“I want to do some marketing.”
This is how most marketing conversations start. When I ask what they’re trying to achieve, the answer is usually “more money coming in.”
That’s a goal, not a strategy. And without strategy, marketing becomes expensive experimentation hoping something works.
What marketing actually requires
My degree focused on the human dimensions of internet technology – how people actually use digital tools, collaborate online and form communities. Not just the technology, but the social and cultural context around it.
This matters because marketing isn’t about platforms or tactics. It’s about understanding how your customers actually behave, where they spend time, what influences their decisions and how to reach them in ways that feel helpful rather than intrusive.
Running ads on social media or Google is a tactic. It’s not marketing. Marketing is understanding who your customers are, what problems they’re trying to solve and how to connect your solution to their needs in the places they’re already looking.
Understanding your audience (actually)
Every successful marketing strategy starts with knowing your customers. Not demographic data – actual understanding of their needs, preferences and pain points.
This means talking to them. Watching how they interact with your business and your competitors. Understanding what frustrates them about current solutions. Identifying what would make their lives easier or better.
I’ve worked with clients who assumed they knew their audience, built entire marketing campaigns around those assumptions, then discovered their actual customers were completely different people with different needs.
Skip this step and you’ll spend money reaching the wrong people with the wrong message in the wrong places.
Social media (when it makes sense)
Social media platforms provide ways to connect with audiences and build awareness. But “being on social media” isn’t a strategy.
Choose platforms where your actual customers spend time, not platforms you personally prefer or that seem trendy. If your customers are on LinkedIn, Instagram won’t help. If they’re on Facebook, TikTok is irrelevant.
Create content that’s actually useful to your audience – tutorials showing how to solve problems they have, behind-the-scenes glimpses that build trust, customer stories demonstrating real outcomes.
Respond when people engage. Social media is called “social” for a reason – it’s conversation, not broadcasting.
I’ve run social media for community groups and businesses for years. The ones that work treat it as community building. The ones that fail treat it as free advertising.
Email marketing that people want
Building an email list gives you direct access to people who’ve chosen to hear from you. This is valuable because you’re not dependent on platform algorithms or ad spend.
But only if people actually want to receive your emails.
Send content that’s useful, not just promotional – industry insights, practical tips, relevant updates. When you do promote something, make it genuinely valuable to that specific audience.
Newsletters work when they deliver consistent value. Promotional emails work when they’re infrequent and actually relevant. Constant sales pitches just get ignored or marked as spam.
Content marketing beyond blog posts
High-quality content builds trust and demonstrates expertise. But “content marketing” doesn’t mean posting blog articles nobody reads.
Create content in formats your audience actually consumes. If they don’t read long articles, make videos. If they prefer quick tips, use infographics. If they want detailed analysis, write comprehensive guides.
Focus on genuinely helping your audience solve problems or understand their options. The goal isn’t traffic – it’s building trust so when they’re ready to buy, you’re the obvious choice.
I’ve worked on content marketing for open-source software communities where the “product” is free. Content worked because it helped people succeed with the software, which built community and brought contributors. Same principle applies to commercial businesses – help first, sell second.
Influencer partnerships (carefully)
Partnering with influencers can expand your reach – if their audience genuinely aligns with your customer base and their values align with your brand.
Most influencer marketing fails because businesses chase follower counts rather than audience fit. Ten thousand followers who aren’t your target customers delivers zero value.
Work with people whose audience trusts their recommendations and who would genuinely use your product themselves. Forced partnerships are obvious and damage credibility for both parties.
Customer reviews and testimonials
Positive reviews build trust. Negative reviews handled well also build trust by demonstrating you care about customer experience and fix problems.
Encourage customers to leave reviews on Google and industry-relevant platforms. Make it easy – send a direct link, explain it helps other customers find you and appreciate when people do it.
Use testimonials in marketing materials, but real ones. People can spot generic “great service, highly recommend” testimonials. Specific details about problems solved and outcomes achieved are convincing.
Budget-conscious marketing approaches
You can achieve solid marketing results without large budgets by focusing on what actually works rather than what looks impressive.
Collaborate with complementary businesses to reach each other’s audiences. Participate in community initiatives that connect you with potential customers naturally. Run referral programs that reward existing customers for recommending you.
These approaches work because they leverage existing relationships and community rather than trying to buy attention.
Measure what matters
Track marketing performance to identify what’s working and what isn’t – but track meaningful metrics, not vanity metrics.
Social media follower counts don’t matter if none of them become customers. Website traffic doesn’t matter if visitors leave immediately. Email open rates don’t matter if nobody clicks through or takes action.
Track metrics connected to actual business outcomes: leads generated, conversion rates, customer acquisition cost, lifetime customer value. These indicate whether marketing delivers return on investment.
Use analytics tools to understand which channels, content types and messages drive results, then allocate resources accordingly.
The human dimensions matter most
The human dimensions of internet technology – how people actually use digital tools and form communities – matter more than which specific platforms or tactics you choose. Successful marketing strategy shares common elements regardless of the business: clear understanding of audience, consistent valuable content, authentic engagement and patience to build trust over time rather than expecting immediate results.
