Exploring the 70-20-10 Rule in Digital Marketing Strategies

TL;DR

This article covers the 70-20-10 rule and how it applies to digital marketing strategies. It includes practical applications for content, social media, and media investment, plus how to leverage for growth and innovation. We'll explore how to balance tried-and-true marketing with new ideas or experiments, and making the most of your budget.

Understanding the 70-20-10 Rule

Okay, let's dive into this 70-20-10 rule thing, shall we? I mean, does anyone really know where these rules come from, or are we just blindly following them? Turns out, it's got some interesting roots, originating from the Center for Creative Leadership in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was initially developed as a framework for employee development, suggesting that most learning happens through experience.

It started way back as a guideline for employee development. The idea? 70% of learning comes from on-the-job experiences, you know--actually doing stuff. (The 70:20:10 Model - A different view of work, performance and ...)
Then, 20% is from social interactions, like getting mentored or just chatting with colleagues. (70/20/10 - Nailing the 20 with Mentorloop Pro) I've honestly learnt more from water cooler talks than formal training, has anyone else?
That last 10%? It's the formal stuff: courses, workshops, the kinda stuff that feels like school.

Now, some bright spark thought, "Hey, this could work for marketing too!" And, honestly, it kinda does. Smart Insights breaks down how to use it in different areas of your strategy. It's all about experience, social learning and formal stuff, but for marketing.

Next up, why bother with this rule in the first place?

Applying the 70-20-10 Rule to Digital Marketing

Alright, let's get real about this 70-20-10 rule and how it actually shakes out in digital marketing. It's not just some academic exercise, but a pretty good way to keep your strategy balanced, if you ask me. The core idea is to allocate your efforts and resources across three key areas: established, reliable strategies; emerging, growth-oriented tactics; and innovative, experimental approaches.

The 70% - Core Strategies

This is where you focus on what already works and delivers consistent results. Think of it like your bread and butter, y'know?

SEO keeps your website visible. Long-form content, proper keywords--it's all essential.
PPC gives you that quick visibility, especially if you're targeting local folks.
Email marketing: Newsletters, updates... building those relationships is key.
Content marketing is reliable. Blog posts? Guides? Stuff that consistently brings in traffic and leads.

This is where you're constantly tweaking and optimizing, not reinventing the wheel. For instance, a healthcare provider might focus on local SEO to grab patients searching for nearby clinics.

The 20% - Growth and Experimentation

This is where you start stretching a bit, trying new stuff that could scale and offer a competitive edge.

Influencer marketing: Getting someone with an audience to vouch for you.
Webinars: A chance to show off your expertise and snag leads.
Partnerships: Teaming up with other businesses to reach new customers.

It's about testing the waters. Like, a retail company might try influencer marketing to promote new product lines, see what resonates.

The 10% - Innovation and Exploration

This is where you go a little wild. It's your "what if?" budget, for exploring the bleeding edge.

ai-driven personalization: Tailoring experiences to each user.
ar/vr experiences: Immersive stuff that's still kinda niche.
Emerging social media platforms: Trying out the next TikTok before everyone else does.

It's okay if some of this flops. It's about learning and seeing what sticks, right? A financial institution could explore ai-driven personalization to offer tailored investment advice.

So, that’s how the 70-20-10 rule applies to digital marketing. Next, we'll look at how this breakdown plays out in different areas.

70-20-10 in Different Digital Marketing Areas

Okay, so you're thinking about the 70-20-10 rule and how it applies to different areas, huh? Well, it's not a one-size-fits-all kinda thing, that's for sure. Let's break down how it might look in a few key areas.

Content Marketing

Think of your content marketing like a garden—you gotta have a solid base before you start planting exotic flowers.

70% of your content should be that evergreen stuff: blog posts, how-to guides, FAQs. It’s the reliable stuff that consistently brings in traffic and answers common questions. Like, a SaaS company might churn out blog posts on "top 5 ways to improve your email marketing roi".
20% should be your premier content. Think bigger, riskier, but with a bigger payoff potential. Maybe that's an in-depth ebook, a detailed infographic, or even a webinar.
And 10%? Go wild! Try those experimental formats: short-form videos, interactive quizzes, or even dabbling in ai-generated content just to see what sticks.

Social Media

Social media is a whole different beast, ain't it? It's not just about blasting your own horn.

70% of your posts should be about building your brand. Share behind-the-scenes peeks, employee spotlights, or even just engaging questions that spark conversation.
20% should be about sharing content from others. Retweet industry experts, highlight customer success stories, or even just share a funny meme that resonates with your audience.
That leaves 10% for promotional content. Announce sales, launch new products, or share special offers.

Budget Allocation

Where you put your money matters, obviously.

70% of your budget should go to proven channels—the ones that consistently deliver results. Think search engine marketing (sem), email marketing, and social media ads.
20% should be for programmatic advertising and rules-driven automation. This is where you start using data to optimize your ad spend and target the right audience at the right time. For example, this could involve setting up automated bidding strategies on Google Ads based on conversion data, or using dynamic creative optimization to serve personalized ads to different audience segments.
The last 10%? That's for real-time marketing, responding to events, and trying out new platforms.

So, that's a quick look at how you can apply the 70-20-10 rule in different areas of digital marketing. Next up, we'll dive into how to adapt this framework for your specific business.

Adapting the Rule for Your Business

Adapting the 70-20-10 rule isn't about blindly following numbers—it's about making it work for you. What works for a tech startup might be a disaster for a healthcare provider, y'know? For example, a tech startup might allocate more to the 10% for cutting-edge AI tools, while a healthcare provider might lean heavily on the 70% for trusted content like patient testimonials and educational articles.

First, you gotta look at your existing stuff. What marketing activities are already bringing in the bacon? What's flopping like a fish out of water?

SWOT analysis is your friend here. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats—nailing these helps you see where to focus. Is your social media weak? Maybe that's where the 20% "growth" budget goes.
Target audience: who are you really trying to reach? A fintech firm targeting gen z will have a wildly different approach than a retirement community, right?

Next, get crystal clear on your goals.

SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. "Increase website traffic" is meh; "Increase website traffic by 20% in Q4 through SEO" is SMART.
Align those marketing goals with your overall biz goals. Are you trying to boost brand awareness? Increase sales? Drive app downloads? It all needs to connect.

So, before diving into the percentages, get a grip on your landscape and goals. Next, we'll look at how to actually tweak the 70-20-10 framework.

Measuring and Optimizing Results

Alright, so, you've been putting in the work, testing out different strategies based on the 70-20-10 rule. Now it's time to see whether it's paying off, right? This is where iterative optimization comes into play – it's all about continuous improvement.

First, you gotta track the right kpis. I mean, is it website traffic, lead gen, or something else? It all depends on your goals, right? For example, a retail company might track website traffic and conversion rates to see if their latest campaign is driving sales.
Next, use analytics tools to gather data and insights; you can't just guess. There are many options available, so pick one that is right for your budget and goals. Some popular choices include Google Analytics for website data, SEMrush for SEO and competitor analysis, and HubSpot for integrated marketing and sales tracking.
Finally, create dashboards and reports to visualize performance; they can cut through the noise and highlight the important stuff.

So, you have your metrics, now what? Next, we'll get into common pitfalls to avoid.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Alright, so you're all in on this 70-20-10 thing but, trust me, it's easy to mess it up. It's not just about percentages, it's about how you actually use 'em. And a big part of that is understanding how to optimize iteratively.

It's super tempting to throw all your cash at the newest ai tool, but hold up. You gotta balance that excitement with, y'know, what actually works. A mistake I see all the time is businesses going all in on ar before they have solid seo. This hinders iterative optimization because you're not building on a stable foundation.
Set some clear goals before you start experimenting. What does "success" even look like for that 10%? Are you testing a new ai chatbot for customer service? Figure out what metrics mean success, and keep your eye on those. Without clear goals, you can't measure progress or iterate effectively.
Avoid chasing every single trend that pops up. I've seen companies jump from one social media platform to another, leaving a bunch of unfinished work behind. Plan, test, and then scale. This scattered approach prevents you from truly optimizing any single channel.
Don't neglect the core stuff just because you're chasing innovation. I mean, SEO isn't exactly sexy, but it keeps your site visible. It's easy to get allured by the idea of viral videos, but forget your email list. Big mistake. Neglecting the 70% means you're losing out on consistent, reliable ROI that can fund your more experimental efforts. If your core channels aren't performing, your budget for innovation will eventually dry up.
Make sure your "70%" is actually optimized. Like, is your email marketing strategy actually good? Or are you just sending the same old boring newsletters? Gotta keep those core channels fresh and aligned with your business goals! If your core strategies are underperforming, you're missing out on the stable revenue that allows you to take calculated risks with your 20% and 10%.

Applying the 70-20-10 rule is a great strategy, but only if you remember to keep everything balanced and focus on continuous improvement.

Conclusion: Finding Your Marketing Sweet Spot

So, we've talked about the 70-20-10 rule, where it came from, and how it can really help you shape your digital marketing efforts. It's all about finding that sweet spot between what you know works, what's showing promise, and what's totally new and exciting.

Remember, the percentages aren't set in stone. They're a guide, a way to think about balancing your resources. The key is to be intentional about where you're spending your time and money. Keep an eye on your results, don't be afraid to adjust, and always be learning. That's how you really make this rule work for you.