The KISS mantra, “Keep it simple, stupid,” started out as a design principle introduced by the U.S. Navy in 1960. But, its core idea is one that can be applied to more than just the design process. Online marketing, like so many other industries, can benefit from a healthy dose of simplicity.
Here are seven ways to apply the KISS mantra to your online marketing strategy:
#1. Speak in a Language Everyone Can Understand
Keep your online communications simple by dumping the technical jargon. We get it – you use technical terms to demonstrate your expertise. And maybe the people you’re marketing to are familiar with these terms. Nevertheless, you risk alienating potential customers if you fail to keep your language simple and easy to understand.
Being able to explain concepts and ideas in a way that everyone can understand is a better indicator of your expertise because it shows you have a true understanding of the subject.
#2. Break Your Strategy Down into Mini Tasks
Online marketing strategies can be complex simply because there are so many components. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when trying to execute your plan, but simplifying the process can help make you more productive and efficient.
Break down your bigger tasks into smaller, mini tasks, and focus on completing a certain number of them each day. These smaller tasks act as a roadmap of sorts, guiding you to the next step in the process.
Let’s say blogging is a part of your online marketing strategy (if it isn’t, it probably should be). Blogging can be broken down into several smaller tasks, starting with the actual setting up of the blog to formulating topics, hiring writers and scheduling posts each week.
Breaking down your larger tasks into smaller ones makes it easier to tackle the project and will boost your productivity.
#3. Schedule Everything
Once you’ve broken your bigger tasks down into mini tasks, you can simplify your marketing strategy further by scheduling these tasks into your day. While this will require an initial time investment, you’ll save more time in the long run while improving efficiency.
You’ll also keep yourself from getting overwhelmed, and will never be left wondering what to do next.
Nearly every component of your strategy can be scheduled in some way:
- Blog posts
- Social media posts and interactions
- Outreach
- Other content creation
To be clear, “scheduled” does not imply “automated.” It simply means allotting time in your day for each of these tasks.
#4. Use Marketing Tools to Your Advantage
There’s no shortage of online marketing tools designed to either make your life easier, or fully automate certain tasks. Using these tools to your advantage will simplify your marketing strategy, making it easier to execute your plan.
Here are just a few of the many tools you can take advantage of:
- Coschedule: A workflow management tool that includes an editorial calendar, social media scheduling, marketing calendar, headline analyzer and so much more. Think of this tool as your complete online marketing planner.
- Trello: A project management tool to help organize your tasks.
- Hootsuite: A social media management system that lets you schedule posts and even track performance.
- Canva: A design platform that allows you to quickly create and customize graphics for your blog, Facebook post, Instagram and more.
The right combination of tools will streamline your workflow and boost productivity without overcomplicating your day.
#5. Don’t Get Bogged Down by Details When Promoting
When creating content to promote products and services, your first instinct may be to include every single detail you find. But your goal isn’t to overload people with information – it’s to sell them on the product or service. How do you do that? Explain why they need your product/service (i.e. what it can do for them).
While making a sale is a bit more complicated than this in practice, this basic, simple concept is the foundation of it all.
Not getting bogged down by details also ties into the first point: using simple language. Always keep your target audience in mind and speak in a language they understand.
#6. Keep Social Media Posts Brief
Whether you’re on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or another social media site, it’s important to keep your posts brief.
No one wants to read a wall of text. The simpler the message and the shorter the sentences, the better. People have the attention span of a goldfish, so try to compact your message into as brief a post as possible without compromising its integrity.
#7. Look for Simple Solutions When Things Go Wrong
Even if your strategy is perfectly executed, the results may not be what you wanted. When things go wrong, it’s easy to overanalyze the data you have and make your solutions more complicated than they need to be.
- People aren’t sticking around to buy? Maybe your content isn’t compelling enough.
- You haven’t seen a significant boost in your traffic? Maybe you’re not creating the type of content your audience wants.
- People are abandoning your site just before they hit the “buy” button? Maybe it’s time to reevaluate your sales funnel.
You might argue that these examples are oversimplified, but are they really? Online marketing failures are usually the result of just a few simple things: poor content (or not the right type of content), lack of trust, or confusion (not sure how to proceed with buying). Addressing one or more of these issues will likely improve results.
The Bottom Line
Online marketing is complicated. But applying the KISS mantra (keep it simple, stupid) can simplify the process, making it less overwhelming and you more productive.
Scheduling tasks, using tools and breaking down tasks into smaller ones will streamline your day while keeping you focused on the main goal. Using simple language and keeping social posts brief will also help keep your audience engaged and interested. And finding simple solutions when things go wrong will help you get back on track in no time.
What do you do to simplify your online marketing strategy? Let us know in the comments.
Image: 3d illustration of principle of KISS ( Keep It Simple, stupid) button
