Goal Setting for Digital Marketing

Getting started with digital marketing can be exciting, but if you dive in without defining your goals, you’ll likely end up overwhelmed and without clear results. Setting goals provides your entire digital marketing plan with a strong foundation and guides your decisions for the best outcome.

Why Are Goals So Important?

1. Focus and Direction: Goals give you a defined end-point to work toward. Without them, you risk wasting time on activities that don’t align with your overall needs.
2. Measurable Progress: Goals give you something to track against. This helps you understand what’s working, what needs adjusting, and highlights your successes.
3. Resource Allocation: With clear goals, you can better decide where to invest your time, budget, and efforts in your marketing strategies.

Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Your Digital Marketing Goals

1. Brainstorm What You Want to Achieve:

   • Increased Sales: Do you want a certain percentage boost in online sales?
   • Lead Generation: Do you aim for a set number of people expressing interest in your products or services?
   • Brand Awareness: Do you want to reach a broader audience and improve recognition of your brand?
   • Community Building: Do you want to grow a dedicated online following that engages with your organization or business?

2. Make Goals SMART: Don’t just wish for something, make it achievable:

   • Specific: Be clear about what you want to achieve (e.g., “Increase website traffic”)
   • Measurable: Set a metric to track progress (e.g., “Increase website traffic by 20%”)
   • Achievable: Be realistic about what you can accomplish with your resources.
   • Relevant: Ensure your goals align with your overarching business or organizational objectives.
   • Time-bound: Set a deadline to work toward (e.g., “Increase website traffic by 20% in the next six months”)

3. Prioritize Your Goals: Some goals will be more pressing than others. Rank them from most important to least, and focus your initial efforts accordingly.

4. Document Your Goals: Write them down and refer to them often. Share them with your team if you have one.

5. Review and Revise: Digital marketing is an ongoing process. Evaluate your progress regularly and adapt your goals as needed.

Example: SMART Goals for a Small Business

• Increase website traffic by 15% in the next three months.
• Generate 50 qualified leads per month through our website contact form.
• Increase online sales revenue by 10% by the end of the quarter.

Additional Tips

• Start Small: It’s better to have a few achievable goals than a long list that feels overwhelming.
• Keep Goals Aligned: Don’t create marketing goals in a vacuum. They should ladder up to your larger business or organizational mission.
• Don’t Be Afraid to Change: As you gather data and understand what’s working, you may find you need to pivot your goals – that’s perfectly okay!

Action Step: Take 30 minutes today to brainstorm and write down 3-5 SMART goals for your digital marketing efforts. This first step will immediately set you on a path toward clearer and more successful marketing!