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How to Create a Digital Marketing Strategy in 8 Steps (Plus 2 Bonus Tips)

“Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” – Sun Tzu

Over 2,500 years ago, Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu wrote The Art of War, a timeless guide to planning and execution. His insights are still quoted by leaders today, because strategy is just as essential in business as it is on the battlefield.

In marketing, the difference between the strategy, plan and tactics is often blurred. Put simply: strategy sets your direction, your why, who, and where. Your plan maps out the how, and when, and your tactics are what specific actions you take to bring the plan to life. Without a clear strategy, even the most polished campaign risks missing the mark.  In today’s AI-driven, fast-moving digital world, that clarity matters more than ever. Technology is transforming how we connect with customers, but without strategic thinking behind the tools, automation alone won’t cut through.

This guide walks you through 8 essential steps to build a smart digital marketing strategy, grounded in proven frameworks like SOSTAC®, SWOT, and the Marketing Mix. Plus, you’ll get 2 bonus tips to future‑proof your approach.

Continue reading “How to Create a Digital Marketing Strategy in 8 Steps (Plus 2 Bonus Tips)”

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How to Develop a Social Media Strategy

Are you interested in creating your own social media strategy, or simply curious about the process behind it? Social media can be incredibly time-consuming, so having a well-defined strategy is essential to ensure your efforts lead to meaningful results.

What does world-class and best practice look like in social media strategy? I’m always researching the latest trends, guides, and resources to stay ahead of the curve. After exploring a wide range of articles, blogs, videos, and podcasts on the topic, one resource that consistently stands out is the comprehensive social media strategy guide from award winning NP Digital. As a globally recognised, award-winning performance marketing agency based in the USA, their insights reflect the best practices from top professionals worldwide, offering actionable steps that drive real success.  Neil Patel, the CEO of NP Digital has produced a helpful 8 minute video that breaks down creating a social media strategy into an easy, practical and SMART formula.  Here it is summarised with added commentary and links to some useful marketing tools: Continue reading “How to Develop a Social Media Strategy”

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Digital Marketing Skills Benchmark Report

The Digital Marketing Skills Benchmark is the only study of its type and scope to look at skills across so many different industries and age groups. Rather than being based on opinion like many other studies, the benchmark core evaluates the skills of thousands of people. Published in October 2023, by Target Internet in partnership with the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), the benchmark report gives you an industry reference you can trust.

The report highlights that “The demand for Marketers with a more general Marketing skillset remains. Recruitment is reporting a notable é
increase in demand for Marketing Managers and Marketing Executives.” Continue reading “Digital Marketing Skills Benchmark Report”