A “one size fits all” approach might work for a rain poncho, winter hat, or bargain basement sports jacket, but it is an entirely incorrect method when selecting an agency with whom you expect to build your brand.

When it comes to digital marketing, some small and mid-size businesses believe a digital budget is sophisticated language for social media. The truth is, social media is only a piece of the puzzle in the digital marketing plan. While Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok can be part of the plan, those platforms just scratch the surface of a multi-pronged approach.

A social media plan incorporates two critical but distinct parts. Organic social is the free content that includes posts you create, stories you share, and conversations with followers. The only cost is time and effort, but it’s an essential building block for conversing with followers and connecting with the community.

Paid social invests in targeted ads on platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook and others. Paid social content reaches a specific audience of potential customers, drawing immediate awareness, traffic and conversions. This comes at a cost and is separate from organic efforts.

Don’t get comfortable just yet. Organic and paid social are merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the digital marketing plan.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is just as critical, and includes two more components. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) helps get the website to rank higher in free search results. It’s not a set it and forget it detail. The most important word here is “optimization”. Businesses need to work on their website on such items as speed, mobile-friendliness and content. It takes work, but the investment pays off by bringing in a stream of traffic over time. Online tools can help businesses improve their SEO.

Paid Search (PPC) enables a business to appear at the top of search results. It’s a powerful tool for quick visibility and lead generation, but it also requires a budget for ad clicks and the ongoing management of campaigns.

Display, Programmatic and Remarketing are also part of the overall mix to drive awareness and conversion by keeping your brand top of mind as consumers make their way through the funnel from first impression to the final sale.

The final piece in the digital marketing plan involves management time, which is often the most overlooked part of the equation. This step involves writing blog posts, designing graphics and creating videos. Creation of assets takes skill and time, and should not be tasked to a business team member who dabbles in developing assets as a hobby.

A campaign will also need management to set up, monitor and optimize paid ads. Listing management is also crucial to ensure information accuracy across the various platforms where a business is listed.

Finally, analytics are essential to learn how well a business is doing, where traffic is coming from, what content is working, and what the audience is leaning into. Good analysis will help guide future decision-making.

One size fits all? Some agencies might promise budget savings with that approach, but it’s not a good practice in building a business’s brand.