Technology has come on leaps and bounds in recent years, and a huge 81% of Americans are going online every single day.
It isn’t just internet habits that are changing but spending habits too.
Businesses of all shapes and sizes have a world of opportunities available to them online, but navigating this world isn’t an easy task.
Offline marketing was once widely used but has now been taken over by digital marketing; this is an excellent shift.
With digital marketing budgets making up over 75% of total marketing budgets for the majority of businesses, companies that aren’t utilising the online space effectively are in danger of being left behind.
As a digital marketing consultant for entrepreneurs and small business owners, it is my job to make sure that doesn’t happen for my clients.
I have a passion for helping businesses make the most of the many digital channels available to them.
Digital marketing is such a broad term, and so many forms of online marketing fall into it. These include search engine optimisation or SEO, paid advertising, website design, social media and many more.
This form of marketing gives businesses the freedom to leverage various online channels and target their ideal audience.
Digital marketing ties all these online tools and technologies into one streamlined, effective strategy.
A certified digital marketing consultant acts as the captain who brings all these marketing techniques together.
What Is A Digital Marketing Consultant?
Over the last few years, the role of marketing professionals has changed exponentially.
Twenty-plus years ago, businesses never would have dreamt of hiring a digital marketing consultant, let alone know what one was.
Today, 61% of businesses plan to add digital marketers to their teams in the next year.
This huge shift in focus clearly displays the value that a digital marketing consultant can bring to a business.
But what really is a digital marketing consultant, and what do they do?
As a freelance digital marketing consultant, I keep up to date with the constantly evolving trends and best practices.
The role is everchanging, and a certified digital marketing consultant needs to be skilled and experienced in a huge range of marketing methods.
I’m here to help bridge that gap between your business and the digital world, to effectively market products and services to the right audiences and in the right way.
In simple terms, my role as a digital marketing consultant in London is to be an experienced and knowledgeable professional who has plenty of qualifications in the world of online marketing.
Is A Marketer The Same As An Advertiser?
It is a common misconception that a digital marketing consultant is responsible for handling every aspect of advertising.
That is more the role of an advertising agency, not a certified digital marketing consultant.
I work with businesses of all shapes, sizes and industries, from start-ups to huge organisations.
I get to know their business, customers, and team members, to determine the best ways of engaging with existing customers online and finding new prospects.
A freelance digital marketing consultant will develop a deep understanding of a business’s model and goals.
This gives me the knowledge to find what potential there is for the digital world.
After developing a solid understanding of a business through my FREE discovery calls, I will create a digital marketing strategy that is aligned to achieve these goals.
What Digital Consultants Do
A consultant in digital marketing uses their in-depth knowledge and expertise to successfully design and implement a strategy that will be successful for the brand.
Some of the key responsibilities include;
- Exploring and discovering new ways that a business can engage with existing clients and also attract new customers.
- Evaluating existing marketing strategies and highlighting areas for improvement and growth.
- Implementing digital marketing strategies including SEO, email marketing, social media, website development and more.
- Managing and improving existing company branding.
- Increasing client engagement through online channels including social media, mobile, email and more.
- Coordinating all online content platforms to ensure consistent messaging and effective communications.
- Optimising websites for increased traffic through search engines.
- Implementing content marketing strategies across blogs, websites and social media.
- Using analytics to monitor the success of campaigns and ensure that we achieve optimal digital results.
My role is extremely diverse, and as a digital marketing consultant, I understand that no two businesses require the same marketing strategy.
What works for one company could be entirely wrong for another, and that is why getting an understanding of the business first is vital.
I assist with many different areas of marketing and the business to ensure digital channels are achieving the best possible results.
With 90% of searchers having not yet made their minds up about a business before beginning their search, a robust online presence is more important than ever.
Why Choose A Freelance Digital Marketing Consultant?
Once a business knows they need a digital market consultant digital marketing consultant for entrepreneurs and small business owners, many face the choice of whether or not to hire a freelancer or an employee.
Another perk of new technologies is that companies have more choice than ever when it comes to finding new talent.
There are hundreds of thousands of freelancers out there ready to help businesses grow, as well as many great candidates for permanent roles.
When it comes to finding a digital marketing consultant for entrepreneurs and small business owners, it goes much further than a freelancer who can design a logo for £10 or send your press release to media organisations.
Businesses need a specialist. Someone that knows what they are doing and has done it time and time again.
A mere 36% of digital marketers think that a full-time employee is more valuable than a freelancer, which shows how popular freelance consultants are for business. But why is outsourcing increasing in popularity?
Here are just a few reasons why a business might hire a freelance digital marketing consultant over a permanent employee;
- The Highest Quality, Always: As a freelancer, I want to build meaningful and lasting relationships with every single client. I put me all into everything I do to guarantee client satisfaction. Freelancers are motivated and passionate about what they do and will deliver the highest quality time and time again.
Employees don’t often have this same motivation and drive.
They are comfortable and secure in their position and don’t need to go above and beyond every single day like I do.
- Freedom And Flexibility: A freelance digital marketing consultant can enjoy the freedom and flexibility to work whenever. However, this goes both ways. Businesses can work with freelancers in a way that suits their operations. That could be a huge workload for a month or two with a big campaign. Then, you may only require maintenance work in the following months.
- A New Perspective: One of the biggest advantages of hiring a freelance digital marketing consultant is that we have a unique perspective. Because I am not part of your business, I won’t have any preconceived ideas about the way it should do things.
I can bring a new outlook on things. What’s more, I break down that “but it’s always been done this way” mentality that many businesses have.
A freelancer digital marketing consultant can be great for pulling a company out of a marketing rut and bringing brand-new ideas to the table.
- A Certified Digital Marketing Consultant: Freelance consultants are passionate and invested in the expertise of digital marketing. I enjoy spending my free time learning, discovering and exploring new marketing techniques and ideas. This means I have the experience and expertise to truly a help business grow.
Most freelancers, including myself, are dedicated to their own ongoing progression and training.
- ROI: At the end of the day, money is one of the most significant factors in any business decision. Working with a freelance digital marketing consultant offers some financial advantages over hiring an employee. Most freelancers can offer very competitive rates due to having reduced overheads from working for themselves.
There are no risks involved like there are with a full-time employee, as there is no need to pay for a holiday, pension contributions or sick pay.
With my services, businesses only need to pay for the work I do and the value I bring, with no additional commitments.
The Digital Marketing Consultancy Process
The way people interact with technology is always changing.
In 2020, over half of smartphone users use voice technology. Furthermore, I expect this to keep rising. Not only that but by 2023, experts predict that there will be more digital voice assistants than people on the planet.
With this in mind, it is more important than ever to have an adaptable and proven process in place.
The process used by digital marketers should focus on engaging customers, embedding digital technologies into the customer journey and boosting ROI.
A digital marketing consultancy process should always start with the end goal in mind.
As a digital marketing consultant for entrepreneurs and small business owners, it is my responsibility to get to know the businesses I work with.
It’s my goal to truly understand your requirements before beginning the process. No two businesses are the same, and so the consultancy process adapts for every client.
How Digital Marketing Consultancy Work: Step By Step
A typical digital marketing consultancy process involves;
Strategising
The first thing to do is to get the digital marketing strategy right. This involves getting a grasp of the business; its model, goals and any challenges faced.
During this stage of the process, a thorough competitor analysis is completed.
Furthermore, I take a deep dive into the industry overall.
I also like to look at the existing marketing strategy if there is one in place and understand what is effective and what isn’t.
If any existing digital technologies are being used within marketing, these are analysed and reviewed in detail.
At the end of the strategising stage, I will know where the business is now and where it would like to be in the future.
Planning
Once I know where a business is and where it needs to be, I can begin planning the roadmap of how to get there.
This transformation roadmap is different for every business and is created around the goals and objectives defined in stage one.
The planning stage involves dissolving pain points, developing customer personas, creating customer journeys, improving segmentation, designing workflows and much more.
At the end of the planning stage, you will receive a clear roadmap that makes it easy to implement the ideal marketing activities.
Implementing
The most exciting stage of the process is implementing the changes planned previously. I can work with you to give you the level of support that you need.
This stage is all about creating new best practices, defined marketing processes and successful campaigns.
It is at this stage that I will work to create new digital content assets. I also help set up new tracking technologies for the business.
The implementation stage can include email campaigns, A/B testing, detailed page tracking, landing pages, customer segmentation, automation rules and much more.
Optimising
Some digital marketing consultants might end their process after the implementation stage.
However, I think it’s vital to go one step further.
Digital marketing is not something that is just set up and left to its own devices. The optimisation phase is ongoing and focuses on continually improving the strategy that is in place.
It’s all about learning new technologies, training internal teams, and monitoring campaign results.
Changes to digital marketing aren’t immediate, and results can take time to show. At this stage, I will monitor analytics and metrics to determine what is working and what isn’t.
As a certified digital marketing consultant, I will recommend and advise changes that we can make to optimise campaigns and improve conversions.
Do You Need A Digital Marketing Consultant?
Ultimately, a digital marketing consultant for entrepreneurs and small business owners is an effective investment for businesses of all sizes.
It is a role where no two days are the same.
Consequently, it requires a true passion and love for all things digital marketing.
My digital marketing services are here to help your business grow by reaching your target audience and boosting sales online.
With the first online purchase occurring 25 years ago, and e-commerce sales set to reach $4.2 trillion by the end of the year, there has never been a better time to hire a freelance digital marketing consultant.
Book your Free Attraction Marketing Audit today!