5 No-Nonsense Tips for Developing a Simple Digital Marketing Strategy

With the ever-changing digital world it can be difficult to know where to begin to market your business online. Developing a well thought out strategy for digital marketing will really help, and here are 5 tips on crafting an effective and simple plan.

1.Establish Your Goals and Objectives

Before you start to map out your digital marketing strategy, make sure to take the time to analyse and assess your goals. Really think about what it is that you want to achieve with your digital marketing plan.

Knowing exactly where you’re starting from and the direction that you’d like to go in will help ensure the success of your efforts.

Your goals could be one or all of these:

I want to raise awareness of my brand.

I want to get more people to visit my business.

I want to increase my sales.

I you want to stand out from my competition.

2.Research & Identify who you are trying to attract.

Think about your customers or clients, and what will make them attracted to you and your business. Conducting thorough research into your target audience is essential when creating your digital marketing strategy. You should identify who they are, what social media they use, and what type of content they consume the most. Identifying these aspects of your audience will help you decide where to focus your efforts and choose which online channels might have the most impact.

These are the type of questions to ask. Are my clients/customers…

Men Women Other All?

Do they fall into an average age group?

Where do they live?

What social media would they most use?

Why are they looking for my product/service

What is their need / problem.

How do you satisfy their need or solve their problem.

3. Test, Evaluate and refine Strategies

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different strategies in your digital marketing efforts. Test different content types on different channels, and evaluate which ones work best for you. You should also keep tabs on your competitors and see what’s working for them. Try to use the strategies that seem most successful for you, so you can refine them over time and get the best results possible from your campaigns.

To test your ideas, you could:

Try Facebook and Instagram and see which works most effectively for your business.

Look at your competitors or similar businesses both locally and internationally. Notice the things they do well and why you are attracted to it.

Claim your business on Google search.

4. Develop Content Plan for Multiple Channels

Creating content for all the different channels you’re active on can be overwhelming. But it’s important to have a plan that covers all of your marketing channels, so you don’t miss any opportunities. To develop a plan, create a list of platforms you want to target and determine how many pieces of content you will produce each week. The list should include social media accounts like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, as well as other content platforms like YouTube, blogs, and distributed channels like email and podcasting.

If you can set aside a certain time each week and make it a part of your routine this will greatly increase your results.

Your plan could look like this:

Monthly: Create blog post

Send out an email.

Weekly:

Monday: Post on Facebook

Tuesday: 2 hours of content creation.

Wednesday: Post on Instagram

Thursday:

Friday: Create and post an Instagram Reel

5.Analyse the results of your content and clarify your Message

The best bit about working online is that you can see what is or isn’t working. Every online channel can give you the results from your publicised content. Once you can understand what you are doing and which bits of your content are attracting your ideal customers or clients, then you can improve your results by developing the ideas that worked best. This is how you learn to clarify your message and attract more people who are interested in what you do.

When you start out keep each stage as simple as possible. Its more effective to do one thing well than a lot of things badly.

If you would like a 20 FREE review of your digital plan with Annabel #thenonscarytechylady. Book here

Chat GPT an exciting new superpower or a disaster?

Chat GPT…….you will be hearing a lot more about this.

You may have heard on the news recently about teachers and lecturers concern that their students are using an artificial intelligence program to create their studies for them. It isn’t just educators who have been rattled by this development, the big tech companies are feeling the impact too.

As a small business interested in digital development, here is my first venture into the world of easily accessible AI, with an explanation of how you can try it too.

This is Microsoft's official explanation of why they have introduced the new technology.

“OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company. Our mission is to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity.”

I think all of humanity will find it rather confusing to begin with, but time will tell, there is no question that it will have an impact. Could this be an exciting new superpower or will it be a disaster?

I tried it out and asked the following questions to help me explain this complex concept to my readers in simple language, here are the results.

My Question: Explain Chat GPT to a 10 year old.

Chat GPT response: ChatGPT is a computer program that can hold conversations with people. It's kind of like having a smart robot friend who you can talk to and ask questions, and it will try to answer you in a way that makes sense.

My Question: explain Chat GPT in simple language.

Chat GPT response: Chat GPT is an AI language model developed by Open AI that is capable of generating human-like text based on the input provided to it. It's been trained on a massive amount of text data and can generate answers to questions, write stories or articles, and even hold a conversation. It works by using machine learning algorithms to identify patterns in the text data it's been trained on and generating new text based on those patterns. The goal of Chat GPT is to produce text that is so similar to human writing that it can be difficult to distinguish from text written by a human.

My question: How will chat GPT impact original human ideas?

Chat GPT response: ChatGPT and other AI language models are likely to have an impact on original human ideas by providing new forms of inspiration and enabling more efficient content creation. However, it's important to note that AI language models like ChatGPT are trained on vast amounts of existing human-generated text and can only generate text that is similar to what they have seen before. They are not capable of truly original ideas or creative thought. Ultimately, the impact of AI language models on original human ideas will depend on how they are used and the extent to which they are integrated into creative processes.

Solid helpful and convincing answers, could you spot the difference between an AI answer and one written by a human?

Would you consider using this tool to create content ideas for your business?

How well will the AI develop to express emotion, heart, soul, humour, empathy, nuance the essence of human story telling that has bound us together throughout history.

Chat GPT an exciting new superpower or a disaster? I don’t think I can answer my own question yet it’s too soon, but one thing is for sure, you will be hearing a great deal more on the subject in 2023.

How to use Chat GTP

You can log on for free at https://openai.com/

Select the “Try” button at the top of the page.

Don’t be surprised if it is not working due to the fact it is so popular right now. The chat bot will keep you entertained and explain what to do while you are waiting!

When it does work, type in your question and its as simple as that!

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

P.S.As a designer I am obsessed by the addition of AI generated images but more of that next month!

8 Simple Digital trends for small businesses in 2023.

If you are starting to think about how to develop your small business online next year, here is my list of 8 Simple Digital trends that you should be aware of when you are planning your Digital strategy or marketing for 2023.

Digital experts can be intimidating and confusing when you are comparatively new to working online, so I have edited the predictions to create a helpful list for small business owners with reference to what is happening online in Ireland.

Each trend has a SIMPLE takeaway for small business owners to try.

1. AUDIO:

2. VERTICAL VIDEO:

3. AUTHENTIC takes over from polished and filtered:

4. GROWING and CHANGING:

5. MICRO INFLUENCERS:

6. CONSCIOUSOUS CONSUMERS:

7. TIK TOK:

8. BEWARE OF THE HYPE:

1. AUDIO

At the beginning of this year, more people in Ireland were listening to podcasts than the radio, a trend set to continue in 2023.

Instead of having to stop and read information from our phones or PC, we are choosing to listen to podcasts and books while on the move or doing other tasks. No longer relying on the radio, we are tuning into the broader range of audio material available.

Think about Podcasts as your own radio station, if you love to talk, it is an opportunity to develop a following and interest in your business.

Remember that audio includes Music too, so developing an awareness of what type of music suits your business and adding it to your social media is an important step for small business owners. If you are using Instagram Reels, take note of the trends and spend some time thinking about the soundtrack you are adding to your media and posts.

In Ireland, almost 20% of internet users are now using voice assistants to access information, and whether you love Alexa and Sirri or loathe them it is a clear indication of how the use of voices rather than being tied to our screen is developing.

AUDIO TAKEAWAY

If you use Whatsapp in your business, you might try sending Voicenotes instead of written messages and see if it is something that adds a more personal touch.

2. VIDEO goes FULL SCREEN

Globally the type of media we are watching daily is changing, with the amount of time spent on Tik TOK now higher than the amount of time on Netflix or other TV streaming, and the top two media that we spend the most time on are Tik Tok and YouTube.

Because of the rise in popularity of Tik Tok, other platforms have begun to standardise the use of video to using Full-screen vertical video format. (Filming with your phone in portrait, not landscape)

With Instagram Reels, and now Facebook following this format.

This means, no more awkward twisting your phone around to change the screen and no more panicking that you have taken a video the wrong way around.

It also means that as more platforms switch, it will become much easier to share content on different platforms.

VIDEO TAKEAWAY

Make all your video in portrait, then experiment with re-using it on different channels.

3 AUTHENTIC takes over from POLISHED and Filtered

This is great news for small business owners, it appears that the super polished, perfect lifestyle, look at me aren’t I great, only for the young and beautiful era is on its way out.

The trend for glossy perfection is no longer fooling online audiences, and it is being replaced with a more authentic approach.

For smaller businesses, this means there is no need to have studio conditions or fancy equipment, just try out a short personal video or photographic content with commentary. Think about presenting your content as real-life, spur-of-the-moment documentation, rather than pre-planned polished curated content.

AUTHENTIC TAKEAWAY

Try a Facebook live off-the-cuff post to help you get used to taking to the camera. You can always delete it!

4 Digital Growth and Development

The speed of digital development and technology is only going to accelerate, so it is important for business small owners to become aware of the opportunities this brings.

These figures illustrate the steady rise in Ireland of mobile phones, the internet, and social media usage in Ireland.

The challenge for many businesses is how to adapt their technology to ensure it is suitable for their business and easily understood by their customers or clients.

Keeping on top of digital development, reviewing your skills, and knowing when to switch your digital platforms and strategy can no longer be avoided.

The next generation of digital development will ultimately filter down to an affordable practical level for smaller businesses. New developments such as Artificial intelligence (AI) the metaverse the internet of things or virtual reality may sound far-fetched and irrelevant but adapting to the opportunities offered by new technologies will continue to be critical for small businesses to thrive.

DIGITAL GROWTH TAKEAWAY.

Create a simple review of all your business digital activity, then check the things that result in a return on your time or convert into sales. Look for one new development to include in your digital plans for 2023.

5. Micro/Nano Influencers. (on Instagram)

Another great development for smaller business owners, it appears that the power of influencers with mass followings is no longer attractive and that we are feeling more comfortable with micro or nano influencers. Technically, this means Instagram accounts with less than 10k followers, but it also means anyone with an account that appeals to you and your interests. Niche audiences with authentic passionate content are being seen as more credible and relatable.

It is no longer important to have a big number of followers, having a smaller quantity of engaged followers is far more effective.

If you can master the art of connecting with a smaller audience, it will reduce the need to pay for advertising, generate customer loyalty and boost your online credibility.

Unpaid or unsponsored social posts that people want to share when they're using or raving about a product or service (User-generated content) is what small businesses should aim to create in 2023.

NANO INFLUENCER TAKEAWAY.

Take time to search on Instagram for smaller businesses that have a clear appeal and message for inspiration, then focus on your own target audience. Forget about the numbers and concentrate on the quality and authenticity of your content.

6. Conscious Consumers

Partly because of current and recent world events, but also as we become more comfortable in the online environment, there is a definite rise in consumer expectations online.

This ranges from increased frustration with Cookies and pop-ups to heightened awareness of online security. Online consumers are beginning to expect better service and more thoughtful user experiences.

They also prefer businesses that display environmental and social credentials, that align with their own – those that prioritize factors such as ecological impact and sustainability when choosing whom to buy from or do business with.

SMALL BUSINESS TAKEAWAY

If you have any social, environmental or charitable aspect to your business be sure to include it as part of your online strategy and content. It can be very small or simple, but the important thing is to include it.

7. TIK TOK

I am not going to suggest that all small businesses start to sing and dance on Tik Tok, but there is no disputing its growth in popularity and impact on other social platforms.

The global uptake on Tik Tok indicates it is now the platform that most time is spent on. The main opportunity for small business owners is to develop a more creative online presence if that suits you and your business.

TIK TOK Takeaway

As many of the features introduced by Tik Tok are being introduced by Facebook and Instagram, concentrate on developing the social media channels you already use with newer features such as reels. Make sure you claim your space ( name or business name) on Tik Tok so you have it ready should you choose to develop this channel in the future.

8 BEWARE OF THE HYPE

As a small business, it is easy to feel that you are not keeping up with the latest developments online. If you listen to the “digital experts” they are constantly excited about the next “big thing”.

For example, since 2009 it has been reported that Facebook is no longer of importance and its use is dying, however, this is not true with a steady global increase annually and globally. It still has the largest active user base of any social platform in the world.

Likewise, Tik Tok is being heralded as the only platform being used by a younger audience, however, the statistics show that 84% of TikTok users between the ages of 16 and 64 also use Facebook each month.

Despite the developments in Virtual reality being adopted by fashion retailers to create virtual stores and avatars to try on clothing that shows what an outfit would look like on your own body recent surveys suggest that this is not what the consumers really want.

TAKEAWAY

My advice to small business owners is to step back recognise that taking your business online is not a quick process, stop comparing yourself to other businesses and concentrate on your developing your own digital expertise.

REFERENCES

https://www.vistage.com/research-center/business-financials/economic-trends/20221111-technology-trends-for-2023-and-beyond/

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/5-biggest-business-trends-2023-bernard-marr/

https://fashionunited.uk/news/retail/4-in-5-shoppers-not-interested-in-augmented-reality-and-virtual-reality-says-study/2018100939363

https://datareportal.com/reports/looking-ahead-to-what-2023-holds

https://www.plannthat.com/6-social-media-trends-2023/#Trend_1_A_Boom_in_Social_Audio

https://switch.com.mt/social-media-trends-2023/

https://www.mediatoolkit.com/blog/social-media-trends/