Insight
Digital Marketing Strategy Template: What to Include and How to Use It
In brief
Answer summary
The downloadable strategy template provides a structured place to record the business context, objectives, audience and market evidence, strategic choices, implementation plan, measurement and recommendations. It works best when completed iteratively with real evidence and decision owners, rather than treated as a form that can produce strategy by itself.
- Use the executive summary after the analysis, not before it.
- Keep evidence, interpretation and recommendations clearly separated.
- Make objectives measurable and tied to business decisions.
- Explain why channels and tactics were selected or rejected.
- Update the document as experiments and performance evidence change.
Introduction
Our digital marketing strategy template is based on a combination of many different frameworks as well as years of digital strategy experience, and we’ve simplified and decoded it to make it as accessible as possible
Our digital marketing strategy template is based on a combination of many different frameworks as well as years of digital strategy experience, and we’ve simplified and decoded it to make it as accessible as possible.
Crafting a digital marketing strategy can seem daunting. With so many channels and tactics available, it can be difficult to know where to start. That’s why we’ve created a comprehensive digital marketing strategy template to guide you through the process. The template includes sections such as executive summary, introduction, objectives and goals, research and analysis, strategy, tactics and implementation, recommendations, and discussion. It will be a good starting point to help you focus your mind and understand how a digital marketing strategy is developed.
The key sections in the template are as follows:
Executive Summary
The executive summary provides a brief overview of the report, including the company background, project objectives, current situation, strategy, recommendations, and conclusion.
Introduction
The introduction sets the scene by giving an overview of the company, its mission, and vision. It outlines the company’s overarching commercial goals and strategy, as well as the problem the digital marketing strategy is trying to address. The introduction also highlights the competitive advantage or value proposition that digital marketing can provide to the company.
Objectives and Goals
This section outlines the objectives and goals of the digital marketing strategy, discussing how they fit into the long-term strategy of the company. The SMART objective framework is used to ensure that the goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
Research and Analysis
The research and analysis section includes situational analysis, segmentation and audience, competitor and market analysis, and digital audits. The section reviews the current state of the company in terms of achieving its objectives, identifies buyer personas and customer segments, and analyses the main competitors and market trends. The section also includes digital audits such as SEO, technical website, advertising, and analytics audits, providing high-level recommendations for each audit.
Strategy
The strategy section pulls together research and insights into a top-line strategy, stating tactics that will meet the brief and objectives. The chosen tactics are explained, and special considerations or insights to differentiate are included. The section also includes a future plan for launching a digital activation plan.
Tactics and Implementation
This section includes a project timeline and plan, outlining the tactics used, why they were chosen, and how they were implemented. The section also calls out tactics not used and reports challenges experienced during the feasibility and implementation, discussing how they might be overcome in future client projects. The section includes campaign planning, paid channels such as search engine, display, and social advertising, owned channels such as search engine optimisation, social media marketing, and email and content marketing, and measurement.
Recommendations
The recommendations section states the results of audits and analysis and any insights from them, making recommendations for search ads going forward, longer-term ongoing SEO plans, UX improvements, and landing page improvements.
Discussion
The discussion section brings the whole document together, calling out insights and discussing how they may apply to future work. Research or supporting material is included to back up insights, and recommendations for future work and why they are recommended are discussed.
References and Appendix
The references section lists any sources, materials, or references used, and the appendix section includes any tables, graphics, or other elements that are too long or big for the main document.
Access the digital marketing strategy template in Google Docs (just make a copy)
Or you can download the word version of the digital marketing strategy template here
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, our comprehensive digital marketing strategy template provides a step-by-step guide for crafting a successful digital marketing strategy. Whether you are a small business owner or marketing professional, our template will help you achieve your digital marketing goals and set your business up for success in the digital age.
Sources and references
