What is SOSTAC?
SOSTAC is a popular marketing planning framework created by PR Smith. It stands for:
- Situation analysis – Where are we now?
- Objectives – Where do we want to be?
- Strategy – How do we get there?
- Tactics – The details of the strategy
- Action – Who does what & when
- Control – Monitoring and improvement
SOSTAC provides a logical structure for creating marketing plans at any level – business, campaign, digital, etc. It helps boost the efficiency, effectiveness and results of digital marketing services.
Key Components of SOSTAC
- Situation Analysis – SWOT analysis, reviewing the micro and macro environment, customers, competitors, etc.
- Objectives – Setting specific, measurable objectives for digital channels like sales, cost savings, etc.
- Strategy – Summarising how to achieve objectives through segmentation, targeting, positioning, marketing mix decisions, etc.
- Tactics – Determining the specific tools and techniques to implement the strategy, such as SEO, PPC, social media, email, etc.
- Action – Creating a detailed action plan, assigning roles and responsibilities, allocating resources, setting deadlines, etc.
- Control – Establishing metrics to monitor progress, reviewing performance, and making improvements. Feeding insights back into the next situation analysis.
Benefits of SOSTAC
- Provides a clear, simple structure for marketing planning that is easy to explain and implement
- Encourages a customer-centric, data-driven approach
- Helps align objectives, strategy and tactics for more effective execution
- Facilitates aggregating plans across products, divisions and departments
- Enables more agile planning with regular reviews and adjustments
Applying SOSTAC to Digital Marketing
Situation Analysis
- Conduct a thorough analysis of your current digital marketing landscape
- Assess your internal capabilities, resources, and competitive positioning
- Gather data and insights on your target customers, market trends, and competitor activities
Objectives
- Define clear, SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) digital marketing objectives
- Align these objectives with your overall business goals and vision
- Examples could include increasing website traffic, improving conversion rates, growing email subscribers, etc.
Strategy
- Determine your digital marketing strategy to achieve your objectives
- Decide on your target audience, positioning, value proposition, and core messaging
- Map out the digital marketing channels and tactics you will use (e.g. SEO, PPC, social media, email)
- Consider your resources, budget, timeline, and potential risks
Tactics
- Outline the specific digital marketing tactics and techniques you will employ
- This could include details on content creation, website optimisation, paid advertising, email campaigns, etc.
- Ensure your tactics are aligned with and will effectively execute your overall strategy
Action
- Create a detailed action plan with assigned responsibilities, deadlines, and resource allocation
- Establish clear processes, workflows, and communication to ensure seamless execution
- Communicate the plan to your team and secure buy-in from key stakeholders
Control
- Implement tracking and measurement systems to monitor the performance of your digital marketing efforts
- Use web analytics, KPIs, customer feedback, and other data to assess progress towards your objectives
- Regularly review and optimise your tactics based on the insights gathered during the control phase
Tracking and Control Tools for SOSTAC
Web Analytics
- Use tools like Google Analytics to track website traffic, user behaviour, conversion rates, and other key metrics aligned with your objectives
- Set up goals and funnels to measure progress towards specific targets
Marketing Dashboards
- Create visual dashboards using tools like Google Data Studio or Tableau to monitor performance across channels
- Include KPIs, metrics, and targets for quick identification of trends and issues
Customer Feedback
- Gather qualitative feedback through surveys, interviews, and social listening to understand sentiment and areas for improvement
- Use tools like SurveyMonkey, or Typeform to collect and analyse customer feedback
A/B Testing
- Utilise tools like Optimizely to test different versions of content, ads, and experiences
- Gather data on which variations perform better to optimise your tactics
Keyword Tracking
- Use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to monitor rankings for target keywords over time
- Track improvements in search visibility to gauge the impact of your SEO efforts
Social Media Analytics
- Leverage native analytics from platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. to track engagement, reach, and conversions
- Use tools like Hootsuite for more comprehensive social media monitoring and reporting
Marketing Automation
- Utilise tools like HubSpot to automate and track email campaigns, lead nurturing, and customer journeys
- Gain insights into campaign performance and customer engagement
CRM Data
- Analyse customer relationship management (CRM) data to understand customer behaviour, lifetime value, and sales trends
- Use tools like Zoho CRM to centralise customer data and generate reports
Benefits of SOSTAC for Digital Marketing
Comprehensive Framework
SOSTAC provides a structured, step-by-step approach covering all the essential elements of effective digital marketing planning from situation analysis to implementation and control.
Aligns Objectives with Strategy
By first setting clear, measurable objectives and then defining the strategy to achieve them, SOSTAC ensures all digital marketing activities are aligned with overall business goals for maximum impact.
Facilitates Informed Decision-Making
The thorough situation analysis component provides critical data and insights to inform strategic decisions about which tactics and channels to employ for the best results.
Enhances Coordination and Communication
Detailed action plans and control mechanisms keep the entire team on the same page, specifying responsibilities and progress tracking to foster a cohesive, collaborative effort.
Enables Agility and Adaptability
SOSTAC’s flexible framework can be tailored to the unique needs of businesses of all sizes, from startups to enterprises, making it suitable for launching new products, entering new markets, or boosting brand presence.
Emphasises Measurement and Optimization
The control stage focuses on continuous monitoring, measurement, and optimization, enabling marketers to refine their approach over time to achieve the best possible ROI.
Provides a Common Language
SOSTAC offers a clear, logical structure that can be easily shared and understood by all stakeholders, serving as a central reference point for the marketing planning process.
Challenges and Solutions for SOSTAC in Digital Marketing
Challenge 1: Comprehensive Data Collection
- Collecting all the necessary data for a thorough situation analysis can be time-consuming and resource-intensive.
- Solution: Prioritise the most critical data points, leverage digital analytics tools, and automate data collection where possible.
Challenge 2: Aligning Digital Objectives with Business Goals
- Ensuring digital marketing objectives directly support overall business objectives can be difficult.
- Solution: Involve key stakeholders early, map digital goals to business KPIs, and regularly review alignment.
Challenge 3: Adapting Strategy to Rapidly Changing Digital Landscape
- The fast-paced nature of digital marketing makes it challenging to maintain a coherent long-term strategy.
- Solution: Build in regular strategy reviews, stay agile, and be prepared to pivot tactics as needed.
Challenge 4: Coordinating Diverse Digital Tactics
- Integrating and optimising the various digital marketing tactics can be complex.
- Solution: Establish clear processes, communication channels, and project management practices across teams.
Challenge 5: Measuring and Attributing Digital Performance
- Accurately tracking the impact of digital efforts and attributing results can be difficult.
- Solution: Leverage advanced analytics, experiment with different attribution models, and focus on incremental improvements.
Challenge 6: Securing Buy-In and Resources
- Gaining buy-in from leadership and securing adequate resources for digital initiatives can be a hurdle.
- Solution: Demonstrate the strategic value of digital, quantify the potential ROI, and build a compelling business case.
Challenge 7: Maintaining Continuous Optimization
- Sustaining the “control” phase of SOSTAC and continuously optimising digital efforts requires ongoing effort.
- Solution: Automate tracking and reporting, establish regular review cadences, and empower teams to make data-driven decisions.
Final Word
The structured, comprehensive nature of SOSTAC makes it an ideal framework for digital marketing agencies developing and executing digital marketing strategies. It helps ensure alignment between objectives, strategy, and tactics, while also emphasizing the critical implementation and measurement aspects. By applying SOSTAC, digital marketing agencies can create more effective, data-driven digital plans that drive measurable results and maximize ROI. The framework’s flexibility also allows it to be adapted to the unique needs of different businesses and industries.
