3.
Strategy and Tactics
3.1. SMART Objectives
Boulders Climbing is an indoor climbing facility that provides services such as climbing walls
for all skill levels, soft play for children, activities, and yoga/fitness sessions. The customer
wants to create a digital marketing plan that would encourage new users aged 18-25 to attempt
wall climbing for the first time, as well as fulfil the following main objectives:
Increase user interaction on social media channels to get the brand into the 'consideration
set' of customers.
Boost the amount of user-generated material on digital channels to boost word-of-mouth
and brand exposure.
Enhance website traffic and conversions to increase reservations and visits.
To accomplish these objectives, Chaffey and Ellis-Chadwick (2019) states SMART objectives
must be develop based on customer information and scenario analysis. This part of the report
will go through the planned digital marketing strategy and tactics, as well as the budget,
resources, and timetable.
Boulders' primary geographic market is persons in Cardiff and the surrounding regions who are
actively involved in health, fitness, exercise, and wellness. There are three behavioural consumer
profiles in this geographic market:
Client profile 1: Those who are tired of typical types of exercise, such as going to the
gym, and have previously investigated or tried CrossFit or something similar.
Client profile 2: Those who prefer to avoid traditional sports but nonetheless live an
active and sociable lifestyle.
Client profile 3: Someone searching for a new challenge, who may begin triathlon for the
challenge and fitness advantages.
These are the following (SMART) targets to accomplish the client’s goal (Piñeiro-Otero and
Martínez-Rolán, 2016):
1. Increase social media followers by 20% over the next three months - This objective aims
to increase brand awareness and consideration among the target audience through a
combination of free and paid content promotion on Instagram and Facebook.
2. Produce at least 50 user-generated social media posts with the hashtag
#BouldersClimbing throughout the next six months - This objective aims to increase
brand awareness and consideration by encouraging user-generated content and building
social proof.
3. Increase online reservations by 30% during the next six months - This objective aims to
increase conversion by improving the website's user experience and adopting retargeting
ads to persuade visitors who browsed the website but did not book to return and make a
booking.
3.2. Strategy
According to Hanlon (2021), Hanlon's framework for developing a digital marketing strategy
may be modified to concentrate on particular phases of the client journey, such awareness,
consideration, conversion, and enthusiasm. The application of the framework to each level is as
follows:
Awareness: Build brand awareness and recall by concentrating on recruiting and reaching a
bigger audience. Search engine optimization, social media marketing, and content marketing are
possible tactics.
Consideration: Motivate audience members to think about the business and the
products/services have to offer. Email marketing, retargeting advertisements, and lead generating
campaigns are a few such strategies.
Conversion: Transforming potential consumers into buyers. The use of appealing online design,
obvious calls to action, and improved checkout procedures are some possible strategies.
Enthusiasm: Encourage pleased consumers to promote and advocate for the brand. User-
generated content initiatives, referral schemes, and loyalty programmes are possible strategies.
Figure: Hanlon’s Digital Marketing Strategy
Source: Author’s Creation
The common theme between the three objectives is increasing brand awareness and
consideration, as well as driving conversion through digital marketing strategies. A digital
marketing strategy that increases conversion and adoption of retargeting ads to drive visitors
back to the website and make a booking while increasing awareness and consideration among the
target audience on social media (Instagram and Facebook) through organic and sponsored
content marketing. As per Hanlon (2020), the particular methods of digital marketing that might
be applied are as follows:
Social media marketing involves producing and disseminating interesting material on
Facebook and Instagram to get more fans and promote user-generated content with the
hashtag #BouldersClimbing.
In order to enhance user experience and increase conversions, websites need to include
helpful and compelling content.
Retargeting advertising are used to target website users who did not make a reservation
with targeted ads in an effort to entice them back and turn them into clients.
3.3. Tactics
Goal 1: Increase user interaction on social media channels in order to place the brand into the
'consideration set' of customers.
Actions:
To increase user engagement on social media platforms, high-quality material that is
beneficial to the target audience will be produced and promoted. The material will be
made with the intention of eliciting user interaction like likes, comments, and shares
(Ashley and Tuten, 2015).
Post more regularly - Posting more frequently on social media platforms can assist to
boost user engagement and brand visibility. Based on their resources and intended
demographic, the client will need to choose a suitable publishing schedule.
Make use of sponsored content marketing - Paid content promotion on social media sites
like Facebook and Instagram may aid in boosting brand recognition and reaching a
broader audience. In order to ensure that the marketing reaches the intended audience, the
client can set a budget for sponsored promotion and focus on particular demographics
and interests.
Digital Marketing Practices: Social media advertising, influencer marketing, and content
marketing are examples of digital marketing strategies that can increase user engagement on
social media.
Appropriate Approaches for the Client: The customer's demands are best served and most
relevant by content marketing and social media advertising given the size of the client and their
resources.
Current Situation: Although the client already uses social media platforms, their content and
posting frequency may need to be improved to increase user engagement. In order to increase
user engagement, the emphasis will be on improvement, adding more high-quality material, and
upping the frequency of updates
Content Creation: The facilities, neighbourhood, and climbing events will be highlighted in the
content provided. On Facebook and Instagram, a combination of free and paid marketing will be
used to spread the word about the material. The price will vary according to the client's spending
plan and the amount of paid advertising they decide to use.
Goal 2: Promote user-generated content on digital channels to increase word-of-mouth and brand
exposure.
Actions:
Boulders Climbing Gym will give away freebies each month to users who use the hashtag
#BouldersClimbing in their posts to encourage users to do so. This reward will motivate
people to create content and promote the hashtag (Mayrhofer, 2020).
User-generated material reposting - The gym will repost user-generated content on their
social media platforms, which will not only inspire more user-generated content but also
provide social proof.
Interact with content-creating users – The gym will interact with content-creating users
who use the hashtag #BouldersClimbing. This will promote a feeling of community
among users and motivate them to keep creating material.
Digital Marketing Practices:
Content marketing, social media advertising, and influencer marketing are examples of digital
marketing techniques that can increase user engagement on social media.
Appropriate Approaches for the Client: Content marketing is most appropriate and pertinent to
the client's demands given the client's resources and budget.
Current Situation: Several of these techniques are already being used by the customer, who
occasionally posts user-generated material. The emphasis will be on enhancing user interaction
and increasing the frequency of uploading user-generated material.
Content Creation: Users will provide the material, which will highlight their experiences at
Boulders Climbing Gym. By sharing user-generated material on Facebook and Instagram, the
content will gain organic exposure. The price will be capped to the freebies given out each month
to users who create content using the hashtag #BouldersClimbing.
Goal 3: Increase website traffic and conversions to increase reservations and visits.
Actions:
Improved website user experience - Boulders Climbing Gym will improve the user
experience on its website. This entails making sure the website is simple to use, loads
quickly, and has obvious calls to action (De Pelsmacker, 2018).
Retargeting advertising will be used by the gym to connect with website users who have
previously viewed the page but did not make a reservation. This will rekindle their
interest in the gym and motivate them to schedule a visit.
Give rewards for booking online - The gym will give rewards to patrons who reserve
online. Providing a discount on their initial booking or a free session in exchange for
scheduling several sessions in advance are two examples.
Digital Marketing Practices: Search engine optimization (SEO), sponsored search advertising,
and retargeting advertisements are examples of digital marketing techniques that may enhance
website user experience and encourage visitors to make reservations online.
Appropriate Approaches for the Client: Retargeting advertising are most suited and relevant to
the client's demands given the resources and money available to them.
Current Situation: Retargeting advertising are not presently being used by the client. Using this
approach will be emphasised in order to boost website conversions.
Content Creation: Although the material developed for retargeting advertising may vary, it will
be suited to persuade users to come back to the website and make a reservation. Paid advertising
will be used to promote the adverts on websites like Facebook and Google. The price will be
handled within the client's budget and will rely on the ad spend and cost per click.
3.4. Budget and Timeline
Budget:
The budget for the proposed digital marketing strategy will depend on the specific tactics
implemented and the overall marketing goals. However, based on industry standards and the
scope of the proposed plan, Boulders Climbing's monthly budget could range from $10,000 to
$20,000 per month. This budget will include the costs of influencer marketing, content
production, SEO optimization, retargeting campaigns, and any other fees that may be incurred.
Boulders Climbing may need to recruit extra workers or engage a digital marketing firm to
properly implement the mentioned approaches. The team will need resources to develop high-
quality content, communicate with influencers, and handle the website's day-to-day operations.
Timeline:
Boulders Climbing's suggested digital marketing strategy will be implemented over a 6-month
timeframe. The timetable will be broken into three sections:
Figure: Gantt Chart
Source: Author’s Creation
Phase 1 (Months 1-2):
The team will do market research at the start of the project, develop a content marketing strategy,
set up a referral programme, and choose the right influencers. The website will also be evaluated
to identify areas for development that will enhance user experience and boost search engine
optimization.
Phase 2 (Months 3-4):
The second phase, which spans months three and four, will be focused on creating top-notch
content, establishing relationships with influencers, and starting retargeting campaigns. To find
areas that need adjustment, the marketing techniques' efficacy will be assessed.
Phase 3 (Months 5-6):
The team will polish the marketing tactics in the last phase, which takes place in months five and
six, to get the best outcomes. They will keep an eye on performance metrics and tweak as
necessary to boost conversion rates.
4. Evaluation and Control
Boulders Climbing's digital marketing plan will be continuously monitored and analysed
throughout its execution to ensure that it meets its goals. The following measures will be used to
assess the strategy's performance (Ghahremani-Nahr and Nozari, 2021):
Metrics for social media include engagement, reach, impressions, follower growth rate,
and click-through rate.
Click-through rate, cost per click, conversion rate, and quality score are all PPC metrics.
Organic search traffic, keyword ranks, backlinks, domain authority, and page authority
are all SEO metrics.
It is critical to distinguish between organic and paid metrics. Organic metrics are based
on user interaction from non-paid digital marketing techniques like social media and
SEO, whereas paid metrics are based on user engagement from paid digital marketing
tactics like PPC and display advertising.
To ensure the successful implementation of the digital marketing strategy, contingency planning
should be in place. If performance measurements show that the strategy is not reaching its goals,
the client should be prepared to adapt tactics and make appropriate revisions. For example, the
customer can boost engagement and reach by utilising influencers or user-generated content.
Setting explicit terms and conditions, as well as expectations, for cooperation with influencers,
may also assist to mitigate any possible difficulties. Frequent performance assessments and
modifications are vital to ensure the effectiveness of the digital marketing plan.
Reference
Chaffey, D. and Ellis-Chadwick, F., 2019. Digital marketing. Pearson uk.
Piñeiro-Otero, T. and Martínez-Rolán, X., 2016. Understanding digital marketing—basics and
actions. MBA: Theory and application of business and management principles, pp.37-74.
Hanlon, A., 2021. Digital marketing: strategic planning & integration. Digital Marketing, pp.1-
100.
Hanlon, A., 2020. Ethics in Digital Marketing and Social Media. The SAGE Handbook of
Marketing Ethics, p.424.
Ashley, C. and Tuten, T., 2015. Creative strategies in social media marketing: An exploratory
study of branded social content and consumer engagement. Psychology & marketing, 32(1),
pp.15-27.
Mayrhofer, M., Matthes, J., Einwiller, S. and Naderer, B., 2020. User generated content
presenting brands on social media increases young adults’ purchase intention. International
Journal of Advertising, 39(1), pp.166-186.
De Pelsmacker, P., Van Tilburg, S. and Holthof, C., 2018. Digital marketing strategies, online
reviews and hotel performance. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 72, pp.47-55.
Ghahremani-Nahr, J. and Nozari, H., 2021. A Survey for Investigating Key Performance
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