5 Things You Need In Your Digital Ecosystem
How a small business can develop a sustainable marketing strategy in-house
We live in a competitive and crowded digital ecosystem where brands are constantly struggling to find a place where they belong and trying to make enough noise to make a sound and attract customers among the competition.
Building your own digital ecosystem is the only way to create a sustainable marketing strategy. I call this “ Content with Intention” every piece of content we create needs to be intentional.
At my agency, THE DARL, we make sure that every asset created for one platform interconnects somehow with another piece in another part of the spectrum. No element should be isolated from the big picture, everything must be intertwined in a way that makes sense.
For example, if we create an Ad for different social media platforms, all of these will have a call to action that will take you to our landing page. When you arrive at our landing page you are prompted to provide your information, (generating leads for our company), and subsequently will then begin receiving emails for new offers and company services. This is an example of how you create a digital ecosystem.
Here are 5 things to take into consideration when creating your own ecosystem:
1. Find your niche
A niche is the unique target market where you focus your digital marketing strategy. Concentrating on your niche will ultimately lead you to have a stronger and long-lasting connection with your audience.
Once you know your niche, it’s important that you’re also aware of the key players in the industry, what real-world events could affect it, and how you will differentiate yourself.
2. Identify who your persona is and where “it” hangs out
If you know your target avatar or avatars and where to find them you’ll be able to craft a much more effective message. Your persona is built up of either existing customers (if you’re an already established business). Oftentimes a customer survey with a few key questions can really help identify their buying habits.
I personally like to include a “what social media platforms are you on” question in addition to other things like age, gender, income, career, etc. Usually buyer personas hang out on social media networks; the social media app they use sometimes depends on their age range. For example, if you are looking for young people between the ages of 15 to 25, TikTok would be an excellent option to find future customers.
3. Have strong branding
Your unique brand image should be cohesive everywhere: across social media posts, newsletters, advertising, announcements, etc. Your customers should feel that they are seeing the same brand no matter where they are.
4. Find your voice
Your brand’s voice (visual and verbal) is its personality, the way your brand communicates with the world. With a consistent tone, you establish your reputation and personality.
5. Create a sustainable strategy
Create a strategy you are able to maintain. Your strategy needs to be comprehensive, cohesive, and consistent; if it’s not, you won’t be able to analyze what worked and what didn’t. So when it comes to building for long-term growth, you must factor in budget, intention, and available resources.
By outlining a clear and efficient road map, you won’t be wandering aimlessly through the galaxy of marketing tactics without knowing where to focus your efforts. However, never forget your essence and keep true to your brand, there is no successful strategy without soul.
If you are interested in learning more marketing tips check out my podcast Coffee N.5 or follow me on Instagram: @laraschmoisman