The First 90 Days of Digital Marketing: A Simple Game Plan for Small Businesses

When most small businesses begin marketing online, they hit the same wall: too many ideas and not enough direction. One day, you’re planning Instagram content, and the next, you’re wondering if you need a rebrand. It’s easy to fall into the trap of doing a little bit of everything, but not really getting anywhere.

The first 90 days are where you set the tone. Not just for your content, but for your process. This is where you build a strong foundation so that whatever comes next actually makes sense.

Here’s a practical way to make those first three months work for you!

Days 1–30: Set the Foundation

Start with the basics. Who are you trying to reach? What problem do you solve for them? The clearer your answers, the easier it will be to create content, write ads, or build a website that works.

Take a look at your digital footprint. If you already have social media accounts or a website, make sure your branding, contact info, and messaging are consistent. If not, now’s the time to set them up properly—not just to exist online, but to represent your business clearly and professionally.

In this first month, don’t worry about going viral. Focus on getting visible in the right places. Set up your Google Business Profile. Make sure your website (or at least a landing page) is live, mobile-friendly, and has one clear action for visitors to take. That action might be booking a consultation, calling your office, or filling out a form.

Days 31–60: Create and Post With Purpose

Once your foundation is set, it’s time to start showing up regularly. Posting just to stay “active” won’t get you far. Your content needs to do one of three things: help, answer, or connect.

You don’t need to post daily. Start with two to three posts a week. Plan your content around common questions, customer pain points, or real behind-the-scenes moments. Think less about being trendy and more about being clear and relatable.

This is also when you can start looking at early performance—what are people clicking on, liking, or saving? Use that information to tweak your approach. If your FAQ posts are getting attention, do more of them. If your long captions aren’t getting read, try shorter ones.

Days 61–90: Start Testing and Tracking

By this point, you’ve shown up consistently. You’ve started to build a small content library. Now it’s time to test more intentionally.

Pick one thing to test—maybe a simple ad campaign, a lead magnet, or a series of promotional posts. Keep it small. The goal isn’t to spend a ton of money or go all-in. It’s to learn what works for your audience and gather real data.

Also, start tracking what matters. Are people clicking through from your Instagram bio? Are they staying on your website or bouncing right off? Are any of your posts getting shares or saves?

You don’t need a massive team or a complicated funnel to get started. What you do need is a clear focus, consistent action, and the patience to let the results build over time. In 90 days, you won’t have it all figured out. But if you follow this game plan, you’ll be miles ahead of where you started—and you’ll actually know what to do next.

Need help building a digital strategy that fits your business (and your schedule)? At Spin Markket + Digital, we help businesses create focused, effective marketing plans that grow with you. Reach out today to get started with a strategy that works.