I spend quite a bit of time in meetings with clients and in these there are repeating themes that are good lessons for anyone considering any form of digital marketing. In a mini-series of blogs, I am going to share some of the highly effective lessons we have learnt.

Part 1 - The Purpose

It is clear to me that any form of digital; website design, website re-design, SEO, PCC or retargeting needs to have a clearly understood and then clearly defined purpose.

For instance, defining a purpose as ‘to increase traffic to my website’ or ‘to make it look better’ are just not good enough.

Defining the above examples as ‘to increase the conversion rate of enquiries per visitor to my site’ or ‘to clearly refine and define by brand through design’ are more relevant to what you are trying to achieve.

The majority (well 95%+) of businesses we deal with are after one thing and one thing only, sales. Sales through an online transaction (eCommerce) or sales though the opportunity to sell via an enquiry.

The reality is that you may have multiple purposes in mind, but each of these will have an interaction with the other and all will or should be able to be defined by an umbrella purpose which is ultimately revenue generation.

The purposes of your website and associated digital campaigning will change over time as your brand matures online and reacts to market conditions. In an ideal world you will be a leader and not a sheep. Keeping ahead of the game with regards to your offering, constantly appraising the purpose(s) of what you are trying to achieve and measuring the results of the efforts to do so is really the only way to make sure your financial and time investment is bringing the results you require.

So, your first job, the most important one you can do will be to define the purpose.