Without a strategy, online marketing is a series of random attempts: a few ads here, a few posts there, then silence. Yet a strategy doesn’t have to be a thick document. It’s enough if it clearly answers what you want to achieve, who you’ll reach, where you’ll do it and how you’ll know whether it’s working. In this article, you’ll put it together in four steps, and at the end you’ll find a template that fits on a single page.
Step 1: Define your goals and target audience
Without clear goals and an idea of who you’re talking to, your budget goes out the window. This step shapes everything that comes later, so take your time with it.
A specific goal instead of a wish
A vague goal can’t be evaluated. A specific goal has a deadline, a way to measure it and a number you set based on where you’re starting from. Compare:
- Vague: “We want to be more visible.” Specific: “Within six months, we want a Google Business Profile with regular reviews, and we want to track the number of calls it brings in.”
- Vague: “We want to sell more.” Specific: “We want to know how many orders our website brings in each month, and increase that number by the end of the year without raising the cost per order.”
- Vague: “We want to be on social media.” Specific: “We want social media to bring in measurable inquiries, and we’ll review them every month.”
Who your customer is
Who are your ideal customers? How old are they, what do they do for a living, what problems are they facing and what holds them back from buying? The more you know about them, the more precisely you can tailor your message and choice of channels. You’ll find out how to create an ideal customer profile, a so-called buyer persona, in our guide to online marketing for business growth.
Start with your most profitable group
You don’t have to reach everyone at once. For a smaller business, it often pays to start with one or two customer groups that bring in the most money or are easiest to reach, and add more later.
Step 2: Analyze your competitors and your own capabilities
Once you know what you want to achieve and who you’re talking to, look around you. Understanding how others do it shows you where you stand.
What to look at in your competitors
Pick three to five competitors who target the same customers as you – not the whole market. Pay attention to:
- how they present themselves and what they boast about,
- which channels they use to communicate and how often,
- how they present prices and products,
- what content they create and how people respond to it,
- what customers write about them in reviews, especially the negative ones.
You can find out most of this in a single afternoon. Just go through their website, social media and Google reviews. You’ll find the ads competitors are currently running publicly in the Meta Ad Library and the Google Ads Transparency Center.
Look at yourself too: a SWOT analysis
SWOT is a simple table with four questions:
- Strengths – where are you better than the competition, for example in speed, personal approach or quality?
- Weaknesses – where do you fall short?
- Opportunities – which customer needs is nobody addressing properly?
- Threats – what could put you at risk, for example a new competitor or dependence on a single channel?
If you can’t say in one sentence what sets you apart, your customers won’t know either.
Count your resources
How much money, time and people can you realistically put into marketing? A strategy that relies on shooting videos every day won’t work at a business where the owner does marketing in the evenings. If you don’t know what amount to plan for, our article Ad budget: How much to invest in online campaigns will help.
Tip: Set up a simple competitor spreadsheet and once a quarter note what’s changed for them – prices, new services, campaigns. That way, nothing will catch you off guard.
Step 3: Design your marketing mix
A marketing mix is the combination of channels, content and tools you use to reach customers. The goal isn’t to be everywhere, but to be in the right places with the right message at the right time.
An overview of the main channels
- Google Ads – fast visibility with people searching for a specific product or service.
- SEO and website content – long-term visibility in search without paying for every click.
- Facebook – broad reach across age groups, strong for local businesses.
- Instagram – visual content, usually a younger audience.
- LinkedIn – connections with businesses and professionals, good for B2B.
- Email marketing – direct communication with regular customers and prospects.
Your choice of channels depends on where your customers are, not on where you’d like to be. If you sell to businesses, LinkedIn will help you more than TikTok. If you sell fashion, it’ll be tough without Instagram.
Paid, organic and direct channels
- Paid channels (ads) make you visible fast, but only while you pay.
- Organic channels (SEO, posts, articles) build value over the long term.
- Direct channels (email, personal contact) maintain relationships with people who already know you.
A good mix includes all three in a ratio that matches your goals and resources.
A consistent voice and look
Your brand should look and sound the same on your website, on Facebook and in emails. A consistent style builds trust, and people recognize you at first glance. Read more in our article How to keep a consistent visual style across all channels.
Tip: Start with two or three channels you can do well. Once you have a system running on them, add another.
Step 4: Launch your plan and track results
A first version beats none at all
The first version of your strategy won’t be perfect, and it doesn’t have to be. Launch your campaigns, publish content, send your first email and watch how people respond. Real data will teach you more than another week of planning.
What to track
- website traffic and its sources,
- conversion rate – what share of visitors take the desired action,
- cost per conversion and return on investment,
- social media interactions, but above all the inquiries they bring in,
- email opens and clicks,
- search rankings for important keywords.
A check-in rhythm
Check your campaigns once a week – if something isn’t working, fix it fast, and scale up what does work. Review the whole strategy once a month and make bigger changes once a quarter. Write down what you tried and what the result was. Over time, you’ll build your own library of experience. To start with, Google Analytics 4 and the insights in your ad accounts are all you need for tracking.
Template: a one-page strategy
- Goal: what we want to achieve, by when and how we’ll measure it.
- Customer: who we’re talking to and what problem we solve for them.
- Differentiation: one sentence on why people should choose us.
- Competitors: who the main competitors are and how we’re different.
- Channels: two or three channels we’ll focus on, and why.
- Budget and people: how much money and time we have and who does what.
- Measurement: which numbers we track and when we review them.
An example of a completed template
Here’s how a smaller online store selling handmade ceramics might fill it in:
- Goal: by Christmas, find out how many orders the website brings in from each channel, and increase them without losing margin.
- Customer: people looking for an original gift who appreciate handmade work.
- Differentiation: every piece is one of a kind and can be personalized.
- Channels: Instagram to show the making process, Google for products and emails for regular customers.
- Budget and people: the owner creates the content, an outside partner manages the ads.
- Measurement: orders and revenue by channel, reviewed once a month.
The whole strategy fits on one sheet of paper you can pin above your desk. And that’s a good thing – a strategy nobody reads is a strategy nobody follows.
Frequently asked questions
What are the first steps in preparing an online marketing strategy?
Set a specific, measurable goal and find out who your customer is. Only then deal with competitors, channels and budget.
How do I analyze competitors in online marketing?
Pick a few direct competitors and go through their website, social media, reviews and ads. Note their strengths and weaknesses and look for areas where you can be better.
Which channels should I choose?
The ones where your customers are and that you can do well. Start with two or three and add more based on results.
How often should I update my strategy?
Adjust campaigns on an ongoing basis, review the strategy monthly and make bigger changes once a quarter or when something fundamental changes in your business.
Your first step toward a strategy that works
Don’t want to write your strategy yourself? We’ll put it together with you – from goals and channel selection to tracking – and help you launch it too. Check out our services and get in touch when you’re ready to start.
