Digital Marketing made easy using the SMART method

Last Updated on 8 March 2024

Understand the principles of SMART marketing and make your Digital Marketing strategy easy to implement and deliver.

By applying the SMART technique, you take the guesswork out of Digital Marketing and your campaigns will soon start to flourish. It’s that easy.

What is SMART marketing?

SMART marketing originally comes from the traditional school of marketing, meaning in the days before digital, there were only a few advertising means available to reach the public, such as:

• print media
• newspapers
• magazines
• editorial adverts
• television

The SMART set of rules was the first thing taught to marketers, which they lived and breathed by, but since the rise of the internet and Digital Marketing, this technique is more relevant today than ever.

What does SMART actually mean?

Well, SMART marketing is quite smart and simple really. It is a clever acronym that can be broken down into the following:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Relevant
• Time Based

So how is SMART marketing relevant to easy Digital Marketing strategies?

It may be a traditional marketing technique, but when applied to Digital Marketing, it makes a lot of sense to set meaningful objectives before you embark on your digital strategy.

Let’s take a closer look:

1. Specific

Start by setting a specific number. This is the end goal you will be aiming for. For example, if your strategy is to grow the number of likes on your Facebook page, set the specific number of page likes for your strategy. If you wanted to gain followers on Twitter, choose and set the specific number of followers you want to reach at the end of your campaign.

Do this for whichever social platforms you are working with.

2. Measurable

Have the systems in place to accurately measure this metric. Google Analytics is fantastic and my personal favourite, but most social platforms have their own analytics tools, such as Facebook Insights and Twitter Analytics. There are also hundreds of great social analytics sites out there like Locowise, Sprout and Sendible.

3. Attainable

Ask yourself; are the actions to influence the outcome of your digital strategy under your control? And is your goal realistic and achievable? For example, you can’t expect to have 30 000 new Instagram followers in 3 days. It’s just unrealistic.

4. Relevant

Is your overall objective relevant to your digital marketing strategy, campaign and company? And do you have the resources to make this objective happen?

5. Time based

You will need to set a deadline for delivering on the objectives. Clearly state when you will achieve these goals by. For example, within a month, three months or a year?

It’s that easy

Now that you understand the principles of SMART marketing, your Digital Marketing strategies will be easier than ever and if you stick to the principles, you will easily achieve your marketing goals.

Do you have any other smart digital marketing techniques that have worked really well? Share your comments and thoughts