Tuesday Tidbit: Creating a well-rounded Internet marketing strategy

Sometimes, trying to carry out the "perfect" Internet marketing strategy can make you feel like this:

You're maintaining a blog/content strategy, email marketing campaign, social media posts, website optimization, paid ads...the list goes on. I can definitely attest to this all feeling really overwhelming at times.

So, what's the key to creating a marketing strategy that utilizes all the best tactics, but is also achievable within your budget and your time? Although there's no simple, cut-and-dry answer to that question, there are some ways to move toward the as-awesome-as-possible strategy.

1. Do what works for your company or brand

Not every type of strategy works for every type of business; it all depends on your audience. That's why we always stress researching your audience before creating a strategy. Without knowing who they are, what they need and what they like, how will you effectively speak to them? After you've done some audience research, you'll have more of a handle on what tactics are going to be the best.

For instance, the demographic of Instagram is primarily the millennial generation, as well as Gen Z. If you're targeting moms in their 40s and 50s, would it make sense to run an Instagram campaign? Probably not.

2. Stellar organization

When you've got, for instance, a content strategy, email marketing campaign, and social media strategy running, it's important for all of those things to work together. What content is being promoted? How can you use each of those tactics together to rock your overall strategy?

The key to knowing the answers to these questions is being organized. Using calendars, group collaboration tools, social media scheduling apps and other to-do management apps and tactics can help you keep everything together and running smoothly. A disjointed campaign won't work nearly as well as an organized one.

3. The right people & tools

People and tools can really make all the difference in a well-balanced Internet marketing strategy. If nobody on your team has run an email campaign before, for instance, hiring someone who has or engaging an agency can be an investment that pays off, and then some. Also, just because your coworker Nancy's 22-year-old daughter has grown up with social media, that doesn't make her qualified to run your social media. It's much, much different when you're the face of a company or brand.

Great tools, like great people, can also be a saving grace. Just being able to schedule social media posts out for a couple days, for instance, can make it so much more manageable! My favorite tools are:

Trello for to-do lists and collaborating with your team on strategies
Buffer for social media management
CoSchedule for content strategy

4. Stay hip

In the world of Internet marketing, it's not hip to be a square. This industry changes practically every day, and your strategies must evolve to meet new standards all the time. What worked a year ago doesn't necessarily work today. Find a source you trust (like the Tuesday Tidbit!) and make a little time weekly to review any major industry updates.

5. Try new things & think of new ideas

You might create a stellar overall strategy today that works for a couple months, then peters out. This is not uncommon! You should be constantly dreaming about new ways to market your business or brand. Find inspiration from everyone else's marketing strategies, and from your own brain. The world wide web changes quickly, and you should change your strategies along with it.

I'm so glad you've made it to the end of this article, because now you get to read my farewell. This is my last Tuesday Tidbit, as I'm leaving ArcStone to pursue another dream. But don't fret! You'll continue to get updates from my stellar coworkers, who want you to succeed just as much as I do. So scroll down and sign up!

Good luck in all your marketing endeavors, and I hope you and I meet again at some point in the space of the interwebs.

Happy marketing,
Joli Skow