As with any other critical business activity, your online and digital marketing campaigns should be monitored to ensure it's working to its full potential. Best performance outcomes and high returns on investment can only be achieved by taking stock and improving on what you're already doing or are planning to do. The problem, however, is that many marketing campaigns go awry because there's no such monitoring system in place. This is where a highly valued audit is the solution.
Ensuring practice connects with real results, customized online and digital marketing audits are designed to:
- Identify problematic and inadequate return on investment (ROI) activities
- Uncover reasons for underperformance
- Present solutions and available opportunities
- Deliver strategic advice and quality recommendations
There are three types of audits that your organization may want to consider.
The Pre-Strategy Audit: A First-Rate Planning Support Tool
Many not-for-profits fail to evaluate whether a digital marketing activity they intend to implement will provide the returns they require. Instead, they rush headlong into their marketing efforts and ultimately become frustrated with suboptimal outcomes. It's only at this stage that they consider performing an audit, having already lost valuable time, investment dollars, energy, morale and prospective donors. A Pre-Strategy Audit ensures that not-for-profits objectively address the questions: Is the activity really beneficial to my organization? Or, am I just jumping in because everyone else is?
Internet Marketing (IM) Audits: Find Out How to Improve Your Existing IM Campaign Beyond Recognition
Continual improvement and best practice performance are at the core of IM audits. These audits are focused on increasing results, implementing best practices in your industry and growing your organization. Some questions to ask include the following:
- Are your IM campaign results what you predicted?
- Are your IM programs underperforming?
- Are competitors leaving you behind online?
- Are you unsure of your campaign's future direction?
- Are you looking to streamline your IM expenses?
- Do you need better returns on your IM investment?
An IM audit examines myriad activities and can consist of:
- Current website
- Online search demand
- Google natural / Organic SEO
- Not-for-profit Google advertising grant management
- Social media
- Online competitors
- International landscaping / benchmarking
- Email marketing
- Online IP, landing page and domain name
- Third party landing sites
- Online profiles
- Google map
- Green internet marketing
- Images profile analysis
- Traditional marketing online opportunities
- New and emerging technologies
- Positioning review: IM and business goals
Independent Audit: Third Party, Objective Auditing for Maximum Results
Within the marketing industry, it is common to have the same firm auditing and pitching to solve the problems they find or purport to have found. Depending upon the scenario in question, this can be somewhat dubious. Suggested remedies might not always be for the benefit of your not-for-profit; rather, it is to line the provider's pocket. An independent audit can perform an objective, independent review and evaluation of your current or proposed online or digital marketing strategy. Other benefits of an independent audit of your marketing campaign include:
- Impartiality
- Fresh eyes
- Best practice standards
- Quality assurance
Guest contributor Justin Hall is the General Manager at Zanity USA.
Copyright © 2016, CBIZ, Inc. All rights reserved. Contents of this publication may not be reproduced without the express written consent of CBIZ. This publication is distributed with the understanding that CBIZ is not rendering legal, accounting or other professional advice. The reader is advised to contact a tax professional prior to taking any action based upon this information. CBIZ assumes no liability whatsoever in connection with the use of this information and assumes no obligation to inform the reader of any changes in tax laws or other factors that could affect the information contained herein.
CBIZ MHM is the brand name for CBIZ MHM, LLC, a national professional services company providing tax, financial advisory and consulting services to individuals, tax-exempt organizations and a wide range of publicly-traded and privately-held companies. CBIZ MHM, LLC is a fully owned subsidiary of CBIZ, Inc. (NYSE: CBZ).