Technology proliferation is constantly evolving, and as a result it has changed the way people interact with one another both online and offline. The world has become digitally connected 24/7, resulting in an ecosystem without clear barriers, structures or geographies where people and companies are called upon to continuously adjust the way they live, work, consume, travel and more.
And if companies want to stay relevant in today’s competitive environment, they are obliged to design and execute a digital strategy. In fact, a business without a digital strategy is like an aeroplane without any instruments. Would you want to fly in it?
Digital strategy vs Digital tools
There is a common confusion amongst senior executives when it comes to what digital strategy actually is. Too many people assume that digital strategy is an upgraded IT or availability of fancy digital tools. Or in most scenarios, many consider digital strategy to be similar to digital marketing or even use the two terms synonymously.
A true digital strategy should be all-enveloping and integrated, by which we mean that it should form the foundation of everything that you do and every tool that you use. This covers everything from internal communication tools to social media outlets and more. It’s never just a single thing. It’s not the technique, the medium or the budget. It’s the ability to see the big picture and to select the right tools to meet the target.
A lot of people are yet to realise this, and we see no shortage of people still struggling to make sense of the hype and the buzzwords that seem to accompany any conversation about digital strategy. With that in mind, it’s time to dispel the three biggest myths about digital strategy.
1) Digital strategy is only about digital marketing
While digital strategy applies to the whole of your business, digital marketing is about implementing digital tools to promote products and services. A proper digital strategy should cover everything from your staff development to your customer service, in-house communications, finance, admin and more. Each department should be touched by it, as opposed to a digital marketing strategy which touches the marketing department.
To make it clearer, the digital strategy serves your company’s overall business objectives, whilst digital marketing is designed to meet your sales and communication goals. As you already guessed, your digital strategy needs to be more extensive and should be explained to every employee at your company.
2) There’s one single digital strategy that serves everyone
There’s no shortage of self-proclaimed “professionals” who talk about there being one single digital strategy or a framework to rule them all. They will assure you that their on-hands solution will help you to boost your business and improve its customer relationships. But the problem is that not every company is the same and most do not have the same business objectives. Of course, you could go with a pre-made solution, but it’s not going to be as effective as it would be to create a unique digital strategy that is perfect for you and your company. As a matter of fact, a pre-made, one-size-fits-all digital strategy could actually do more harm than good.
3) Digital strategy should be implemented all at once
One of the common mistakes we have spotted is when companies try to renew their digital strategy overnight. Usually this happens due to impatient senior executives who are trying to catch up with the rapid evolution of technology by drafting a brand-new digital strategy and expecting the entire company to adjust its business processes overnight to it.
It’s true that there is much competition in today’s business world and that by being able to iterate and implement more quickly than your competition, you can maintain a competitive edge over them. The problem is that a true digital strategy comprises all areas of your company, and it can quickly become overwhelming if you try to do too much too soon.
Remember that digital tools are usually fully measurable, which means that you can monitor whether they’re working as intended. That’s why the best approach is to test new tools, use them as much as possible and cut off the ones that do not benefit your business and do not bring you closer to your business’s overall objectives. Keep in mind that each of these tools should be used as part of an overall digital strategy. You can’t just throw everything at the wall and see what sticks.
Conclusion
To sum up, your digital strategy should be aligned with your company’s business goals and touch every level of the company. Having a strategy means that you know your destination, and it leaves you free to try different tactics to get you there.
The only thing worse than not having a digital strategy is thinking that you do and finding out that you’re wrong. Take some time to revisit your digital strategy and to make sure that it’s not just a list of different tools with no integrated strategy bringing them all together. And if you’re ever in doubt, call for backup from a professional. Good luck.
