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How to Use This Template?
To work on this template, you will need to retrieve digital marketing analytics data from an established
company who has been running digital marketing campaigns for at least one year.
Complete and pass the assessments for all 6 core modules of the Certified Digital Marketing Strategist
(CDMS) Programme:
1. Digital Marketing Strategy
2. Content Marketing
3. Search Engine Optimisation
4. Digital Advertising
5. Social Media Marketing
6. Digital Marketing Analytics
There are 6 sections in this digital marketing strategic plan:
1. Executive summary
2. Digital marketing audit
3. Market research and analysis
6-Part
4. Marketing objectives and KPIs
Digital
5. Digital marketing campaign plans
Marketing
6. Digital marketing analytics and optimisation plan
Strategic Plan
The executive summary is to be completed after sections 2 – 6 have been completed. In section 5, select at
least 2 digital marketing channels to develop campaign plans on.
Estimate time to complete: ~ 1 - 3 months
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Table of Contents
1. Executive Summary....................................................................................................................................... 4
2. Digital Marketing Audit.................................................................................................................................. 5
2.1. Audit of Available Resources................................................................................................................... 5
2.2. Audit of Current Performance of Digital Channels...................................................................................6
3. Market Research and Analysis....................................................................................................................... 9
3.1. Customer Personas.................................................................................................................................. 9
3.2. Market Analysis (Digital)........................................................................................................................11
3.3. Competitive Benchmarking................................................................................................................... 11
3.4. SWOT Analysis....................................................................................................................................... 13
4. Marketing Objectives and SMART KPIs........................................................................................................ 14
5. Digital Marketing Campaign Plan.................................................................................................................15
5.1. Customer Journey Map.......................................................................................................................... 18
5.2. SEO Plan................................................................................................................................................ 19
5.3. Digital Advertising Plan......................................................................................................................... 19
5.4. Social Media Plan................................................................................................................................... 19
5.5. Content Marketing Plan......................................................................................................................... 19
5.6. Other Marketing Plans........................................................................................................................... 19
6. Digital Marketing Analytics and Optimisation Plan......................................................................................20
6.1. UTM Tracking Organisation................................................................................................................... 20
6.2. Custom KPI Dashboard Creation............................................................................................................20
6.3. Optimisation Plan.................................................................................................................................. 21
6.3.1. Website user journey and digital experience..................................................................................21
6.3.2. SEO.................................................................................................................................................. 21
6.3.3. Social Media Marketing (SMM).........................................................................................................22
6.3.4. Digital Advertising........................................................................................................................... 23
6.3.5. Content Marketing........................................................................................................................... 24
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1. Executive Summary
[Text here]
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2. Digital Marketing Audit
What is a digital marketing audit?
A digital marketing audit is an examination of the performance of digital channels and current resources
utilised to achieve a business’s marketing objectives, with the goal of reassessing and improving the
existing strategies.
It consists of 2 parts:
1. Audit of available resources
2. Audit of current performance of digital channels
2.1. Audit of Available Resources
A digital marketing resource audit can help you identify gaps which may hinder your campaigns’ success.
Once you have identified crucial gaps, you can then recommend steps to rectify any issues.
Resources Checklist Summary of findings and notes
for improvement
Human Resource Capability ☐ Sufficient employees to execute [List all human resources e.g. Marketing
digital marketing strategies Manager x 2, Marketing Executive x 6,
Marketing personnel are Content Writers x 2, SEO Specialist x 1,
Digital Marketing Analyst x 1, etc.]
competent in their job functions and
assigned tasks
External Agencies/Consultants External agencies/consultants [List all marketing agencies and their
have the relevant required respective roles]
competencies
Website Website is user-friendly and well- [Enter website URL here]
designed to serve its intended
purposes (e.g. as a lead generation
tool, branding, content hub, etc.)
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Tools and platforms Tools and platforms are well- [List all existing tools e.g. Google Search
utilised, performing to expectations Console, Google Analytics, Buffer,
Tools and platforms are able to Semrush, BuzzSumo, Infusionsoft,
MailChimp, etc.]
meet organisational requirements
Sufficient budget is allocated to
necessary tools and platforms
Brand and Online Reputation Brand has presence on social [List social media assets e.g. Facebook
media platforms where target Page, Instagram Business account,
audiences are present YouTube, etc.]
Brand messaging is consistent
Budget Budget is sufficient to execute [Enter marketing budget here]
digital marketing plan
2.2. Audit of Current Performance of Digital Channels
An audit of the current performance of various digital channels can help you determine which campaigns are
the better-performing ones. This can help you direct your focus to the appropriate marketing
campaigns/channels.
For example, if the conversion rate of a particular marketing campaign is determined, we can use it to
predict the profitability of the marketing campaign, set appropriate budgets and allocate the necessary
resources to boost return on investment.
The table below provides a guide on the definition of the terms used and where you can retrieve the
information from.
Terms Definition Where can you get this information?
Channel According to Google Analytics, a Web analytics platforms such as
channel is a group of traffic sources Google Analytics
(e.g. Google, Bing, Yahoo) within the
same medium (e.g. organic).
Therefore, ‘organic search’ would be
the channel which could include
traffic sources within the same
medium such as Google, Bing,
Yahoo. Other examples of channels
include:
● Paid Search
● Social
● Display
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● Email
● Direct
● Referral
Traffic A metric which measures the total Web analytics platforms such as
number of visits to a website. Google Analytics
Conversions A metric which measures the Web analytics platforms such as
number of important actions taken Google Analytics.
by a website user. Examples of
important actions include filling out a In Google Analytics, you can set up
contact form, spending X amount of goal tracking to define your
time on a website, watching a video conversion actions.
till the end, and completing a
purchase on a website.
Conversion Rate A metric expressed as a percentage, Web analytics platforms such as
calculated by dividing the total Google Analytics
number of users who took an
important action by the total number
of users who visited a website.
Example calculation:
Total number of users: 100
Total number of important actions
taken: 5
Conversion rate: 5/100 X 100 = 5%
Cost The total amount spent for a This can be calculated internally
channel. within an organisation.
Cost Per Acquisition The total cost of acquiring a Advertising platforms or calculated
(CPA) customer. internally within an organisation.
Example calculation:
Total $ spent for paid search:
$10,000
Total number of customers acquired:
100
Cost per acquisition: $10,000/100 =
$100 CPA
Value The total amount of revenue or profit This can be calculated internally
brought in by a channel. Formulas within an organisation and reported
used to calculate the average order within a digital marketing analytics
value or customer lifetime value platform such as Google Analytics.
varies from organisation to
organisation. In Google Analytics, you may set a
goal value i.e. $300 for every lead,
Example calculation: assuming it takes 10 leads to close
one sale with a customer lifetime
Average order value/Customer value of $3,000.
lifetime value: $1000
Total number of completed
purchases from website: 1000
Value: $1000 x 1000 = $1,000,000
Return on Investment The value gotten back for the total This can be calculated internally
(ROI) expenditure of a channel, expressed within an organisation.
as a percentage.
(Value – Total amount spent) / Total
amount spent X 100% = ROI
Example calculation:
Total amount spent: $100,000
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Value: $200,000
ROI: ($200,000 - $100,000) /
$100,000 = 100%
Access your digital marketing analytics platform e.g. Google Analytics to retrieve the following data.
Cost Per Return on
Conversion Conversio
Channel Traffic Cost Acquisitio Value Investmen
s n Rate
n t
Summary of Findings:
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3. Market Research and Analysis
Related Course Module: Digital Marketing Essentials
The research and findings from this section will influence the next sections where you define your marketing
objectives, KPIs, select appropriate digital marketing channels, and plan your campaigns.
3.1. Customer Personas
You may develop as many customer personas as you see fit based on your business and industry. You can
retrieve demographic data from tools such as Google Analytics and Facebook Audience Insights. For a
more detailed guide on developing customer personas, check out our How to Develop Buyer Personas
Ebook.
Customer Persona 1:
Profile Picture: Name:
Age:
Gender:
Location:
Interests:
[Add new field]:
[Add new field]:
[Add new field]:
[Add new field]:
[Add new field]:
[Add new field]:
Summary of Customer Persona 1:
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Customer Persona 2:
Profile Picture: Name:
Age:
Gender:
Location:
Interests:
[Add new field]:
[Add new field]:
[Add new field]:
[Add new field]:
[Add new field]:
[Add new field]:
Summary of Customer Persona 2:
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3.2. Market Analysis (Digital)
Market size:
Having an idea of the market size can help you estimate your reach potential, marketing budget amount
required, and determine appropriate marketing channels to reach your audiences.
Useful tools:
● Facebook Audience Insights
● Google Keyword Planner
● Research papers/reports on a national level
Summary of Findings:
Market trends:
Understanding the market trends can help you understand your customers better (in terms of consumer
behaviour, purchasing power, etc.), plan seasonal marketing campaigns, and select the right marketing
channels, creatives, and promotions.
Useful tools:
● Google Trends
● Google Keyword Planner
● Trends reports
Summary of Findings:
3.3. Competitive Benchmarking
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Competitive benchmarking can measure your company’s performance against your competitors’ and
industry benchmarks. This can also help you to question your current modus operandi, adopt new practices,
and develop innovative marketing strategies to remain competitive.
Useful tools for competitive benchmarking:
● Google Analytics Benchmarking reports
● Semrush
● SimilarWeb
● SocialBakers
● Industry reports
Provide your research findings and rate each capability on a Likert scale of 1 – 5. 1 being the least capable
and 5 being the most capable in the table below.
Digital
Review of Review of Review of Industry
Marketing
Company Competitor 1 Competitor 2 Benchmarks
Capabilities
Website
engagement
Social media
Organic search
Paid search
Email
Referral
Display
[Add new benchmark]
[Add new benchmark]
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[Add new benchmark]
[Add new benchmark]
[Add new benchmark]
Summary of findings and recommended strategies for market domination:
3.4. SWOT Analysis
Conducting a SWOT analysis on your company can provide you with insights on the strengths, weakness,
opportunities and threats in the market your company is competing in. By analysing your company and
competitors’ SWOTs, you can strategise how to amplify your strengths, diminish weaknesses, tap on
lucrative opportunities, and mitigate threats. You can then develop powerful strategies to remain relevant
and competitive in the market.
Strengths Weaknesses
Opportunities Threats
Summary of findings and strategies to tackle these issues:
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4. Marketing Objectives and SMART KPIs
Marketing objectives are goals that specify the intentions of the marketing department . Examples of
marketing objectives include:
● Amplifying brand awareness
● Lead generation
● Increasing sales
SMART KPIs are Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, Time-bound Key Performance Indicators that are
more detailed than your marketing objectives. They help you keep track of the progress of your marketing
campaigns and provide you with performance benchmarks to improve your efforts.
Marketing Objectives SMART KPIs
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5. Digital Marketing Campaign Plan
Related course module: Digital Marketing Essentials
What is a digital marketing campaign plan?
A digital marketing campaign is different from a digital marketing strategy. When talking about digital
marketing strategy, we are referring to a master plan or a blueprint to achieve a long-term or macro goal.
Campaigns on the other hand are the specific tactics used to achieve more micro, short-term goals within
the digital marketing strategy.
In this section, you may map your digital marketing campaigns (tactics) to the ACPA (Awareness,
Consideration, Purchase, Advocacy) buying funnel. You may also use alternative funnels depending on your
industry.
Awareness:
Tactics Human
KPIs Campaign Metrics Budget Timeline
(Details) Resource
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Consideration:
Tactics Human
KPIs Campaign Metrics Budget Timeline
(Details) Resource
Purchase:
Tactics Human
KPIs Campaign Metrics Budget Timeline
(Details) Resource
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Advocacy:
Tactics Human
KPIs Campaign Metrics Budget Timeline
(Details) Resource
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5.1. Customer Journey Map
Map the overarching customer journey here (from marketing channels to website browsing, to conversions
to advocacy channels).
Use a tool like [Link] to illustrate the journey.
[Insert customer journey map illustration here]
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Document the customer journey below:
5.2. SEO Plan
Related course module: Certified SEO Specialist (CSEOS)
Access the SEO strategy and planning templates.
5.3. Digital Advertising Plan
Related course module: Certified Digital Advertising Specialist (CDAS)
Access the Digital Advertising strategy and planning templates.
5.4. Social Media Plan
Related course module: Certified Social Media Marketing Specialist (CSMMS)
Access the Social Media Marketing strategy and planning templates.
5.5. Content Marketing Plan
Related course module: Certified Content Marketing Specialist (CCMS)
Access the Social Media Marketing strategy and planning templates.
5.6. Other Marketing Plans
Include other marketing strategies that are relevant to your business here such as:
● Facebook Advertising
● Google Ads
● Email Marketing
● Partners
● Affiliate Marketing
● Conversion Rate Optimisation
● And more - View all digital marketing courses.
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6. Digital Marketing Analytics and Optimisation Plan
Related course module: Certified Digital Marketing Analyst (CDMA)
In this section, you will create a digital marketing analytics and optimisation plan to improve your digital
marketing performance.
6.1. UTM Tracking Organisation
Use the UTM tracking template to organise all your tracking URLs in one place:
Step 1: Head over to
[Link]
Step 2: Click “File” => “Make a copy”
Step 3: Create at least 3 UTM tracking URLs with the Campaign URL Builder [Link]
[Link]/campaign-url-builder/
UTM Tracking Organiser:
[Insert link to UTM Tracking Organiser here]
6.2. Custom KPI Dashboard Creation
Create a custom dashboard with Google Analytics or an alternative digital marketing analytics
software/platform and paste the screenshot(s) below:
[Insert screenshot(s) here]
6.3. Optimisation Plan
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6.3.1. Website user journey and digital experience
Analyse your website and offer any suggestions to improve the website’s conversions and conversion rates.
Recommendations for
Optimal Performance Optimised? (Y / N)
Improvement
Website is user-friendly (i.e. easy to N Propose a
navigate around. Information is easy user-experience/conversion rate
to find.) optimisation specialist to consult
web design team and propose
improvement plans.
Conduct usability testing and
reporting to identify friction areas
and improve UX design.
6.3.2. SEO
Audit the SEO campaign metrics and offer suggestions for improvements.
Recommendations for
Current SEO Metrics New SEO KPIs
Improvement
Overall organic search engine click Increase overall organic search Optimise titles with target keywords
through rates at 10% engine click through rates from 10% closer to the front of the title.
to 12%
Ensure organic search result snippet
is ultra-relevant to search queries.
Increase organic search engine
rankings by building more backlinks
and domain authority.
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6.3.3. Social Media Marketing (SMM)
Audit the SMM campaign metrics and offer suggestions for improvements.
Recommendations for
Current SMM Metrics New SMM KPIs
Improvement
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6.3.4. Digital Advertising
Audit the digital advertising campaign metrics and offer suggestions for improvements.
Current Digital Advertising Recommendations for
New Digital Advertising KPIs
Metrics Improvement
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6.3.5. Content Marketing
Audit the content marketing campaign metrics and offer suggestions for improvements.
Current Content Marketing Recommendations for
New Content Marketing KPIs
Metrics Improvement
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