Digital marketing plan example

Use this digital marketing plan example structured around our RACE Planning Framework to help create your own plan

How will this digital marketing plan example help me and my business?

We regularly get asked for examples of our frameworks as we know it helps to see the how, not just the why. We’ve created this completed digital marketing plan example for our members to help you see how you can structure your own marketing plan and what sort of content you can include.

The example plan is for a fictitious B2C retail company - Wow Accessories - an online e-commerce fashion accessories site. The plan goes through the company’s objectives, strategic plans, and actions to implement. If you work in B2B marketing, see our B2B digital marketing plan example.

The digital marketing plan example is available as a Microsoft Word download so you can edit parts of it for your own plan if needed. Text is minimized since most managers don't have the time to read or write it, but is included in certain areas to help explain concepts and decisions to senior management. It also features a series of tables summarizing the current situation, strategies for improvement and proposed actions for a quick overview.

The example plan includes a:

One page summary table for digital strategy
Digital marketing-specific TOWs matrix summary
A summary KPI dashboard for RACE measures
A review prioritizing targeting options
Actions for future investment and summary budget

Who is this example for?

The example is to support anyone creating a digital marketing plan or strategy. It is a consumer marketing plan, so will be most useful for B2C marketers. However, the structure may be useful for B2B marketers too.

How is the example plan structured?

The example is structured using objectives defined across the Smart Insights RACE Growth System, which incorporates the RACE Planning System and the OSA process. Sections are broken down into smaller, actionable parts using OSA:

Opportunity – Review current business contribution of digital channels through refining dashboards and set future objectives based on an in-depth marketplace review.
Strategy – Define an overall digital channel strategy or specific strategy focused on customer acquisition (Reach), Conversion (Act and Convert) and customer retention and loyalty (long-term engagement).
Action – Details of specific tactics to implement the strategy such as planning and integrating content marketing, SEO, Social media and email marketing into marketing campaigns.

Resource Details

Authors: Annmarie Hanlon, consultant at Evonomie and Dr. Dave Chaffey
Format: Long-form 16-page example Word template and shorter, one-page strategy summary tables to amend for your business.
Related resources: Word digital marketing strategy workbook structured around the Smart Insights RACE Planning Framework.

About the authors

Annmarie Hanlon

Annmarie Hanlon

Annmarie Hanlon is the Smart Insights expert commentator on online and offline marketing strategies for business. Annmarie is the MD of Evonomie and author of Quick Win Marketing, and co-author of Quick Win Digital Marketing. She runs social media workshops in the UK and Ireland and shares marketing tips and news in her blog, B2B Marketing. You can follow Annmarie on Twitter or connect on LinkedIn.

Dr. Dave Chaffey

Dave is co-founder of Smart Insights and creator of the Smart Insights RACE Planning Framework. For his full profile, or to connect on LinkedIn or other social networks, see the About Dave Chaffey profile page on Smart Insights. Dave is author of 5 bestselling books on digital marketing including Digital Marketing Excellence and Digital Marketing: Strategy, Implementation and Practice. In 2004 he was recognized by the Chartered Institute of Marketing as one of 50 marketing ‘gurus’ worldwide who have helped shape the future of marketing.