Because online strategies and trends change frequently as new technology develops, it may seem futile to develop long-term goals for your online advertising. If you pulled your long-term strategy from three years ago out of the drawer, it would probably be focused solely on SEO and creating content that had a lot of key words. Your strategy most likely did not include a plan that analyzed how well the content was doing. Your content was just sent out through your social media sites, and you hoped people liked it and that sales would go up. Even though online marketing has changed, the need for a long-term plan has not.
At Riley & You, we keep up with all the changes in strategies and trends and understand how companies easily fall into a short-term mindset based on short-term campaigns and the latest and greatest trends. But what would it feel like to play a long game with a bigger goal in mind instead of a short game that changes every quarter? What would it look like if all your short campaigns worked together as part of a larger campaign? We believe that it’s important to keep up with social media trends in the short game and stay flexible with your goals in the long game.
Here are some things to keep in mind when setting long-term goals for your company:
- Profit Growth – In the long-term, you should see a return on your investment into online marketing. If this isn’t happening, you need to adjust the strategy. We are constantly evaluating the data and making recommendations to help you find the most efficient ways to grow your profits.
- Repeat Customers – It’s cheaper to keep your current customers than it is to find new ones. Your online marketing plan also needs to include strategies that will encourage your current customers to become repeat customers as well as brand advocates.
- Brand Recognition – The more your customers see your brand online, the more comfortable they will be with your product. You want your brand to be the first to come to mind when they think about your product. We know how important it is for your brand to be consistent through every product and accurate in its portrayal of your company values. If you think it’s time to re-brand, we can help.
- Exposure – Online exposure allows you to create a following by developing relevant content that people want to engage with and share with friends. But even great content can be overwhelming. We know how to help your company strike the balance to get just the right amount so that your followers are engaged, but not overwhelmed.
- Networking – When all of your online strategies work together, they can strengthen your network and create new co-branding opportunities. It’s important to remember that with the right partners, you don’t have to bear the burden (and the budget) of online advertising alone.
With all long-term strategies, you have to be patient. You may not see the amazing results in the short game, but if you keep playing the long game, the results will come. You also can’t put the strategy in the drawer and only look at it every six months. It is possible that your long-term goals and strategies adjust based on current data. You also need to have a realistic budget that allows you to achieve both long-term and short-term goals.
At Riley & You, we know that brands are turning to emotional engagement, personal connection and multi-channel content strategies. We have a team that knows how to create and monitor your online advertising. You may not have the time or the knowledge to execute your long-term goals, but we do. Call us today and let our team help you develop a strategy that lets you play the short game and the long game.
