When you’re in the business of digital marketing the entire process can feel like a game of chess. There’s both science and art behind it and for a lot of us there’s nothing more exciting than the challenge of taking a client from obscure rankings and social media performance to being a common industry name online. We examine, plan, recommend and implement – it’s often all straightforward, the main ingredient is elbow grease. When we look at it from the perspective of non-digital marketers it probably looks more like a game of good old fashioned Snakes and Ladders. If you’re reading this and you’re not a digital marketer then you’re possibly a CEO, MD or marketing director of a mid – large business. You’re also probably really good at what you do, managing your staff, establishing business relationships, setting up new branches, etc. Unfortunately for you, the rapid development of competition for market space has meant that major competitors are investing heavily in their digital campaigns, which is something outside of your expertise. You probably know a few solid facts about SEO and PPC, such as that both are about competing for relevant keywords and that you need to rank higher; but you also know enough to know that you don’t know enough. You’ve sent out briefs to a few digital agencies, inviting them to pitch for your business. The best ideas and the most thorough presentation might get the contract, or it might just intimidate you into shelving the idea until you can make sense of it all. If you fall into the latter category then your business continues doing what it’s always done – but can anticipate a regular decrease in business, rather than getting what its always got. If it’s the former, however, then the agency will start to put projects and a timeline in place and you’ll need to either delegate or sit down with them to understand each step in their plan. Keeping track of all the elements that can affect your website and brand image online can be as time consuming as taking on a second job (which is why it’s essential to invest in a trusted agency that can explain something once and get on with it). There are so many factors to consider that it often becomes an information overload and feels as though your business is a playing piece on a desperate Snakes and Ladders board.
SERPS Snakes and Ladders – The game all businesses play
