The Easiest Web Marketing Plan Ever (and Why Content is Like Cheese)

In The Boring Truth About Internet Marketing I outlined seven ways to make marketing easier for you as an online business owner. This time I want to talk about strategic planning, or more specifically, why you’re probably making it way too hard. I’m going to strip away all manner of complexity and creativity so you can see how dead simple good marketing ?plans? really are. I have a bigger point to prove here which I?ll elaborate on in a minute.

Before you review the Easiest Web Marketing Plan Ever, ask yourself how many times you’ve made something simple into something hard. Then ask yourself how many times that paid off for you. If you can afford those odds, good for you. If you’re a sensible person and would rather spend time and money on what makes the biggest difference to your clients–and to your bottom line–take heed of this plan.

I present to you The Easiest Web Marketing Plan Ever: 

1) Create a unique value promise for a defined market.
2) Build a clean, easy-to-use 5-page website on WordPress.
3) Add clear, crisp copy that illustrates and supports your promise.
4) Blog 2-4 times a month and publish updates via email to your list.
5) Create profiles on two of Facebook, twitter and LinkedIn.
6) Check in, share and converse at least twice weekly on the above.

If you paid someone $5,000 to tell you that, I?m sorry. But most web marketing plans or ?strategies? are built on this basic foundation.

Yet how can this be true if every business is so different? And why does each business enjoy (or suffer) such varying degrees of success?

Because it?s all about the content. Yes, web design matters. Usability matters. SEO matters. And to some extent, branding and image matter too. But there are plenty of basic?even boring or tacky?looking websites and landing pages using basic ?campaigns? that do very, very well.

The Cheese Stands Alone. And So Must Your Content.

If you stripped away the hype and the flash, the expensive logo and the uber cool Facebook page, your content should still cause a reaction. It should still draw the right people in and encourage a decision. It should add value. All. By. Itself. Good content easily stands alone.

Invest in your content. Make sure your products and services contain the best of you. Hone your copy. Strive for a message that aligns your good work with your best audience. Build out from there. Follow the six steps above. Screw the bells and whistles. And please, run away from any Internet marketer who says you need them (a basic WordPress site is still your best starting point).

Above all, stay focused on why you started a business in the first place: to connect your value with the people who need it most. That?s the best ?strategy? of all.

What do YOU think? Am I oversimplifying? Or could I simplify even more? Please share in the Comments below.

PS: If you get the cheese reference, you rock. Just sayin’