Tips on Executing a Successful Digital Marketing Campaign

Whether you run a three person startup or have a company that has reached Airbnb level success, digital marketing is fundamental to continued growth.Though it varies greatly what a digital marketing campaign entails and is able to achieve, there are core elements that are universal.Brianna Plaza, a Digital Marketing instructor at General Assembly spoke to TechDay to share how to define a campaign’s success, how to properly execute one as well as general tips and tricks of the trade.

Digital marketing can encompass a number of different strategies to foster growth and visibility. Yet, if you had to, what could you define as the ultimate digital marketing tactics?

I think the “ultimate” marketing tactic looks different for every company. A large, well-established company is not going to have the same strategies as a three person startup, and their goals and success will look different to both. I think I am partial because I work in email, but it’s a great channel for a wide range of goals. Emails can drive engagement, foster a long-term relationship with customers, and drive a high amount of sales.

What "hard" skills are necessary to possess before even attempting to develop a digital marketing strategy?

There are a lot of different paths one can take in terms of digital marketing channels, but I think if you wanted to have the basic knowledge to pursue all the channels you should have these skills:-Basic+ Excel skills: No matter the campaign, you’re going to want to track and interpret your data, and Excel is a great place to start.-An understanding of different social media platforms: You might not have campaigns running on all platforms at all times, but you should have a general idea of how Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snap, LinkedIn, and Reddit work.-Basic HTML + CSS skills: Not all email teams will have a dedicated front-end developer, so these skills will allow you to make tweaks to email templates and campaigns without needing extra help.-How to write good copy (or where to find help): Copy touches all parts of marketing, so it’s important to have at least a foundation of your company’s voice and style guide, or if you’re a terrible writer, a place where you can source freelancers.

What sort of planning goes into launching a campaign and how do you know when you're ready to execute?

There are a lot of things that go into launching a campaign, but the biggest are outlining your goals, deciding what constitutes success, and how to execute the plan (What channels? What images and copy? Timeline). Depending on the size of your team, these can be figured out in an afternoon-long meeting, or over the course of a few weeks. Some teams work on a campaign-by-campaign basis, others plan out quarters at a time. Like many things, you’re never totally ready to launch a campaign, but I think it’s a safe bet to launch a campaign when you have a solid foundation of your goals, success metrics, and design assets ready to go.

What platforms could you recommend when it comes to implementing a digital marketing strategy?

If you’re just starting out, I think a basic email program, profiles on the “big” social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter), and a handful of well-written and designed landing pages are a great place to start.

How do you define the success of a digital marketing strategy?

Defining success depends on the goals you have. For example, If I just want to increase my followers on social platforms, success looks like a steady growth of followers over time.

What high profile examples could you point to as successful campaigns?

When I teach email, I like to bring up Chubbies as my favorite example. Not only do they sell a great product, but they’re a brand that really knows their voice, and really sticks to it. The company caters to fun-loving young-ish dudes (and increasingly gals) and when I read Chubbies emails, I can picture their target person in my head. The voice is that fun guy who was at all your college parties who dressed kind of preppy, and that’s what I picture in my head when I read their emails. They’re fun and engaging, and I open nearly every single Chubbies email I get.

Though strategies will look different for different companies, is there one comprehensive pearl of wisdom you could offer to entrepreneurs before launching a campaign?

Don’t freak out if things don’t go 100% as planned (they likely won’t). Be able to roll with the punches and think of creative solutions on your feet.