Digital Marketing Assessment Common Mistakes

Avoid common mistakes of digital marketing assessments to gain the full benefits of the evaluations.

Digital marketers are so focused on churning out campaigns they often neglect to assess how their digital marketing programs have performed. If they don’t take the time to conduct careful digital marketing assessments, they may never know how well — or even if — their campaigns are working.

Besides serving as a report card, digital marketing assessments can provide other benefits, according to an e-book from digital marketing software firm Silverpop, an IBM company. Detailed measurement of campaign results can help marketers establish more targeted short-term objectives and long-term goals. Campaign evaluations can help marketing staff better understand the strengths and weaknesses of current marketing efforts.

Assessment results can help motivate marketing staff and encourage them to tackle new programs with renewed vigor. And, maybe most importantly, well-implemented assessments can help top executives understand marketing efforts and encourage them to support future budget increases for digital marketing campaigns.

However, marketing managers must be careful to avoid common pitfalls when completing assessments to gain their full benefits, Silverpop noted.

Tips for Completing Successful Assessments

In order to get the most out of the assessment, it’s critical for your evaluation to be honest.

Full-scale assessments can evolve into huge projects. Rather than becoming overwhelmed by tackling all areas at once, pick a few strategic areas on which to focus and take incremental steps.

Selecting the best time for the assessment is also key.

“During budget season, for example, you’re busy figuring out how much key programs will cost, tallying technology expenses, and making a case for additional headcount and resources,” said Ellen Valentine of SilverPop in a video. “For most marketers, this exercise is pretty all-consuming with specific deadlines attached to it. So naturally, assessment exercises will fall by the wayside.”

With that mind, pick a less hectic time that avoids budget planning and heavy sales periods, she said.

Most digital marketers, she said should scrutinize:

• Target market,

• Pipeline,

• Content,

• Engagement,

• Technology and skills,

• Mobile marketing, and

• Social media.

Six Common Assessment Mistakes

Rich Wilson, creative director at marketing agency Big Scary Cranium, contributed six common assessment mistakes and recommendations on how to avoid them to the e-book.

Missing the big picture. Think about your overall goals — what you are trying to achieve over the next six months — and how the goals have changed from the previous six months. As the year progresses, you may set new objectives that will require different plans of attack.

Not tying features to goals. With so many features now available in automated marketing platforms, tackling all the features at once is challenging. Focus first on the capabilities that relate most closely to the goals you’re trying to reach first.

Ignoring key metrics. Some marketers become obsessed with “process metrics” like email opens, website visits, social followers that only measure tactical effectiveness. Strategic metrics like conversions and revenue generated are more important.

Underestimating databases. Data is the foundation for building marketing programs. Allot time and resources to evaluate your database, clean it up, and create integrations where applicable.  Work together with the information technology department on database design improvements.

Neglecting the buying process. Marketers must intimately understand questions customers have through the different stages of the buying process. Don’t neglect prospects as they approach conversion or forget about promoting customer loyalty and repeat purchases. Use your assessment to gauge how much of your content is based on guesswork.

Not testing assumptions. Your assumptions about prospects’ buying paths, content preferences, actions on social media, and other behaviors may be incorrect. If you don’t test your assumptions to confirm you’re correct, any related assessments and conclusions could be inaccurate.

Bottom Line: Digital marketing assessments provide many benefits and can be springboards to improve marketing results to new levels. Minding and avoiding the most common mistakes will help assure improved results.

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