Digital Marketing Strategy Planning Template - 2015 Edition - How to use this RACE planning template

Sep 11, 2026

Digital Marketing Strategy Planning Template (2015 Edition) provides guidance for building or updating an online marketing strategy using the RACE framework. It explains how to structure the plan, define opportunities, and translate strategy into actions across key stages: Plan, Reach, Act, Convert, Engage and supporting resources. The template highlights why many organizations still lack a clear strategy, and it recommends creating a specific digital marketing plan before integrating digital into the wider marketing strategy, enabling improved investment decisions and process changes.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

How to use this RACE Planning Template

Welcome

PLAN: Create a digital marketing strategy

Opportunity: Review marketplace and set objectives

Strategy: Create digital strategy

Action: Implement and manage digital marketing communications

REACH: Grow your audience online

Opportunity: Define your online audience potential

Strategy: Select the best communications options

Action: Optimise your digital communications

ACT: Encourage brand interactions and leads

Opportunity: Identify best options to increase lead conversion

Strategy: Prioritise content marketing and customer journeys

Action: Manage content marketing and lead generation

CONVERT: Increase sales through optimisation

Opportunity: Review focus to increase conversion to sale

Action: Manage continuous improvement of conversion

ENGAGE: Build customer loyalty and advocacy

Opportunity: Review potential to increase customer activity levels

Strategy: Define plan to improve customer retention and engagement

Action: Implement customer communications

Resources

Tools to help you create and implement your plans

DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGY PLANNING TEMPLATE Your companion to creating or updating your online marketing strategy 2015 Edition Authors: Dr Dave Chaffey and Danyl Bosomworth Digital marketing strategy 1 Planning Template Contents Introduction............................................................................................. 4 Welcome ...............................................................................................................................4 Some general advice to keep in mind when planning ...........................................................5 Creating a structure for your plan .........................................................................................5 ONE. PLAN: Create a digital marketing strategy................................. 7 Opportunity: Review marketplace and set objectives ...........................................................7 Strategy: Create digital strategy ............................................................................................7 Action: Implement and manage digital marketing communications ......................................7 Using SOSTAC® planning .....................................................................................................7 TWO. REACH: Grow your audience online .......................................... 9 Opportunity: Define your online audience potential ..............................................................9 Strategy: Select the best communications options ...............................................................9 Action: Optimise your digital communications ......................................................................9 THREE. ACT: Encourage brand interactions and leads.................... 10 Opportunity: Identify best options to increase lead conversion .......................................... 10 Strategy: Prioritise content marketing and customer journeys ............................................ 10 Action: Manage content marketing and lead generation ..................................................... 10 FOUR. CONVERT: Increase sales through optimisation .................. 11 Opportunity: Review focus to increase conversion to sale ................................................ 11 Action: Manage continuous improvement of conversion ..................................................... 11 2 Digital marketing planning template © Smart Insights (Marketing Intelligence) Limited. Please go to [www.smartinsights.com](www.smartinsights.com) to feedback or access our other guides. Introduction Day 1: Day 2: Day 3 : Day 4: Day 5: Recommended PLAN REACH ACT CONVERT ENGAGE Resources FIVE. ENGAGE: Build customer loyalty and advocacy .................... 12 Opportunity: Review potential to increase customer activity levels..................................... 12 Strategy: Define plan to improve customer retention and engagement .............................. 12 Action: Implement customer communications .................................................................... 12 RESOURCES: Tools to help you create and implement your plans 13 Benchmark your capabilities compared to your competitors .............................................. 13 All the best for your journey to make the most of digital marketing..................................... 13 About our 7 Steps digital marketing guides......................................................................... 17 3 Digital marketing planning template © Smart Insights (Marketing Intelligence) Limited. Please go to [www.smartinsights.com](www.smartinsights.com) to feedback or access our other guides. Introduction Day 1: Day 2: Day 3 : Day 4: Day 5: Recommended PLAN REACH ACT CONVERT ENGAGE Resources Introduction How to use this RACE Planning Template Welcome Thanks for downloading this Smart Insights template. We hope you find it useful when cre

FAQs

What is the purpose of the Digital Marketing Strategy Planning Template?

It helps teams create or update an online marketing strategy by providing a structured planning approach aligned with the RACE framework.

How should an organization move from a digital plan to overall marketing strategy?

Define a separate digital plan first to support investment and process changes, then integrate digital into the wider marketing strategy as part of the overall approach.

What are the key stages in the RACE planning framework used in this template?

The template follows Plan, Reach, Act, Convert, and Engage, with specific opportunities, strategies, and actions for each stage.

Sep 11, 2026

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