Strategy guide
Most marketing “strategies” are too vague to use. This is a 90-day plan you can put in your diary, with weekly steps, a sample budget and the free tools you need.
Short answer
A good small business digital marketing strategy answers four questions: who your best customer is, where they look for you, what you’ll say to them, and how you’ll measure it. For most Irish small businesses, the first 90 days should go on fixing your website and Google Business Profile (month 1), creating content that answers customer questions (month 2), and adding one paid or outreach channel (month 3).
Key takeaways
- Write a one-page strategy before spending anything
- Month 1: fix foundations and tracking
- Month 2: answer customer questions with content
- Month 3: add one growth channel
- Review the four key numbers every month
On this page
Most strategy guides give you a framework and leave you to work out the rest. This one gives you a plan you can put in your diary.
Before you start: the one-page strategy
Fill this in. It takes 30 minutes and saves months of wasted effort.
| Question | Example: a kitchen fitter in Meath |
|---|---|
| Who is my best customer? | Homeowners aged 35–60 in Meath and west Dublin, renovating, budget €12k–€30k |
| What problem do they have? | They want a kitchen that’s done on time, without builders’ drama |
| Where do they look? | Google (“kitchen fitters Meath”), Instagram for ideas, recommendations, now ChatGPT |
| Why choose me over others? | Fixed-price quotes, 10-year guarantee, 120 Google reviews |
| What’s my goal? | 8 quote requests a month, up from 3 |
| What’s my budget? | €1,000/month for 3 months, then review |
Month 1: Fix the foundations
There’s no point paying for ads that send people to a leaky website.
Week 1: Measure where you are
- Set up (or check) Google Analytics 4 and Google Search Console. Both are free.
- Write down your current enquiries per month and where they come from.
- Google your main services as a customer would. Note who appears in the map pack and the top 5 results.
Week 2: Google Business Profile
- Complete every field: categories, services, areas, hours and photos.
- Send a review request to your last 20 customers.
- Follow our local SEO checklist.
Week 3: Website quick wins
- One page per service, each with a clear heading, price guide, photos and FAQs.
- A phone number and contact button visible on every page, on mobile.
- Test your speed with PageSpeed Insights. Fix anything glaringly slow, such as huge images.
Week 4: Trust signals
- Add real team photos, your address, trade memberships, guarantees and reviews to the website.
- Make sure your business name, address and phone are identical everywhere online.
Go deeper Week 2 in detail: the local SEO checklist →Business Profile, reviews and citations
Go deeper Week 3 in detail: website speed →Free tests and the biggest fixes
Month 2: Answer your customers’ questions
Customers, Google and AI tools all reward businesses that explain things clearly.
Week 5: Make a question list
Write down every question customers ask before they buy. Ask your team too. Aim for 20 or more. Examples:
- How much does a new kitchen cost in Ireland?
- How long does a kitchen fit take?
- Do I need planning permission for an extension?
Weeks 6–8: Publish answers
- Turn the five most common questions into in-depth blog posts or page sections. Put the answer first, then explain.
- Add the rest as FAQs on your service pages.
- Film a short phone video answering the top three questions, and post it on YouTube, Instagram and your site.
This is how you start appearing in AI answers too. See how to get recommended by ChatGPT and Google AI.
Go deeper Week 5 in detail: find what customers search →A free keyword research method
Month 3: Add one growth channel
Pick one, based on your business:
| If you… | Add this | Starter budget |
|---|---|---|
| Sell a service people search for urgently (plumber, locksmith, solicitor) | Google Ads on your top 5–10 keywords | €300–€600/month ad spend |
| Sell something visual (kitchens, weddings, food, fashion) | Instagram and Facebook ads retargeting site visitors and lookalikes | €200–€500/month ad spend |
| Have repeat customers (salons, gyms, B2B) | Email or WhatsApp list with a monthly offer | €0–€50/month tools |
| Sell to other businesses | LinkedIn: founder posts twice a week plus direct outreach | Your time |
Run it for at least four to six weeks before judging it.
Go deeper Google Ads management →For urgent, searched-for services
Go deeper Social media ads →For visual products and offers
Sample 90-day budget (small Irish service business)
| Item | Cost (+ VAT) |
|---|---|
| Google Business Profile, analytics setup | €0 (DIY) |
| Website fixes (one-off) | €300–€1,500 |
| SEO and content help | €500–€1,000/month |
| Ad spend in month 3 | €300–€600 |
| Total for 90 days | About €2,300–€5,100 |
The Local Enterprise Office Trading Online Voucher (up to €2,500 for eligible small businesses) may cover part of this. Check with your LEO first.
How to measure it: the only 4 numbers that matter
- Enquiries per month (calls, forms, messages)
- Cost per enquiry (total spend divided by enquiries)
- Conversion rate (enquiries that become customers)
- Where customers came from (ask every new customer “How did you find us?”)
Review these on the first Monday of every month. Keep what works. Cut what doesn’t.
The 5 most common mistakes
- Trying every channel at once. Do one or two properly.
- Boosting Facebook posts with no target. That’s money for likes, not customers.
- No tracking. If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.
- Giving up on SEO after six weeks. It takes three to six months to build.
- Copying big brands. You don’t need a viral campaign. You need the right 10 people to call you.
Frequently asked questions
What is a digital marketing strategy?
A digital marketing strategy is a plan for how your business will win customers online. It sets out who you’re targeting, which channels you’ll use, what you’ll say, your budget and how you’ll measure results.
How much should a small business spend on digital marketing in Ireland?
Many small businesses spend between 5% and 10% of revenue on marketing. In practice, €1,000 to €2,500 a month, including ad spend, is a realistic starting range for an Irish service business that wants steady growth.
What’s the best free digital marketing for small businesses?
A fully optimised Google Business Profile with a steady flow of reviews. It’s free, and for local businesses it’s often the biggest source of calls.
How long before digital marketing shows results?
Paid ads can bring enquiries within days. SEO and content usually take three to six months to build momentum, but the leads get cheaper over time.
Should I hire an agency or do it myself?
If you have five or more hours a week and enjoy learning, you can do a lot yourself. If your time is better spent running the business, hire help, but stay involved in setting goals and reviewing the four key numbers.
Want us to build your 90-day plan?
We’ll look at your business and competitors and send a one-page plan with a clear budget, for free.