New to digital marketing? Get the basics right or get left behind.
Dav Nash
18 min read
Launching a digital agency is all fun and games, but do you even know how to digital marketing yourself? Here’s what a digital marketing walkthrough for agencies looks like!
Digitial marketing—you’ve got this skill set for your clients, but how about for your own agency? If you are like many digital marketing agencies, you excel at promoting other brands while often overlooking your own. Does this sound like you? You are not by yourself. It is simple to focus on client projects and forget that your agency also needs marketing attention.
First things first: what is a digital marketing plan for an agency? In essence, it is applying the same strategy you use for clients but directed towards your own agency—utilising websites, social media, emails, and search engines to market your skills. But it sounds easier on paper than it is in reality.
On paper, it is like finally using your tools to build your own house instead of just working on clients’ homes. Wait, why would a builder need their own house? Here’s the thing: who’s going to trust a homeless builder? So yes, it is just as important for your business as it is for those you assist.
Why does it matter? Because differentiating your agency is more challenging today than it was in the good old days. You are up against competitors who also have digital marketing skills. If you are not bringing out the strong guns with a marketing strategy, you can be sure other agencies are. Now, who will get noticed first by potential clients?
Don’t answer that. It’s a rhetorical question. Whether you are pitching to new clients, displaying your achievements, or establishing yourself as a top player in the field, dogital marketing is your key advantage.
Can’t I use my clients’ success instead? Remember the homeless builder? You don’t want that and nor do your clients. There’s a hiccup though: marketing yourself is quite different from marketing others.
So, we’re here to clarify digital marketing for your agency and make it less daunting (and perhaps even enjoyable). No fancy plans or jargon—just straightforward, useful advice to help you grow.
In a nutshell, here’s what you can expect to read about:
So, grab yourself a fresh cuppa, and let’s get started on how to do online marketing for your agency!
Let’s cut to the chase: effective digital marketing is not about trying lots of things and hoping one works. It’s really about having a plan. Here’s how to make your agency’s methods more precise instead of random.
First, let’s clarify what “ineffective” means. A poor digital marketing strategy is ticking three boxes:
Vague Goals: If you don’t have clear targets, how will you know if you’re on track? Goals should always be SMART:
So, ditch the digital marketing how to fail holy grail. We’re not time-pressured, it’s an in-house strategy. We don’t know clearly what we want to achieve. We know when we’ll get there.
It’s time to walk the walk and set the goals your agency needs.
Misunderstanding Your Audience: You may think you understand who you target, but do you truly? Agencies often get so caught up in clients’ details that they ignore who they are selling to.
There’s no secret: your strategy is never going to click if you don’t know who your audience is.
Failure to Measure: Yes, we mentioned it already under SMART goals, but it’s that important we need to say it twice. It doesn’t matter how well planned your digital marketing strategy is. If you didn’t track it, it’s another one for the failed bucket.
What’s working? What’s failing? What can you do better?
How do you do digital marketing? With data! The more, the better.
Are you sitting comfortably thinking: Nope, this doesn’t apply. We don’t do that?
You’ve got SMART goals, the right target audience, and data by the bucketload. Give yourself a high-five.
Is it working, though? If not, this is where the go-to digital marketing strategies your agency tend to fail:
Content Marketing: Articles, videos, infographics—you know it, you already do it for your clients. Guess what? You need to do it for your agency too.
Content creation is not about ticking something off the to-do list (even though, technically, it is). Your content marketing is all about value.
In practical terms, it’s your way of saying: “Hey, look at just how much we know about digital marketing”. But in a subtle way.
And yes, this article? This is content marketing in action! So, you want to write useful and evergreen content for your target audience. The keywords here are: USEFUL content and YOUR target audience.
Shall we rephrase it for the people at the back? Build your content marketing around what your potential clients need to read now.
Email Marketing: Think email is outdated for marketing agencies? Think again!
A well-crafted email campaign can make potential clients aware of your brand and services.
Already sending email campaigns? Fab! What do you share? Your agency news? Your latest client work?
Sorry to burst your bubble, but potential clients don’t care about those. Instead, try these email campaign tips:
Social Media: Are you killing it on social media for your clients? But if your own social media presence feels uninspiring, nobody is going to believe your skills. So what can you do to spice things up? Sharing your clients’ social media campaigns? Wrong.
Here’s what you’re missing:
Nobody wants to work with a faceless agency. So, if you haven’t already (we’re not judging, but why haven’t you, though?) it’s high time to show the real people that make your digital marketing agency tick.
SEO: SEO? Nah, just another buzzword. Surely we don’t need that old thing anymore?
Does it need saying? SEO is your digital marketing treasure map. Do it wrong, and clients won’t find you. Do it right, and they’ll keep coming.
Trust the basics, starting with keyword research from the perspective of your target audience. Here’s the thing, they won’t be looking for “what is a digital marketing strategy?”. They’ll be searching for solutions to their problems.
Build your SEO content with their needs in mind.
Data, data, data. We won’t say it often enough: No data is your worst enemy when building digital marketing strategies.
Ignoring Your KPIs: Whether it’s website visitors, lead generation, or no conversion rates, if you are aiming for failure, make sure to carry on ignoring your metrics.
Misusing Tools: Google Analytics, social media reports, email marketing data— are you using the right tools to track your activities?
Not Learning & Adapting: The worst strategies stay unchanged. If a campaign is not working, just giving up is not an option. That’s where you use data to tweak, adjust, transform, and try again. You only fail if you don’t experiment and improve your campaigns.
Great ideas make great strategies. So far, so good. Where do you find great ideas, though? From fresh and new perspectives!
Brainstorming with your team or even with an outside agency can help spot new opportunities. Are you systematically going to fail if you work alone? Of course not. But why use one brain when you can let the creative juice flow with many other experts?
Let’s simplify online marketing: it’s about finding people online where they already are.
Your audience is not hiding; they are scrolling on Instagram, reading online articles, and overlooking their emails.
Online marketing is about being present in these areas with interesting content. It’s like turning up to the right party with the latest trendy playlist.
Essentially, online marketing is about making connections.
You are not only selling products or services—you are creating experiences. Whether it’s a catchy social media post or an email newsletter that gets opened, your goal is to meet your audience where they are and offer them something they need.
So, if you’re thinking about it in terms of selling, you’re missing out on the connection bit. You’re not selling; you’re solving problems.
Ready to begin? Here’s a straightforward three-step method that articulates the core of digital marketing for an agency:
You know it: not every platform works the same. So, where is your audience? On the platform that makes the more sense to them. If you want to reach B2B professionals, LinkedIn is the place to be. Want to gain popularity with creative images? Use social media platforms like Instagram or TikTok.
Remember, you do not need to be everywhere—just in places where your audience is.
Your message should be clear, interesting, and matched to your audience. Sure, the generic fluff may bulk up your word count, but what does it achieve?
“We’re the best at what we do!”
“Your satisfaction is our priority”
“We value our customers.”
You could write a dozen of these in your sleep. But they’re boring to read, and they say nothing about your agency.
Instead, focus on your deliverable ROI. Some humour or personality is always a plus.
For example: “We’ll boost your ROI quicker than you can say SEO.”
Why it works? It’s snappy. It highlights the value you deliver. It’s fun and memorable.
Set it once and forget? No! Digital marketing keeps evolving and changing. You want to constantly use data to analyse what works and what doesn’t.
Nothing is ever set in stone. So, keep changing, growing, adapting, and don’t be afraid of ditching ideas that don’t work anymore.
For real, a digital marketing plan for agencies doesn’t have to be stressful. Start small, concentrate on your core platforms, and expand as you learn.
The main point is to remain consistent and keep improving. Your first campaign might not be flawless, but each adjustment brings you closer to achieving your goals.
Digital marketing has transformed the way businesses promote themselves. You’re a digital marketing agency. You know that, right?
Digital tools bring everything traditional marketing lacked: faster, more accurate, better-targeted reach.
We’re not here to diss traditional marketing tools. But, let’s be honest: a digital marketing setup lets you do things traditional marketing can’t.
Target accurately: Rather than just hoping your advertisement reaches the intended audience, digital platforms bring laser focus targeting in.
Want to find pet-loving people in their thirties who live in urban areas? Easy.
Need CEOs who listen to podcasts? No problem.
Track every interaction: Tools such as Google Analytics or social media metrics show how your campaigns perform without uncertainty. Every click, interaction, and conversion is tracked to give you real-time results.
Adjust quickly: Once a print ad is set, it’s final. But digital campaigns can be adjusted at any time. Change the words, update images, or target another audience, all in real time.
Imagine this. You’re a small bakery that runs an ad in a local newspaper and simultaneously launches a Facebook campaign. The print ad costs £500 and reaches around 5,000 locals. Meanwhile, the digital campaign, for the same price, engages 20,000 specific users, resulting in 200 clicks and 50 new customers.
Now, which one brings more dough (pun intended)?
Digital marketing not only reaches a larger audience; it reaches the right audience at the right time. Whether it’s an interactive ad, a video, or a blog post, digital tools make it easier to connect and convert.
Plus, let’s not forget about the data you collect. That’s fuel for your next campaign!
So, you’ve set your mind on taking digital marketing more seriously. Nice move! How do you approach it?
Before you start, you need the right tools. You wouldn’t leave without your gear, would you? Here’s what should be in your digitial marketing kit:
Website: You know the gist. This is your online shop.
Does it have to look fancy? This is your brand online. Do you want it to look grubby?
What else? Welcome to 2025, the era where we, users, have no patience. If your website is not fast-loading, mobile-friendly, and user-friendly, we won’t be looking at it.
Also tell us, users, what you want us to do once we find your website: Clear calls-to-action (CTAs) are a must.
Social Media Profiles: No surprises here. Be where your audience is. For most agencies, that’s often LinkedIn, Meta social media, and X. Make your profiles professional but add a touch of your personality. Naturally, you want to use branded images, an engaging bio, and clear contact details.
Analytics Tools: Every agency has favourite tools, like Google Analytics, HubSpot, or SEMrush. But the truth is: pick the tools you need for your goals. You make your own rules.
Remember the 3 Ts of every tool:
Email Marketing Platform: Email marketing is not dead, far from it. So, this is your call to get a service that works for you, whether Mailchimp, Brevo, ActiveCampaign, or any other.
We’re also not taking chances here. Don’t just send professionally-looking emails, send them to the right audience. You can’t have email marketing campaigns without audience segmentation, as different clients want different things.
Getting into digital marketing can feel confusing from an agency perspective. Surely, your clients need your services… so the digital marketing efforts should be light, right?
Quit dreaming. There are other agencies around the digital block. So, not only do you want to build your strategy, but you also want to get it right.
Here are some common mistakes to avoid:
Trying to Be Everywhere: Unless your days are magically longer than 24 hours, you want to focus your time where it matters. You don’t need to be on every network. Focus on those where your clients are active.
Skipping the Plan: I don’t need a strategy, I do this for a living!
Two words: Headless chicken.
You need a strategy.
Jumping into posting without a strategy is not just insane, it’s also risky. Set clear goals, create a content plan, and devise posts that fit your agency’s skills.
Spoiler alert: Posting a cat meme isn’t a strategy. Even if it is a cute cat.
Ignoring SEO: SEO has been a secret weapon since the mid-90s, and it’s not going anywhere. Without it, you’re shouting into the void.
Start small: make your site better for relevant keywords to your audience like “how to do digital marketing for plumbers” for example.
And remember, search engines love SEO-friendly titles, metadata, and relevant internal links. Not just outbound links.
Neglecting Your Audience: Sorry, this isn’t about you. Digital marketing is about solving your audience’s problems.
So, less “look at us!” and more “digital marketing how to” tutorials for them.
Forgetting to Measure: Keep your digital marketing close, keep your digital marketing data closer. If you’re not checking results, how do you know what works?
Always track your data and make changes as necessary.
Remember: Marketing is a process of trial, error, and improvement.
Starting digital marketing as an agency may seem too much, but here’s the thing: it doesn’t need to be perfect right away.
Set your base, avoid common mistakes, and move forward step by step. Invest in your tools, create your plan, and focus on providing value to your audience.
What’s the best plan? It is the one you actually use.
Why? Because it is the only one you can measure (and improve!)
Marketing is a journey—begin, and you’ll gain momentum as you go.
Pizza? Yes, we said pizza.
If you have thought about how digital marketing works, let’s simplify it into easy parts. Digital marketing consists of a few key components that help form a successful online identity.
Think of it like a pizza:
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation): This is how people find you online. SEO means improving your website so search engines like Google can show it to the right audience.
Keywords lead potential clients to your site.
Without SEO, your website is like a great party without invitations—amazing, but no one is coming.
PPC (Pay-Per-Click Advertising) & Other Paid Ads: This is your fast track to visibility.
Unlike SEO, which takes a looooong time, PPC allows you to buy immediate traffic.
You’ve seen Google Ads before. The key is to bid on keywords relevant to your services, like “digital marketing services for small businesses”.
It’s quick and effective for increasing direct awareness!
Email Marketing: The still over-looked digital marketing strategy. It’s been used for eons, but guess what? People still read emails.
With email, you talk directly to people who already care about your content.
Create interesting campaigns that teach, inform, or entertain—extra points for clever subject lines that encourage clicks.
Social Media Marketing: This is where you showcase your brand’s character.
Old-gen platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter/X are still in. But what about newer-generation ones, like Threads, TikTok, or YouTube? All platforms allow you to interact with your audience instantly.
Choose platforms that suit your audience and where you can post regularly.
Much like a pizza, these components need to function together for the best outcome.
SEO directs traffic to your site, PPC increases visibility, email marketing nurtures connections, and social media fosters relationships.
Neglect one, and your digital marketing approach appears incomplete.
When done correctly, these build a yummy pizza a complete digital marketing strategy that drives traffic, builds trust, and helps your business grow.
Digital marketing isn’t sorcery—it’s planning, effort, and a bit of creativity.
Doing digital marketing well comes down to three key points: consistency, creativity, and ongoing learning.
It is not overly complicated, but that doesn’t happen without effort and strategic thinking.
Consistency turns casual viewers into loyal supporters.
It is about being present regularly, providing value, and gaining trust over time.
For instance, think of Nike. Their steady message of “Just Do It” has connected for years. Whether it’s on social media or in commercials, the branding is always strong, emphasizing the same beliefs.
But we’re not Nike. True. But what’s your brand message?
Do your customers know it?
No?
Then you’re not consistent enough. It’s that simple.
A pro tip: You need a content calendar to organise and set up posts, blog entries, or emails.
Consistency should include your tone and visuals—ensure that everything feels like it comes from the same voice and brand.
Truthfully, digital marketing can be rather loud. Creativity is what helps you be noticed.
It’s all about finding new and fun ways to connect with your audience because people want to be entertained.
Take Spotify. Their “Wrapped” campaign is truly clever. So clever, that every company has been copying their wrap since.
Spotify personalises data into shareable content to create a yearly event that users await and share eagerly. Creativity and strategy working together!
A pro tip: Don’t try to appeal to everyone—you are a marketer, not a Swiss Army knife.
Focus on what you do best and let your creativity shine there.
Try out new formats like videos, interactive posts, or polls to spark conversation with your audience. But new format doesn’t mean inconsistent branding!
The digital marketing world is always in flux. Algorithms change, new platforms come out, and trends shift quickly.
That social media training you did back in 2012… Bad news: It’s out of date!
Agencies that succeed embrace ongoing learning. So, you have to make digital marketing learning a key part of your success plan.
What does it look like?
Subscribe to newsletters, attend industry conferences, and try out new tools.
Learning keeps you relevant and helps you stay ahead.
If you are not experimenting with AI tools or exploring new platforms like Threads, what are you going to offer to your clients in 2025?
If you have ever asked how to do digital marketing and keep up, you are in the correct spot.
The digital world is changing quickly. Yes, we’ve said it before. We’re saying it again. It is constantly changing!
Knowing the trends is what sets your agency apart.
Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI is not just a trend; it is changing how we market. Tools such as ChatGPT and Jasper help in making personalised campaigns.
It’s like having a marketing helper who never rests. Does it replace a marketer? No.
But your clients will want to leverage AI tech for automation, data analysis, and even managing customer interactions.
So, here’s the thing: Are you ready to add AI to your digital marketing plan?
Personalisation: In a market filled with generic ads, personalisation is crucial.
We’re long past the “Dear Susan” emailing trick, though.
People want content made for them, from product suggestions to email titles that meet their needs.
How can you build it into your strategy?
Search Optimisation: With smart devices like Alexa and Google Home on the rise, voice search has carried on growing.
Making your content fit for voice questions keeps your brand in the game.
Voice searches tend to be chatty, so your SEO must adjust.
Another newcomer to SEO is ChatGPT, which can provide search engine functions to users. So here’s the million-dollar question: Do you know how to rank well for ChatGPT?
Short-Form Video: Platforms like TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels show that short videos are popular.
They work well for capturing attention and sharing quick messages. Are you there yet?
What is coming next in digital marketing? Here are some things to consider in the next five years:
AR and VR may change how brands connect with customers. Picture giving virtual product tours or allowing users to “try” items with AR.
People care more about the environment, and brands that focus on sustainability will be noticed. Showing green efforts and ethical actions in your campaigns can win trust and loyalty.
With rules like GDPR and CCPA, data privacy is a serious issue.
The problem: AI tools use large volumes of data, so what does it look like for data privacy?
Agencies must find smart ways to collect and use data while being clear with customers.
So, how do you make sure your agency follows these trends?
Experiment: Try new tools and methods without fear. Whether it’s using AR or testing AI-generated content, staying curious keeps you ahead.
Train Your Team: Invest in your team’s training and skill development. The more they learn, the better prepared they are for what comes next.
Watch Metrics: Keep track of what works and change when you need to. Digital marketing is not a one-size-fits-all—it requires adapting to what your audience prefers.
The digital marketing field is wide, exciting, and always changing.
Learning how to do online marketing involves staying updated, being flexible and accepting new ideas.
Finally, you don’t have to go through it alone.
Happy experimenting!
