What is Gap Analysis from Digital Marketing perspective

Gap analysis involves the comparison of actuals with potentials or desirables. So what’s different with respect to Digital Marketing? Technically, there is not much of a difference but implication wise there are a ton of possibilities. The business implications decide what a company can achieve by understanding where they currently stand. Confusing? Well, don’t be.

Digital marketing involves touching all the functions in an organization. Likewise, all the functions (must) connect with marketing to help present the actual picture of the company’s product and/or services. When we say connection, it means ‘content’ connection. To answer the question, Gap analysis from digital marketing primarily circles around content strategy. Content is the king. If you want to empower this king, you need to know its strengths and weaknesses.

Let us discuss in detail how gap analysis strategy can be implemented.

Consider a department; marketing and a funnel; sales funnel.

Marketing department has collected content which applies to either or these funnel parts. Generally speaking, one content type serves one particular type of prospect in the funnel. E.g. Testimonials from clients are usually part of BOFU.

Clear! Ok next.

Under gap analysis we divide the content under each funnel section into three parts.

1. Mother content
2. Child content
3. Grand Child content

Here is how is it depicted in the funnel above.

Now, how do we decide a mother content and child content. Well, it is simple. Any content piece from which you can derive another content is a mother content. And the derived content piece becomes a child. Now, you have to be really careful while deciding what is a mother level content. Just being able to derive content does not make it a mother level content. It has to talk on the highest possible level with as much explanation as possible. Grandchild content is any content derived from a child content which in turn was derived from some mother content. Important part is that, they all have to talk about just one aspect at the core.

E.g. A blog on “what is digital marketing” is a TOFU mother level content. An infographic which highlights top 5 features from this blog become a child content. A Social media post used for promoting this infographic becomes a grandchild content.

I know it’s not that simple. Try this exercise for your company and repeat it every quarter. The places where you find there is no content mark it with an “X”. Gap analysis is the study of this “X”. If you can determine how many gaps you have in your communication, only then you can fill them up with the right piece of information. This study also helps your Sales team to understand prospect’s funnel placement based on which type of content was consumed. They can then easily connect with them and help them traverse down the funnel. Gap analysis if very important if you want to implement marketing automation, chatbots, faster sales cycles, etc.

Let us know your thoughts on this strategy. We are open to brainstorm further as well.