Is creating marketing campaigns your professional breath of fresh air? Then you surely know how important a GOOD game plan is. Establishing priorities and an action plan, analyzing undertaken activities, and monitoring results. Keeping your finger on the pulse is essential. If you agree with these assumptions, the SOSTAC® model is your ally on the road to business success!
These days, few companies can afford to be absent from the internet. Consumers are accustomed to having even the most sophisticated desires, or at least information about them, always at their fingertips. They're waiting for us, for example, in our pants or coat pockets, because that's where our smartphones rest, eager to offer us sound advice and a list of stores that will fulfill our shopping dreams. To effectively break the competitive wave, you need a plan. A good plan for online operations.
Interestingly, according to research conducted by Smart Insights, as many as 49% of companies lack a documented digital marketing strategy. Furthermore, over half of the organizations that do have one have a significant percentage of those who don't integrate their digital marketing strategy with their overall marketing strategy. Shocking and disbelieving! Yet it happens.
Why? Because there's a widespread belief that planning is tedious, difficult, and tiresome, and it yields no results. Is that really true? See how the SOSTAC® strategy model debunks this myth!
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SOSTAC® – what is its history?
To delve deeper into the SOSTAC® strategy, we have to go back to the 90s 😉
It was then that PR Smith created a popular digital marketing optimization model, which he developed for nearly 14 years! It's worth noting that "in those years," work on online marketing strategy was truly pioneering. The collected materials and data were compiled into the book "Strategic Marketing Communications," which was published in 2004.
Despite the passage of time, the SOSTAC® strategy model remains relevant and used by both small agencies and specialists in large, international organizations. This may be due to its very simple form and timeless business relationships. Let's take a closer look.
The SOSTAC® Strategy Model – Get to Know It Inside
Anyone looking for a transparent and intuitive way to structure their planning process has come to the right place. The SOSTAC® model also allows for in-depth and valuable analysis of the current situation and the impact of actions taken. A multi-stage digital marketing process ensures better decision-making and the achievement of set goals.
The SOSTAC® model consists of six simple and clear steps. Each step builds on the previous one, and its initial letters spell out the name of the entire strategy:
S – Situation Analysis, i.e. analysis of the current situation and an attempt to find an answer to the question “how it is”.
O – Objectives. This means identifying problems and establishing the main goal we want to achieve.
S – Strategy. Clarifying how we will achieve our goals.
T – Tactics. We define specific actions that must be taken to achieve the goal.
A – Action. Action. Finally, time for action!
C – Control. It has long been known that it is the highest form of trust :).
Before we move on to a detailed description of the individual stages, listen to what its creator says about building a strategy based on SOSTAC® .
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SOSTAC® – a strategy model described STEP BY STEP
SOSTAC® is always worth considering when you need a well-thought-out, long-term strategy, especially in digital marketing . Below, you'll find a detailed description of the individual stages, which are closely interconnected and follow one another. Are you ready to explore SOSTAC® from every angle? Let's get started!
Step 1. "S" – unemotional analysis
It involves a thorough examination and assessment of the company's situation. This is absolutely essential immediately after selecting the product or service you want to promote. Without examining the company and our product and determining where we currently stand, we won't be able to proceed to the next stages of the method described. What are our capabilities? Who are our customers – current and future? We should also consider the external factors that influence the company's daily operations. SWOT analysis, hot trends – smile broadly at them! Before starting your SOSTAC® adventure, consider:
- what are the biggest problems or shortcomings in your digital activities,
- do you have sufficient resources (financial, content and human) to achieve your goals,
- what channels you are trying to reach the customer through and which ones actually work.
But that's not all. Because the internet is a sea of possibilities, the competition is also endless. Take a look at them and study what options you have to separate them, to leave them behind. What does their strategy look like? What are they positioning for? Tools like Google Trends or Keyword Planner can be useful when planning and selecting keywords .
Step 2. "O" – Setting a Goal
After a thorough analysis, the digital marketing strategy's goals are refined . Some of the most important goals include increasing sales by 30% in six months, improving efficiency, customer service, or communication. Perhaps you're looking to build brand image, reach, and awareness? You need to know what you and your team are fighting for.
Don't limit yourself to just the assumptions of your digital strategy. You can consider the topic more broadly and consider the organization's overall business objectives.
Importantly, our goals should be measurable, achievable, and time-bound. Otherwise, they won't be monitored and actions won't be modified.
How are your company's human and financial resources? You assessed them in the first stage. If you have something to build on, define where you're headed, organize your work, and confidently move forward to the next phase!
Step 3. “S” – Strategy Counts!
We already know what we want to advertise and where our goal is. Now we need to determine what needs to happen for us to complete our business journey at our desired destination. That's S for strategy! What should we pay special attention to? First and foremost, proper targeting.
Determine your target audience. If you're there for everyone, you'll be there for… no one! Knowing who your customer is determines the form of communication. Both verbally and visually, as well as selecting the most appropriate channels. You don't want to burn through your budget on platforms and portals that won't guarantee increased conversions, right?
As we refine our strategy, we need to revisit our competition. Let's explore how we can differentiate ourselves from them. What unique values does our product, company, or service possess that others don't? Let's highlight them in our content. Let's also not underestimate the importance of a strong visual presence.
Be "some".
Be bold, be sweet, or stir up a hornet's nest. But let there be no doubt that you have something to say. You have your own unique style that sets you apart. You have the character and courage to captivate the crowd. Talk about your client's needs and possible solutions, not about yourself. Perspective is crucial! A good dose of empathy or the learned ability to "walk in your client's shoes" will come in handy.
Don't forget to clarify the systems you'll be integrating your activities with. I know, it's less grandiose, but it's still very important.
Step 4. "T" – tools in hand
At this stage, we're starting to rub our hands together – let's get down to specifics! It's time to review available tools and build an operational action plan. Which methods will we choose? What has worked in the past, and what should be abandoned? Tactics. Ladies and Gentlemen, tactics are coming into play!
An example of this is promotional activity. Choosing the right campaign channel, budget, and people who will be the living showcase of our product. Don't be afraid to combine various marketing solutions. This can sound really good!
Step 5. “A” is for action!
We're getting to our favorite part of the program… ACTION! After a relatively long period of planning and meticulously mapping out individual steps, we can finally roll up our sleeves. This is the moment when we put our plans into action! A quick glance at the checklist…
You already know who's responsible for what, and what any potential needs we need to provide externally are. Additional staff? Perhaps new technologies? Before we hear the characteristic cry of "ACTION," everything needs to be finalized, and everyone must know their role. We're not planning any duplicates!
Everyone on standby? Can we fire flares? Yikes! Posts, articles, online campaigns!
Step 6. "C" action "controlling & monitoring"
The final step in the SOSTAC® strategy model is monitoring the effects of the actions taken. This involves testing various solutions, monitoring responses, and generating reports. Based on these, we'll be able to draw reliable conclusions – the data doesn't lie. Use usability testing, A/B testing, or Google Analytics . If something isn't working, don't waste your time and money. Modify your action plan. Next time, choose different methods to reach potential customers and create new rules!
Remember!
SOSTAC® marketing and strategy require a smart balance of effort and intentions! And the proper allocation of those efforts across individual activities. Just like in a marathon, you can't "go all out" from the very beginning, or you might run out of energy just before the finish line. And that's when the real fight for victory begins! The time and resource allocation suggested by 10rano.pl is as follows:
- Analysis – 20%,
- Goals – 5%,
- Strategy – 45%,
- Tools – 30%.
prsmith.org/sostac/The SOSTAC® Model and SEO
This strategy, developed in the 90s, also works well for SEO . How can the SOSTAC® method be applied to SEO? Details below. It'll be short, concise, and to the point. That's exactly what the model assumes.
Of course, these sub-items aren't exhaustive. They're merely our subjective, loosely-structured presentation of how Peter R. Smith's planning model can be applied to SEO activities.
And so on and so forth.
Frequently asked questions about the SOSTAC model
This is one of the most popular and transparent frameworks for creating marketing strategies (including digital campaigns), developed by PR Smith. It allows for step-by-step planning, implementation, and optimization of a company's promotional activities, eliminating decision-making chaos.
The name is an acronym of six English words that denote the subsequent stages of planning: Situation, Objectives, Strategy, Tactics, Action and Control.
The starting point is always a Situation Analysis. At this stage, we answer the question "Where are we currently?" This includes examining the company's current market position, analyzing competitor activities, and precisely defining our target audience (e.g., through persona development).
Strategy is the overall idea and answer to how we intend to achieve previously established business goals (e.g., the decision to build an expert image). Tactics, on the other hand, is the step-by-step process of selecting specific tools to implement it (e.g., SEO, Google Ads, or email marketing).
Online marketing is a process, not a one-time activity. The monitoring phase involves regularly measuring key performance indicators (KPIs), analyzing data, and drawing conclusions. This allows for ongoing corrections, optimizing campaigns, and ensuring that budgets are being invested in areas that generate real profits.
Summary
The above article covers the following topics:
- what is the SOSTAC® model,
- history of the SOSTAC® model,
- SOSTAC® step-by-step explanation,
- how to implement SOSTAC®,
- SEO based on the SOSTAC® model.
