Planning Your Online Marketing

This article shows you how to plan your online marketing strategy for your Irish business website.

Know Your Target Customers

Before you start any marketing, write down who your customers are. Ask yourself:

What age group do they belong to?
Where do they live (your local area, all of Ireland, or wider)?
What problems does your business solve for them?
How do they currently find businesses like yours?

Write this information down. You'll use it to decide where to focus your marketing efforts.

Choose Your Marketing Channels

Don't try to be everywhere at once. Pick 2-3 marketing channels that make sense for your business:

Google My Business - Essential for local Irish businesses. Set up your free listing with your address, phone number, and opening hours.

Social Media - Choose one platform where your customers spend time. Facebook works well for most Irish businesses. Instagram suits visual businesses like restaurants or hair salons.

Email Marketing - Collect customer email addresses through your website. Use services like Mailchimp to send newsletters or special offers.

Local Directories - Get listed on GoldenPages.ie and other Irish business directories.

You can add newsletter signup forms to your Web60 website to start collecting email addresses.

Create a Content Plan

Plan what content you'll share each week. This might include:

Behind-the-scenes photos of your work
Tips related to your industry
Customer success stories
Local community involvement

Write down 4-6 content ideas you can rotate through each month. This saves time and ensures you always have something to post.

Set Up Your Website for Marketing Success

Your website needs to work well with your marketing:

Add a clear contact form on every page
Include your phone number and address prominently
Create specific landing pages for different marketing campaigns
Add customer testimonials to build trust

Make sure your website clearly explains what you do and how customers can get in touch.

Track What Works

Set up simple tracking to see which marketing efforts bring in customers:

Ask new customers how they found you
Use Google Analytics to see which pages people visit most
Track phone calls and form submissions from your website
Monitor your Google My Business views and calls

Check these numbers monthly and focus more effort on what's working.

Plan Your Marketing Calendar

Create a simple monthly plan:

Week 1: Focus on social media posts
Week 2: Send email newsletter
Week 3: Update Google My Business with photos
Week 4: Ask happy customers for reviews

Adjust this schedule based on your available time and what works for your business.

If you're still stuck with your marketing planning, contact Web60 support for guidance on making your website work better with your marketing efforts.

FAQ

Q: How much should I spend on online marketing each month?

A: Start with what you can afford consistently, even if it's just €50-100 per month. It's better to maintain steady, small efforts than to spend heavily once and then stop.

A: Facebook works well for most Irish businesses because it has the largest local user base. Instagram suits visual businesses, while LinkedIn works for B2B companies.

A: Start with 2-3 posts per week on one platform. Consistency matters more than frequency. It's better to post twice weekly for months than daily for two weeks then nothing.

Q: Do I need to hire a marketing agency?

A: Not initially. Start with simple marketing tasks yourself to understand what works for your business. You can hire help later once you know what's effective.

Q: How long does online marketing take to show results?

A: Most online marketing efforts take 3-6 months to show meaningful results. Google My Business listings can help within weeks, but social media and email marketing need more time to build up.

A: For local Irish businesses, start with Google My Business as it helps customers find you when they're actively searching. Add social media once your Google presence is established.

Q: How do I measure if my marketing is working?

A: Track simple metrics like new customer inquiries, website visitors, and phone calls. Ask every new customer how they found you and keep a simple record.