Digital Marketing KPI types, Goals
Digital Marketing, before you start
What is all about? In need of understanding where are your clients, speaking their language, and starting the conversation in a right time. That’s are the main elements of digital marketing.
Use a SMART model for determine your goals. SMART is an acronym which is essential when setting any campaign objectives:
Specific – be more specific defining your goals
Measurable – how do you know when the goal is reached?
Achievable – know your limits, don’t pick an unachievable goal.
Relevant – be relevant to your overall business goals
Time-sensitive – be sure to have your turkey before the Thanksgiving day, scheduling all the tasks in your marketing calendar.
Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for digital marketing
This are a measurable values used by marketers for evaluating success across all marketing channels. For making informed decisions and improving results month-over-month.
Thus KPIs can be divided into 5 groups.
1. Website & Traffic metrics
2. Lead Generation
3. SEO optimization
4. Paid advertising
5. SMM tracking
Website & Traffic metrics.
Increasing the conversion rate and traffic to your landing pages are some of the most popular metrics.
It’s very important to track different pages and categories of your site, drawing conclusions and applying the best performing pages tactics to other pages.
For example you noticed an 20% increase↑ in traffic to a blog post about content marketing. And you didn’t lose sight of an explicit scheme/free pdf book you puted in the middle of the paragraph.
You also remarked +3% in conversions (subscriptions e.g.) comparing to the previous post.
The best practices are thoughtfully collected for the next steps.
Google Analytics gives you access to all this data using customizable overviews.
In sense of traffic, a lot of positive improvements can be achieved with help of SEO, not mentioning the targeted paid promotions.
Take a look at the average time user spends on that one page (with better conversion value). What can you say about content quality? Is it easy-to-read and explicit? Can this technique be applied to other posts which didn’t show this raise of traffic?
This parameter has certain significance for search engine results page positions.
Site Visits separated by channels.
Comparing visits data from different channels you can outline the next actions, but remember, most visited not always means more profitable, the traffic quality is very crucial.
If you don’t have much experience in using Google Analytics, you can sign up to a free GA academy, where all the features are nicely explained.
Look at the ratio of new and returning visitors
It shows your visitors involvement which directly indicates was it a good or a bad turn in your content marketing strategy.
Provide helpful content, and user will always come back. Announce some freebies, or post useful reaseraches.
Lead Generation
Metamorphosis scheme.
Strangers > Visitors > Leads > Customers > Promoters
From a simple stranger attracted by organic search, PPC campaign, o SMM promotion, the person landing on your page converts to a Visitor, leave contacts fulfilling a form (Lead), buy your product (Customer), and then if God bless you – converts to your Promoter.
The big difference between Lead generation and buying somebody’s contact information – is the person’s primary interest.
For example you find out, that one of your landing pages generates 18% more leads, that can be a positive indicator and make you think about improvements for other pages.
At the same time the lead quality of another page, inducing more actual sales, points on better copy and call to action and usability.
Digital marketing goals
Your marketing plan should ideally combine a short and long term goals.
Let’s speak about the possible short term goals for digital marketer.
Short term marketing goals
1. Traffic ↑. Increasing a targeted traffic, attracting users that are more likely to be interested in your product or service.
Ask yourself, will this improvement bring you to 10-20% monthly increase in traffic? In this case the best tool is Google Analytics, along with other instruments, which we will talk about later.
2. Conversions. Convert leads into buying customers, gently distributing your efforts and budget between available channels.
Understand your revenue, time costs and deal closing in each individual case for than choosing the best option. Doesn’t matter how many visits this page received if no conversion was completed.
Have an idea of adding some piece of text, image, scheme or a screenshot? – try it without fear, and compare the same page visit statistics in a few weeks. Any positive changes are always welcome.
If for instance you know, that monthly the tenth part of all leads are successfully converted, and improving your strategy you can raise this indicator, you can set a goal in your CRM system.
Short term goals are also useful in obtaining a fast results or statistics, testing your message.
PPC (Pay Per Click) platforms like AdWords, Paid SMM, banner ads, and so on.
3. Grow your Subscriber List by offering some free product (e-book, or access to an unusual research).
One of my favorite tools for email marketing is MailChimp, which offers a very useful lead segmentation, mail personalization, and plans start at 10 US$ (for 50K emails), it also has a starter version (free for 2K contacts). Must have.
Long term marketing goals
Normally can include:
1. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
2. Content marketing
3. Brand Recognition
4. Consumer Retention/Reputation Management
5. Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
SEO refers to a non-paid (or organic) appearance in Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs), like Google, Yahoo, Bing or other. It is one of the most significant goals – being on the first page of the search system.
It depends on different factors like language, user browser, searching history, and location among others. What literally means it varies a lot from country to country (even for a smaller scale of blocks of the same city).
Without seeking for proxies, you can try any search from country and city you want using services like this one.
Google Rank uses a complex algorithm that aims to show people the most relevant websites available on the web. This algorithm consists of many factors, and changes from time to time.
Knowing (predicting) its behavior you can enjoy all the organic benefits of being on the first page.
Spending less on paid promotions (like PPC, SMM).
There is no certain set of rules, influencing SERP position, but those who listen carefully, will definitely stand out. Better understanding Google’s modus operandi, avoiding known mistakes when optimizing a website. It’s all about the organic traffic (and its quality) you finally receive.
Content marketing
Who is your audience? What are their needs? How can your service help them solve a problem?
Speaking their language, creating a useful piece of content that actually brings benefits.
And don’t forget about smart SEO techniques and using the right keywords. It’s not always about sales but more about engaging and educating your consumer to build brand recognition, trust, and equity.
Having about 3-5 seconds for convincing your customer, what would you say?
Narrow down your message, engaging your audience.
Free tools like Google Calendar can help you a lot in every step planning your campaign.
Combining with your CRM for sure, assigning tasks along copywriters for example.
Zoho CRM in my taste, intuitive and user-friendly.
A little bit of history.
Founded in early 90s in Chennai, India by Sridhar Vembu and Tony Thomas.
Primarily named «Vembu Software», and then changing to its actual name in 2009, Zoho Corporation became the umbrella company of three different divisions that cater to three different markets.
Zoho CRM was released in 2005 and they reached 1 million users in August of 2008.
You can see the full range of tools on their website.
Choosed by:
Sony, Apple, HBO, Netflix, Intel, ViaSat, Nike, L’Oreal, PayPal
Siemens, Qualcomm, Nokia, Motorola, Lockheed Martin, Citrix, Cisco.
Brand Recognition
Buying form brands you know and love, choosing between dozens of competitors and not always leaning to the product quality, even if it’s obviuosly better product, but giving preference to this guys who donate to schools, some charity programs or sponsoring your favorite series.
As well as the price is not a key factor for buying related decision.
Working with GPS mapping, we always asked our clients to record a short video about navigation system «on the go». And let me tell you, nearly the tenth part fulfilled the request, what was immediately published on social media channels.
We have also received 7 complete guide videos from our pleased customers, including them on the main landing pages.
Statistically 9 to 10 people will read (or watch) a customer review before purchasing anything, I’m definitely in their league.
Well, probably this one is not a straight goal leading to sale, but yes, has a huge importance in sense of long term revenue.
Customer Retention
Is cheaper to nurture the leads you already have, than obtaining a new ones. Because they already expressed interest and passed all stages of funnel. According to my statistics is 73% simpler in consonance with notably lower costs.
Remarketing campaigns are designed for targeting users that already visited your landing page and probably realized some action.
PPC models like AdWords and Facebook.
Search engine Marketing (SEM)
In opposite to SEO’s organic strategy it focuses on paid traffic only. Google AdWords, Bing Yahoo and other PPC platforms.
PPC, or pay-per-click – model when advertiser is charged when ad is clicked. Social medias don’t stand aside applying this model.
Bidding for specific keywords that lead to better conversion.
Be sure to have the best communication along with a selling team. Those people who hear the voices, conquering the hearts and closing a deal. Returning a weekly digest in report.
What are we looking for? Is very crucial to write down every single word that goes near the core keyword.
You just launched a PPC campaign on AdWords, using 6 dozen of keywords united by «internet» core, targeting California state for example.
+internet prices
+best internet deals
+cheapest internet plan
+internet plans
…
Now let’s overhear the question of consumer calling us:
-Hello, I’m interested in some internet plan without contract, what is your best offer?
The same day you notice another call mentioning the contract.
Without contract is an accompanying phrase, that should (if not yet) be included to various combinations of PPC keywords, as well as the copy.
Oftentimes you can’t only rely on the suggestions obtained via Keyword Planner, or Neil Patel’s Ubersuggest (which is one of my favorite actually).