As an 
Internet marketer navigating the bustling landscape of the online world, you’re likely to be met with numerous challenges, but also a wealth of opportunities. One key factor to capitalise on these opportunities and navigating around these challenges is goal setting. Understanding how to set achievable, measurable goals and recognizing the importance of such a practice can make a substantial difference to your success in this field. This comprehensive guide seeks to provide you, as a new marketer, with a step-by-step guide to goal setting in Internet marketing.
The Crucial Importance of Goal Setting
Before we delve into the ‘how’, it’s important to understand the ‘why’. Goal setting is not just a task to be checked off your to-do list. It’s a strategic process that can drive your success as an online marketer. Clear, well-defined goals provide a roadmap that guides your marketing strategies. They bring clarity, helping you focus your efforts on what really matters, enabling you to make decisive actions, and measuring the progress of these actions. Additionally, goals motivate and inspire by providing a concrete vision of what success looks like.
Setting Goals: The SMART Way
When you set goals, they need to be SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Specific: Your goal needs to be clear, concise, and well-defined. Vague or generalised goals are less likely to be accomplished. For example, rather than setting a goal to “increase website traffic”, you might aim to “increase website traffic from social media by 20%”.
Measurable: If a goal is not measurable, it’s nearly impossible to determine whether progress is being made. By setting measurable goals, you can track your progress and stay motivated.
Achievable: While it’s good to aim high, it’s also important to set goals that are attainable. Consider the resources at your disposal and whether your goal is realistic given those resources.
Relevant: Your goals should align with your larger business objectives. For example, if your business objective is to increase sales, a relevant goal might be to “increase email marketing conversion rate by 10%”.
Time-bound: Every goal needs a timeline. Deadlines help to prevent everyday tasks from taking priority over your longer-term goals.
Breaking Down Goals into Tasks
Once you have your SMART goals outlined, the next step is to break these goals down into smaller, manageable tasks or sub-goals. This approach allows you to create a tangible action plan and prevents the goals from seeming too overwhelming. For instance, if your goal is to increase website traffic from social media by 20%, tasks might include creating a content calendar, increasing posting frequency, or running targeted ad campaigns.
Prioritising and Scheduling Tasks
With your list of tasks at hand, the next step involves prioritisation. Identify which tasks are most critical to your goal achievement and rank them accordingly. Then, create a schedule to keep you on track. Consistency is key in Internet marketing, and having a well-structured schedule can be a major asset.
Regular Review and Goal Adjustment
Setting goals is not a one-off activity. It’s important to regularly review your goals to ensure they still align with your business objectives, the changing market landscape, and customer behaviours. Don’t be afraid to adjust your goals as necessary. This is not a sign of failure, but rather an indication of flexibility and adaptability, both of which are valuable traits in the world of online marketing.
In conclusion, goal setting is a powerful practice that can significantly impact your success as an online marketer. But even with perfect goal-setting practices, it can be challenging to manage all aspects of an online business. This is where ‘done for you’ business opportunities come into play. These programs handle all the elements of online marketing, from website creation to email writing and training, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business.
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This is a guest post from Gordon Bendall if you would like to be considered for a guest post please contact me.
