---
title: What Is an Action Plan, How to Develop It, and Examples
description: Learn what an action plan is, the three types used in digital marketing, how to build one in 7 steps, and examples for SEO, Google Ads and CRM.
image: https://link37.org/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/In%20a%20cozy%20sunlit%20corner%20of%20a%20modern%20office%20a%20wellorganized%20desk%20radiates%20creative%20productivity%20Soft%20natural%20light%20streams%20through%20a%20nearby%20window%20cast.png
---

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[Introduction](https://link37.org/blog/what-is-an-action-plan-how-to-develop-it-and-examples#Introduction) [What Is an Action Plan?](https://link37.org/blog/what-is-an-action-plan-how-to-develop-it-and-examples#What-Is-an-Action-Plan?) [Types of Action Plans in Digital Marketing](https://link37.org/blog/what-is-an-action-plan-how-to-develop-it-and-examples#Types-of-Action-Plans-in-Digital-Marketing) [How to Develop an Action Plan in 7 Steps](https://link37.org/blog/what-is-an-action-plan-how-to-develop-it-and-examples#How-to-Develop-an-Action-Plan-in-7-Steps) [Action Plan Examples in Digital Marketing](https://link37.org/blog/what-is-an-action-plan-how-to-develop-it-and-examples#Action-Plan-Examples-in-Digital-Marketing) [Frequently Asked Questions](https://link37.org/blog/what-is-an-action-plan-how-to-develop-it-and-examples#Frequently-Asked-Questions)

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### What Is an Action Plan, How to Develop It, and Examples

Link37 Team

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- [Introduction](https://link37.org/blog/what-is-an-action-plan-how-to-develop-it-and-examples#Introduction)
- [What Is an Action Plan?](https://link37.org/blog/what-is-an-action-plan-how-to-develop-it-and-examples#What-Is-an-Action-Plan?)
- [Types of Action Plans in Digital Marketing](https://link37.org/blog/what-is-an-action-plan-how-to-develop-it-and-examples#Types-of-Action-Plans-in-Digital-Marketing)
- [How to Develop an Action Plan in 7 Steps](https://link37.org/blog/what-is-an-action-plan-how-to-develop-it-and-examples#How-to-Develop-an-Action-Plan-in-7-Steps)
- [Action Plan Examples in Digital Marketing](https://link37.org/blog/what-is-an-action-plan-how-to-develop-it-and-examples#Action-Plan-Examples-in-Digital-Marketing)
- [Frequently Asked Questions](https://link37.org/blog/what-is-an-action-plan-how-to-develop-it-and-examples#Frequently-Asked-Questions)

 Digital Marketing

**Quick answer:** an action plan is a document that turns a goal into concrete tasks, each with an owner, a deadline, the resources it needs and a way to measure success. To build one, set a SMART goal, break it into actions, assign an owner and a date to each, estimate the budget and review progress on fixed dates.

In all areas of our lives, we constantly set goals, although we don’t always do it in a structured way. In the business world, however, it is common to use tools that help organize the steps required to achieve a specific outcome. This is what we call an **action plan**.

In this article, we explain what an action plan is, the most common types, the elements it should include, how to develop one, and some practical examples.

### What Is an Action Plan?

 

An action plan is a document that outlines the steps needed to achieve a specific objective. It works as a **roadmap**, detailing the tasks and activities required to reach the desired results.

A solid action plan should include the following key elements, often organized in a table for easier tracking:

- **Clear and specific objectives:** goals should be clear, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
- **Objective hierarchy:** when multiple goals exist, priorities should be clearly defined.
- **Strategies:** the overall approach used to achieve the objectives.
- **Task breakdown:** specific actions required to implement each strategy.
- **Timeline:** start and end dates for each task or phase.
- **Key milestones:** critical moments throughout the plan.
- **Required resources:**
  
    - Human resources: roles and responsibilities
    - Material and technological resources
    - Training needs
- **Performance indicators:** metrics to measure progress and success.
- **Evaluation frequency:** predefined moments to assess results.
- **Corrective actions:** measures to apply if deviations occur.
- **Budget allocation:** estimated costs and flexibility for adjustments.
- **Communication and coordination:** channels and frequency of communication.
- **Evaluation and optimization:** feedback mechanisms and continuous improvement.

In summary, an effective action plan should be **detailed, results-oriented, flexible, and realistic**, serving as a guide to execute and control activities efficiently.

### Types of Action Plans in Digital Marketing

 

In digital marketing, there are three main types of action plans:

##### 1. Strategic Action Plans

Strategic plans define the long-term direction of your digital marketing strategy.

**Key characteristics:**

- Long-term goal setting
- Market and competitor analysis
- Brand positioning and differentiation
- Allocation of key resources

##### 2. Operational Action Plans

Operational plans translate strategy into execution, detailing how actions will be carried out.

**Key characteristics:**

- Detailed task planning
- Assignment of responsibilities
- Budget definition
- Performance monitoring

##### 3. Tactical Action Plans

Tactical plans focus on execution through specific tools and channels.

**Key characteristics:**

- SEO, social media, and advertising strategies
- Content and campaign planning
- Use of marketing technologies and platforms

Strategic plans define the vision, operational plans organize execution, and tactical plans bring actions to life. Together, they ensure a structured and effective digital marketing strategy.

**The three types at a glance:**

| Type | Typical horizon | Question it answers | Example |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Strategic | 1 to 3 years | Where do we want to go? | Become the reference brand in a segment or market |
| Operational | 3 to 12 months | How will we get there? | Annual marketing plan with a budget per channel |
| Tactical | A few weeks to 3 months | What do we do this week? | Google Ads campaign for a product launch |

### How Do You Develop an Action Plan in 7 Steps?

The safest way to build an action plan is to work from the goal down to the tasks, not the other way around. These are the seven steps we recommend:

1. **Set a SMART goal.** The acronym was coined by George T. Doran in 1981 in *Management Review*, and today it is most often read as specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. Example: “grow organic leads from 80 to 120 per month by the end of the quarter”.
2. **Analyze your starting point.** Gather current data (traffic, leads, conversion rate, cost per lead) and identify what is holding results back. A SWOT analysis helps organize this information.
3. **Break the goal into concrete actions.** Each action should start with a verb and have an observable result: “publish eight articles”, not “improve the blog”.
4. **Give every action one owner and one deadline.** An action with two owners ends up with none. Order the actions by their dependencies and mark the key milestones.
5. **Estimate resources and budget.** Team hours, tools, media spend and training. Keep a margin for the unexpected.
6. **Choose your KPIs.** Link each action to a metric and a target, and decide where it will be measured, for example in HubSpot or Google Analytics reports.
7. **Track and adjust.** Schedule reviews on fixed dates (weekly for tactical plans, monthly or quarterly for the others) and decide in advance which corrective action to take if a KPI falls below target.

To make sure nothing is missing, answer the seven 5W2H questions for every action: what, why, where, when, who, how and how much.

### Action Plan Examples in Digital Marketing

The three examples below apply the same model to different goals. The figures are illustrative: adjust them to your company’s history and resources.

##### Example 1: SEO action plan to generate more leads

**SMART goal:** grow organic leads from 80 to 120 per month in six months.

| Action | Owner | Deadline | KPI |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Technical SEO audit and fix pages with indexing errors | SEO specialist | Month 1 | Pages with errors in Search Console |
| Keyword research and content map | Content manager | Month 1 | Topics prioritized by volume and intent |
| Publish two articles a month for priority keywords | Copywriter | Months 2 to 6 | Articles published and average positions |
| Add CTAs and forms to the ten highest-traffic articles | Marketing team | Month 2 | Blog conversion rate |
| Review rankings, traffic and conversions | Marketing lead | Monthly | Organic leads per month |

##### Example 2: action plan to launch a Google Ads campaign

**SMART goal:** generate 50 demo requests in eight weeks at a cost per lead below €40.

| Action | Owner | Deadline | KPI |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Define audience, keywords and budget | Campaign manager | Week 1 | Plan approved |
| Build a dedicated landing page with a form | Web team | Weeks 1 and 2 | Page live and tested |
| Set up conversion tracking in Google Ads and the CRM | Analyst | Week 2 | Conversions recorded on both platforms |
| Launch the campaign and test three ad variations | Campaign manager | Weeks 3 to 8 | CTR and cost per lead |
| Optimize bids and negative keywords | Campaign manager | Weekly | Cost per lead below €40 |

##### Example 3: action plan to implement a CRM

**SMART goal:** have the whole sales team logging deals in HubSpot within 90 days.

| Action | Owner | Deadline | KPI |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Map the sales process and pipeline stages | Sales director and implementation partner | Weeks 1 and 2 | Pipeline approved |
| Import and clean contacts and companies | CRM manager | Weeks 3 and 4 | Database with no duplicates |
| Configure properties, automation and reports | CRM manager | Weeks 4 to 6 | Sales dashboard live |
| Train the team | Implementation partner | Weeks 7 and 8 | Sales reps trained |
| Review adoption and remove blockers | Sales director | Weeks 9 to 12 | Share of deals logged in the CRM |

### Frequently Asked Questions About Action Plans

##### What is the difference between an action plan and a marketing plan?

A marketing plan sets the strategy: market, audience, positioning, channels and overall budget. An action plan is the executable part: it lists the concrete tasks, who does them, by when and how results are measured. One marketing plan usually leads to several action plans, one per goal or channel.

##### How long should an action plan last?

It depends on the type. Tactical plans usually run from a few weeks to three months, operational plans cover a quarter or a year, and strategic plans one to three years. More important than the length is having fixed review dates, so you can correct course before the deadline.

##### What tools can I use to create an action plan?

A spreadsheet is enough for simple plans. When several teams are involved, project management tools such as Asana, Trello or ClickUp make it easier to assign tasks and deadlines. If the actions depend on sales and marketing data, a CRM such as HubSpot lets you connect each task to the results it generates.

##### What should you do if an action plan is not working?

At the review date, compare your KPIs with the targets, find the action that is falling short and apply the corrective action set out in the plan: change the channel, budget, message or deadline. If the goal is no longer realistic, adjust it and record why, so the team understands the change.

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