Avoid the Digital Campaign Broad Brush

Much of the terminology surrounding digital campaigning can be baffling. Terms like PPC, SEO, CTR and so on are widely dropped into conversations about digital marketing campaigns, building a level of mystique about this strange world. However, there are some basics that can help add a degree of clarity.

First up a very simple question: Who are you targeting?

Once this is identified, it is possible to develop a profile of targets and determine how they use online platforms. This could include geographical considerations, devices, and even time of day.

In short, targeting can, and should be, very precise.

We’ve worked with some organisations that target hundreds of decision makers, yet their previous marketing efforts were broad, poorly focused, and relied upon campaigns that were passive. In some instances, the campaign statistics supplied by specialists were misleading because they emphasised total numbers of clicks or web visits generated by a very broad audience.

Other organisations might have a target market that is six or seven figures. Here, the challenge is greater and communicating directly with these individuals on a one to one basis can be problematic. As such, it might be more appropriate to focus on broader brand awareness activity. However, targeting is still possible.

Consumers share substantial amounts of data with organisations such as Google, Meta and LinkedIn, which allow marketing professionals to communicate to a very specific, yet vast audience, in a targeted way. Many would be surprised as to just how precise that targeting can be.

Sadly, there are still too many organisations and agencies advising businesses who focus on inappropriate metrics and to a degree, ‘spraying activity around’ hoping some might stick. Measurement in itself is not an outcome, so it’s always worth questioning campaign data.