Drafting a digital marketing strategy can be overwhelming but it is always a must to create it before starting the campaign implementation. There are times that we might feel overloaded by the many information and we get lost in the process so it is necessary to run back to the written strategy. In the chaos of all the online activities (with trolls, fake news, endless platform glitches, and gazillions of information made ready and free), this serves as your anchor.
Know your company voice. Define your audience. Understand your industry. Build a core reason why you are here. And deliver what you promise. This goes on and we invest on more ways to improve. I’ve seen clients spend so much on software that they don’t really need, or they do not know how to use.
For a start, it is advisable to make the most of organic approach and take advantage of freemium services. This does not mean that we will not spend anymore. You must allot a reasonable budget for it.
Website
One of the most practical expenses for digital marketing at the onset is getting your own domain name, hosting, and web designer. For the latter and if you have some extra time, you can opt to do it yourself; Content Management System (CMS) like WordPress or Wix is user friendly. The domain name can go from Php2,500 to Php15,000 annually. For Web designer, around Php15,000 to 50,000 for non-ecommerce site. Once live, take care of it. Start with a human and search friendly website; the contents must be crawlable by Google and useful to human visitors.
Social Media
There are media that you must run an advertisement like Facebook. It used to be generous on free impressions ages ago for fan pages but business is business, and you don’t get that for free anymore unless you boost. Page like conversion can go from Php2 to 40 depending on your targeting and industry. Send message campaign can go from Php20 to Php175.
While Linkedin ad is more expensive but to some (depending on industries like that of B2B), can get more conversions— Cost Per Click (CPC) is Php200 to Php300 (will always vary on targeting and industry).
Influencers
Most relevant influencers will not really feature you for a minute or two on their platform unless you pay them. Some are okay to get x-deal. Important to make sure that your selections represent your audience and they have the number of reach that you cannot achieve for now. Per blog article (+social media mentions) can go from Php5,000 to Php75,000 for non-celebrity bloggers.
Email Marketing
You can also explore free trials then jump into subscription only if you appreciate the value to your business.
For email marketing, Mailchimp is a something to consider. It offers free subscription for 2,000 database. I would normally recommend the paid version because of the extended features and better design dashboard. Pricing for Essentials Plan (1,500 contacts) is around Php1,350/month
Design
For those who are not very much into photoshop, get Canva without a blink. It has wide design templates and very easy to use. Premium rate is Php2,500 annually for all the unlimited designs.
Post Scheduler/Listening
Hootsuite gives another freemium service with 2 social accounts. This comes handy for scheduling, tidying your profiles in one quick view, and listening. An upgraded Hootsuite to manage 10 social accounts is about Php2,500/month.
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There are many other tools to purchase with the promise of easing your online marketing life. Getting subscriptions may cost some money but it saves so much time and effort. But remember, not everything is worth buying. Try a free version and analyze how it can assist you before you subscribe.
The rates are overview and approximates only; it may change at a random but this gives you an idea on the cost estimate. From here, you can allot a more realistic budget to your campaigns.
