7 Digital Marketing Goals Every Business Should Have (If They Wanna Stay Relevant)

So here’s the thing; digital marketing? It’s not just about posting a Facebook ad and waiting for the algorithms to run their course. There’s strategy behind it, and there’s passion, and sometimes there’s a little bit of crazy too. But, if you are trying to grow your business (and not just posting memes to your brand’s Instagram account), then you need to be setting some real goals. Goals that actually DO SH*T.

Let’s unpack 7 digital marketing goals which you cannot afford not to have. No fluff, no textbook crap – just things that work.

1. Get Found (Because What’s the Point if No One Sees You?)

Problem: You built a gorgeous website, wrote killer product descriptions, and even got your cousin to model your merch. But traffic? Crickets.

Agitate: It’s like hosting the best party in town, but forgetting to send invites. Not showing up on Google—or anywhere online—is digital invisibility. And trust me, no one scrolls to page two of search results. If they do, they’re either lost or researching a conspiracy theory.

Solution: SEO. Local SEO. Social media SEO. All of it. You want people to stumble upon you when they’re Googling something halfway related to what you offer. Set a clear goal like: “Increase organic traffic by 30% in the next 6 months.” Measurable, specific, and totally doable.

2. Turn Clicks into Connections

Getting visitors to your site is cool and all. But if they leave without doing anything—no email, no cart, no nuthin’—then you’ve just given them a free scroll-through.

So what’s the fix? Lead generation.

Pop-ups that don’t scream 2005, email forms that offer something juicy in return (like a discount or a killer ebook), or even a chatbot that feels like it was programmed by someone with actual personality.

Make it a goal to “Capture 500 qualified leads per quarter.” Yep, qualified. Not just bots and people who signed up accidentally while trying to close the tab.

3. Build a Brand They Remember (and Actually Like)

You have a nice logo. But remember, your brand is more than a visual mark – think voice, think vibe, think values – how does it feel for someone consuming your content? (And how quickly will they forget you if they don’t know what you stood for?) Brand recognition is not just for Nikes and Apples, it can be for YOU too! It doesn’t matter if you own a local bakery or your a freelance copywriter, you want everyone to see you, remember you and maybe they will talk about you over brunch one day.

You will need to set goals to help you get there. Goals such as, “Get 100k impressions on Instagram where the branding is just like our actual branding.” Or “Increase branded search traffic 25%.”

Small steps, BIG vibes.

4. Engage Like a Real Human Being

You know those brands that reply to comments like actual people and not like… bots? Be that. Engagement isn’t just a metric—it’s how you build trust, one reply at a time.

Your goal here? Create a community, not just a customer base. And this part’s actually kinda fun.

Go for something like:
“Respond to 90% of DMs and comments within 24 hours.”
or
“Increase engagement rate on posts by 10% monthly.”

And for the love of Wi-Fi, stop posting and ghosting. No one likes that.

5. Sell Without Being Slimy

Here’s where a lot of businesses either overdo it (hello, desperate discount emails) or underdo it (the classic “we don’t want to be pushy” syndrome).

Reality check: selling is not a dirty word. But it’s gotta be done right.

Set goals that balance value with conversion:
“Increase email-driven sales by 20% over 3 months.”
or
“Get a 3% conversion rate on landing pages.”

Think of it like dating. Offer value, don’t smother, and for heaven’s sake—follow up.

6. Measure What Matters (Not Just What’s Easy)

Vanity metrics feel good, I get it. Who doesn’t want 10K likes? But if they don’t lead to anything—sales, signups, inquiries—then what’s the point?

Here’s where goal-setting gets real: track the right stuff. Not just impressions, but what people do after they see you.

Try something like:
“Reduce website bounce rate by 15%.”
or
“Increase average session duration to 2+ minutes.”

It’s not glamorous, but it’s where the magic lives.

7. Retain, Re-Engage, Repeat

You worked your butt off to get that customer. Don’t let them ghost you after one order. Repeat customers are cheaper to convert, more loyal, and let’s be honest—they’re your business backbone.

Email marketing, loyalty programs, retargeting ads—this is your second wind. And it’s powerful.

A good goal here:
“Boost returning customer rate to 35%.”
or
“Send bi-weekly value-packed emails with a 25% open rate.”

It’s all about keeping the love alive.

Clean, Sharp, and Real Talk to End

I get it, digital marketing can be a never-ending spinning plates act, you’re adjusting your SEO one minute and juggling a Reels trend you didn’t even want to be apart of the next. But once you start to implement real goals (SMART goals, not just goals in your head) you will start making progress.

Identify your objectives, monitor them, then adapt when required. Don’t beat yourself up if there are any objectives you did not hit – it will happen. 

At the end of the day, the brands that are positioned as leaders in digital marketing are not necessarily the brands with the biggest marketing budgets, or the best looking websites. The leaders are brands that show clarity, consistency, and compassion. 

So, tell me, which targets are you going to focus on this year? Be honest with yourself, it’s fine, I’ll still be here sipping my tea and rooting for you.