know your audience.
2. Scope out your competitors.
3. Pick 1-2 online channels to focus on.
4. Set clear goals.
5. Create a content calendar (based on key dates/seasons).
6. Share helpful, customer-focused content.
7. Review your results regularly.
8. Spend your budget wisely.

By keeping it simple and staying flexible, you’ll create a digital marketing strategy that grows your business without overwhelming you.