When Setting Digital Marketing Goals, Don’t Stay Romantic

Digital Marketing Goals: In the running, each race has a specific distance previously notified. In this way, the participants are adequately prepared for it.

There are races of 3, 5, 10, 15, 21, 42, 100 kilometres, etc., and the training for one of 3, 5, or 10 kilometres will never be the same for one of 15, 21, 42 kilometres, and much more. Least for one of 100.

So, knowing this, can you imagine that the races are held without informing the number of kilometres to be covered? That is simply unthinkable and absurd.

Now, just as no runner goes to a race without proper preparation, in the same way, a business should not have an Internet presence without having clear, precise and measurable objectives.

Having clear objectives will help you better plan your actions, but it will also allow you to measure whether your efforts are successful or if they need adjustments.

What Do I mean by going Beyond Romanticism?

There are two types of goals:

1. Qualitative Objectives
2. Quantitative Objectives

What are Qualitative Objectives?

Qualitative objectives are the most subjective. Since there is no precise way to measure them, it isn’t easy to know when they have been fulfilled or not. It is for this reason that I call romantic goals.

How do you Set Qualitative Goals?

Think about what you want to achieve with your digital presence and create a list with it. For example:

1. Establish ourselves as industry thought leaders.
2. Build brand awareness to make sure people get to know us.
3. Generate leads to establish relationships with them and obtain new customers.
4. Retain and retain current customers.
5. Provide exposure to our products and services.
6. Attract organic traffic.

The results of the qualitative objectives are open to interpretation because they are not strictly defined. This makes them somewhat useless on their own, which is why quantitative targets are so necessary.

What are Quantitative Targets?

A quantitative objective is measurable, so for its resolution, there is no room for interpretation or debate since the expected results are strictly defined. To set quantitative goals correctly, the best practice is to make them SMART, which goes beyond what the name seems to mean (SMART GOALS). Rather, SMART corresponds to an acronym that stands for:

• Specific – Specific
• Measurable – Measurable
• Attainable – Achievable
• Relevant – Realistic
• Time-bound – With a time limit

So based on this framework, your goals should always be measurable, but they should be time-bound, specific, realistic, and achievable. Here are two examples of these types of plans:

• Obtain 5,000 interactions on Instagram by the 31st of the year 2019.
• Obtain 80,000 page views by the end of 2019

Creating your Smart Goals

You must establish KPIs that will help you measure the progress of your efforts. In a spreadsheet, you will list the different digital platforms where you participate and assign each objective. This is much easier when you already have the data of the actions carried out in the previous period since it would only be adding a % increase.

If you are starting, start with goals you understand you can achieve, which will serve as the basis for the next period.

So, take that information and plan what you want to achieve now. Always remember that they must be realistic, achievable, timely and measurable goals.

Here are some tables with some of the main KPIs or performance indicators you should consider when setting goals.

In summary

Knowing and understanding the consumer is essential because when you do it in depth, connecting with him is much easier since you know his problems and how you can help him solve them. With this information, you have to plan the combination of actions you will carry out daily to attract, convert and retain them.

It’s enough to spend time, money, and effort using the wrong platforms, poorly segmenting advertising, hiring the bad influencers… All because you don’t know your consumer well enough.

Also Read: What are the Benefits of Content Marketing?