Creating and executing a digital strategy is probably one of the hardest things you will have to do as a marketer. It requires a skill with both a creative and data driven perspective, as well as a keen strategic sense and a precise tactical approach. You may not have thought about it, but this requires both sides of your brain. That could be the simple answer as to why digital strategies are not happening as much as we think they should.
Let’s face it, digital is complex, unique and always moving; that doesn’t help when decisions need to be made in real time. Recently I read an article by Smart Insights. Their data helped me to understand even more about why 46% of marketers surveyed do not have a clear digital strategy.
10 reasons why I think 54% of marketers don’t have a digital strategy.
A digital strategy is:
- Complex and interactive: always moving
- Not easy to plan ahead and keep the plan going in the right direction
- Like having several mouths to feed 24 x 7
- Several channels that require variations of content (video, editorial, imagery, design, audio)
- Linked to digital channels that are always evolving and adding new toolsets
- Not a ‘plan it and forget it’ model – it requires people, process, time and technology
- Not free. It does require funding and tools that help to simplify the operational process
- Constantly having other employees in the company tell you what you should be doing because they think they know it better — frustrating
- Confusing: There is no one strategy that works best for all companies. You have a unique brand and it requires a unique strategy
- Massive: it requires an immersive knowledge of many digital channels and how they work. It also requires an in-depth understanding of how they all work together in the sales and marking process.
There’s probably about 50 more reasons and/or excuses why digital marketing is not happening across the board. But don’t let me personal opinions get in your way. Find out for yourself why it’s not happening in your company and make a plan to solve it.
Source: Smart Insights
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