The more accurate an understanding of what a company’s resources are, the easier it becomes for business owners to make smart, strategic decisions about their operations.
What Is A Digital Marketing Inventory
A digital marketing inventory examines the online assets you use to connect with your customers. Included in this list are all your domain names, social media profiles, and email marketing. You need all of these assets to be populated with information that is both accurate and current.
We’re all very busy people. Maintaining the details of our online presence is one of those tasks that has a tendency to be overlooked.
This is a problem for two reasons:
- First:  Any outdated or inaccurate contact information that’s out there to be found can frustrate potential customers who are trying to do business with you. Your customers are not Sherlock Holmes. If they find out they can’t easily contact you, they’re not going to try to solve the mystery of what your correct Web address or email actually is. They’ll move on to an alternate vendor without a second thought.
- Second:  Your online assets are tools that are supposed to be performing for you, to raise brand awareness, encourage customer attention, build relationships, and ultimately generate sales. These tools have to be configured properly for success. If they’re not, you’re wasting some - maybe quite a bit - of the investment you’re making in your marketing. That’s an expensive decision to make in a tight economy.
Conducting Your Digital Market Inventory
It’s a good idea to take an annual (bi-annual or quarterly would be even better) look at your domain names, social media profiles and email marketing programs. Here’s what you want to know:
Domain Names
Make a complete list of all the domain names your company controls. Are they all still relevant to your operation What are these domain names connected or forwarding to Does the domain name bring your customers where you want them to go
All of your domain names should be on a single registry. Moving domain names is a simple process, so if you’ve got domain names registered all over the place with several companies, make 2013 the year you get that mess cleaned up.
The key to choosing a good registry: Customer service. Choose a company that has a reputation for flexibility and access. You want someone who is easy to work with.
Social Media Profiles
Make a complete list of all social media profiles associated with your company. Include your company’s Facebook Page, Twitter account, Google Plus and LinkedIn presence - but don’t forget about the social media hotspots of yesteryear. Does your organization have a MySpace account that was started and never used
Examine each account to make sure it’s in the state you’d like it to be in. Social media sites can get hacked and overrun with spam. If that’s the case, get the profile cleaned up, or delete it. If you decide to maintain a dormant account in order to keep control of the name, make sure all information on the site is correct and that you have information there pointing people toward the tools you want them to use to connect with you.
The visual branding on all of your social media profiles should reflect your current messaging. Review images and brand logos on your profiles to make sure they’re timely. This will help you meet your messaging goals.
A Digital Marketing Inventory is a prime opportunity to remind your team of internal social media policies. Urge people to add private email addresses to their social media profiles. If you’ve had some turnover, review the social media pages of your former employees to make sure their employment status with your organization is accurate.
Email Marketing
At least once a year, your email marketing lists need cleaning though quarterly is my recommendation. Pruning and analyzing non-performing addresses from your contacts can help ensure that your messaging is actually reaching interested parties. Â Your email marketing list can reveal opportunities to strengthen relationships with your customers.
Cross check any unsubscribes against your in-house contact information: If a valuable contact has switched employers, for example, they may no longer be receiving your information yet still want it. Review these opportunities. Reaching out for new contact information can reestablish a relationship and open a door to future sales.
The Digital Marketing Inventory period is a good time to assess the value of your email marketing campaign. Look at your campaigns over the previous year:
- Which messages had the best click through rates
- What messaging worked, and why
For some industries, the specific timing of when messages are sent is highly relevant. Answering these questions will allow you to make better choices moving forward.
Digital Marketing Inventory: Phase Two
By looking at your domain names, social media profiles, and email marketing, you’ve completed the first phase of your Digital Marketing Inventory. This is a huge accomplishment, and a great start to putting 2013 on track to being your best promotional year ever. You’ve taken an important first step.
It’s important to remember, however, that it’s only a first step. If you have more digital marketing tools in your arsenal be sure to take the time to inventory all of those as well. When you’re considering items like online advertising campaigns, guest blog appearances, and the like, the goal should be to identify all efforts; ensure accuracy, relevancy and timeliness; and assess performance.
Then you’ll be able to determine what choices you need to make with these tools moving forward.
In a year, it’ll be time to go through the entire process again. Like the shampoo bottle tells us:
“Rinse, lather, and repeat.â€
It’s important to acknowledge the repetitive nature of effective digital marketing. The more attention you pay to what it is you’re doing, the better job you’re going to do - and that’s great news for your business.
Digital Marketing Inventory Photo via Shutterstock
