Did you know businesses that document their marketing strategy are 313% more likely to report success?
As 2024 comes to a close, it’s the perfect time not just to celebrate your wins, but also take a good look at what worked and what didn’t in your digital marketing. Think of it like a yearly check-up for your business, but instead of the doctor’s office, we’re looking at your website, social media, and everything in between!
By doing a digital marketing audit, you can find hidden opportunities, make smarter decisions, and get way better results from your marketing efforts.
Ready to dive in? Here’s your 5-step guide to a powerful year-end digital marketing audit.
Step 1: Analyze Your 2024 Goals and Performance
Start by reviewing the goals you set at the beginning of 2024. Did you want more people to visit your website? Did you want to get more leads or make more sales?
Now is the time to check if you hit those targets!
- Did your website traffic go up?
- How many new followers did you get on social media?
- Did your paid ads bring in new customers?
- Which campaigns delivered the best results?
By looking at these numbers, you can see what worked well and where you might need to make some changes. For example, if your Instagram grew a lot but your website traffic stayed the same, you may need to add more links to your website in your Instagram posts.
Create a simple report that summarizes your key numbers. This will help you see the big picture and spot areas where you really shined!
Step 2: Evaluate Your Content Strategy
Content is king! But not all content is created equal. It’s time to look closely at what worked and what didn’t in 2024.
Conduct a Content Audit
List down all the content you created this year (blog posts, videos, social media updates, etc.).
For each piece of content, identify how it performed. Did it get a lot of views, shares, and engagement? Did it achieve its goal? (e.g., drive traffic to your website, generate leads, educate your audience)
Identify Top-Performing Content
Identify your best-performing content. What made it successful? Can you replicate those elements in future content?
Content Gaps
Are there any types of content you haven’t explored? Maybe you need more videos, infographics, or in-depth guides?
Content Repurposing
Turn a high-performing blog post into an infographic, a series of social media posts, or a video.
For instance, if your blog post on ‘5 Tips for Better Work-Life Balance’ received high traffic and engagement, you could repurpose it into an infographic, a podcast episode, or a social media carousel to continue reaching your audience in new formats. Repurposing content saves time and maximizes value.
Step 3: Audit Your Social Media Presence
Social media is often where customers first interact with your brand. A comprehensive review ensures your platforms stay relevant and impactful.
Platform Performance
Think of each social media platform as its own unique world. What works on Instagram might not fly on LinkedIn. You need to understand how each platform performs for your business to get the most out of your efforts.
For example, Instagram might see higher engagement during weekends, while LinkedIn posts might perform better mid-week. Use platform-specific insights to adjust your posting schedule for maximum impact.
Content Effectiveness
Creating great content is essential, but it’s only half the battle. You also need to ensure you’re posting the right content at the right time.
Take a look back at the content you’ve posted this year. Ask yourself these questions:
- Are you posting regularly?
- What types of content performed best (images, videos, text posts, Stories)?
- Which topics resonated most with your audience?
- Did your content achieve its goals (e.g., drive traffic, generate leads, increase brand awareness)?
Step 4: Review Paid Advertising Efforts
Paid advertising can be a great way to reach new customers, but it’s important to ensure you’re getting a good return on your investment.
Campaign Goals
Start by revisiting the goals you set for your ad campaigns. What were you trying to achieve? Was it website traffic, leads, or sales?
Next, dive into the key metrics.
- Ad Spend: How much did you spend on your ads?
- Cost-per-click (CPC): How much did you pay for each click on your ad?
- Conversions: How many people took the desired action (e.g., made a purchase, filled out a form)?
- Return on Investment (ROI): Are you making more money from your ads than you’re spending?
Analyze ROI and determine which strategies to scale. Eliminate ad spend on underperforming campaigns and reallocate to high-impact efforts.
Step 5: Refresh Your Website and SEO
Your website is your online home base. Make sure it’s optimized to attract visitors and convert them into customers.
Begin by analyzing your website traffic:
- How many people are visiting your website?
- Where are they coming from?
- Which pages are they visiting most?
Next, evaluate your SEO performance:
- Keyword Rankings: Where do you rank in search results for important keywords?
- Backlinks: How many other websites are linking to yours?
- Technical SEO: Is your website technically sound (fast loading speed, mobile-friendly, easy for search engines to crawl)?
Identify 3-5 underperforming pages on your website and give them a refresh. Optimize them with relevant keywords, improve the content, and add visuals.
Bonus Step: Create an Action Plan for 2025
The insights you gain from your audit are only valuable if you act on them. Create a detailed action plan for 2025 with specific, measurable goals.
Example Goals:
- Increase blog traffic by 30% by publishing two articles per month.
- Double Instagram engagement by focusing on video content.
- Launch a targeted email campaign to improve customer retention.
Pro Tip: Break your goals into quarterly objectives to make them manageable and trackable.
Your Roadmap to a Successful 2025!
Congratulations! You’ve just taken a major step towards a successful 2025. By reflecting on your successes and addressing areas for growth, you’re well on your way to more engagement, leads, and conversions.
Remember, a digital marketing audit isn’t a one-time event. It’s an ongoing process of continuous improvement.
Need help auditing your digital marketing strategy or creating a powerful plan for 2025? Let’s work together to ensure your marketing efforts are aligned for maximum growth. Schedule a free consultation with us today!
