Most businesses skip strategy and jump straight to tactics. They run Meta ads without knowing their audience, create content without a plan, and wonder why nothing works. The lack of a coherent strategy is the number one reason marketing budgets evaporate without measurable results.
In this guide, we share the exact framework we use at Nesco Digital when building digital marketing strategies for our clients. There are 7 clear steps, in logical order, that you can apply regardless of industry, budget, or team size.
This isn't textbook theory — it's the real process, tested on dozens of projects, from startups with budgets of €2,000/month to companies spending over €50,000/month.
Step 1: Audit — Where Are You Now?
Before deciding where you want to go, you need to understand exactly where you are. A complete digital marketing audit analyzes everything about your online presence — from website and analytics to existing campaigns and the competitive landscape.
Analyze: current traffic (Google Analytics), existing campaign performance (ROAS, CPA, CTR), SEO positioning (keywords, backlinks, Core Web Vitals), social media presence, and direct competitor behavior. Conduct a SWOT analysis — strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
The outcome of this step is a clear picture: what's working, what's not, and where the gaps are. Without this data foundation, every strategic decision is just guesswork.
Step 2: SMART Goals
“I want more customers” is not a goal — it's a wish. Goals that actually work are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART). Every channel, every campaign must have a clear target tied to a concrete number.
SMART goal examples:
- ●Increase organic traffic by 50% in 6 months (from 8,000 to 12,000 sessions/month)
- ●Generate 100 qualified leads/month via Google Ads by month 3
- ●Achieve a ROAS of 5:1 on Google Shopping within 90 days
- ●Reduce CPA on Meta Ads from $45 to $25 within the next 60 days
Every goal must be tied to a measurable KPI. If you can't measure weekly progress, the goal isn't specific enough.
Step 3: Buyer Personas
Who are you selling to? Not “everyone” — but 2-3 ideal customer profiles, defined in detail. Without clear buyer personas, your marketing message will be generic and won't resonate with anyone specifically.
Demographics
Age, location, income, job title, company size. For example: male, 35-45, business owner with a company doing $500K-$2M/year revenue, based in a major metro area.
Pain points
What problems are they trying to solve? Not enough leads? Customer acquisition cost too high? Don't know which channels work? Identify 3-5 concrete pain points.
Buying triggers
What makes them look for a solution right now? An important season approaching, a competitor that's growing, a campaign that stopped working, pressure from investors.
Preferred channels
Where do they spend time online? LinkedIn for B2B, Instagram and TikTok for younger consumers, Google Search when actively looking for solutions, YouTube for research.
Define at least 2 different personas. Your entire strategy for channels, messaging, and budget will be built around these profiles.
Step 4: Channel Selection
You don't need to be on every channel — you need to be on the right channels. The choice depends on your buyer personas, budget, and goals. Here's a quick comparison:
| Channel | Best For | Budget | Timeline to Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Search Ads | High-intent buyers | Medium-High | 1-2 weeks |
| Meta Ads | Awareness, retargeting | Medium | 2-4 weeks |
| SEO | Long-term organic traffic | Low-Medium | 3-6 months |
| Email Marketing | Retention, nurture | Low | 2-4 weeks |
| TikTok Ads | Gen Z / Millennials | Medium | 2-4 weeks |
| LinkedIn Ads | B2B lead generation | High | 2-4 weeks |
| Content Marketing | Authority, SEO | Low-Medium | 3-12 months |
Rule of thumb: start with 2-3 channels you can execute well. It's better to be excellent on 2 channels than mediocre on 7. Only add new channels once you've optimized the existing ones.
Step 5: Budget Allocation — The 70-20-10 Rule
How do you split your marketing budget across channels? We use the 70-20-10 rule: 70% on proven channels that deliver results, 20% on scaling promising channels, and 10% on experiments with new channels or tactics.
Sample allocation for a €5,000/month budget:
- Google Ads (70%)€3,500
- Meta Ads - scaling (20%)€1,000
- TikTok Ads - experiment (10%)€500
- Monthly total€5,000
For larger businesses (budget €15,000+/month), the experiment portion can increase to 15-20%, since you have a solid revenue base from your main channels that allows you to test more aggressively.
Step 6: Execution Calendar
A strategy without an execution calendar is just a nice PowerPoint. Here's a realistic monthly plan for the first 6 months:
Month 1: Setup & Launch
Configure tracking (GA4, GTM, conversions), create ad accounts, set up initial campaigns, technical website audit, define UTMs and reporting dashboard.
Month 2-3: Optimize
Analyze first data, A/B test ads and landing pages, adjust audiences, optimize bidding, first creative iterations based on real data.
Month 4-6: Scale Winners
Increase budget on performing channels, stop underperformers, test new channels from the 10% experiment bucket, expand into lookalike audiences.
Important: month 1 is always the slowest in terms of results. Don't panic — it's the month where you build the foundation. Real results start appearing in months 2-3, and significant scaling happens from month 4 onward.
Step 7: KPIs & Reporting
Without measurement, there is no optimization. Each channel has its own specific KPIs, and the reporting rhythm must be consistent and structured.
Essential KPIs per channel:
- Google AdsROAS, CPA, CTR, Quality Score
- Meta AdsCPM, CPC, CPA, ROAS, Frequency
- SEOOrganic traffic, keyword rankings, backlinks
- EmailOpen rate, CTR, conversion rate, unsubscribe rate
- OverallCAC (Customer Acquisition Cost), LTV, MQL, SQL
Recommended reporting cadence: weekly — quick spend and performance check, monthly — detailed analysis with optimization decisions, quarterly — strategic review and goal adjustment.
The biggest danger is collecting data without acting on it. Every report should end with 2-3 concrete actions to be implemented the following week. Data without action is just numbers on a screen.
Build your strategy
Don't have the time or team to build a complete strategy on your own? The Nesco Digital team can create a personalized digital marketing plan with clear goals, selected channels, and an execution calendar.
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