An introduction to SMART objectives

SMART is an acronym for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timed.

It is designed to support employees in setting objectives that are effective. Each of the 5 steps in creating SMART objectives contribute towards this.

Specific – direct and unambiguous description of the outcome

The more specific an objective is, the more you’ll be able to focus on it and the more likely your success will be. Try answering the five ‘W’ questions – Who, What, Where, Why, and Which. These can really help to reach a useful level of specificity.

Measurable – quantifiable in plain numbers

For an objective to be useful, you need to know when you achieved it. How exactly will you measure the success of your activity? Think about the metrics you’ll need to obtain, and how you’ll get them.

Achievable – realistically do-able within practical and resource constraints

It’s great to have ambitious goals. There’s even a term for that – a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) – which many of the world’s most visionary brands use for their corporate goal-setting. But for the digital and social media campaigns that contribute to these wider business goals, we must have more realistic aims. We must ensure the presence of the requisite resource, budget, skills and time to achieve them.

Relevant – objectives that contribute to the wider business aims

A relevant objective is one that is directly derived from and aligned with wider marketing or business goals. Does it drive forward those broader aims? Is it the right time for this?

Timed – built around a specific timeline.

Quite simply, every objective needs a deadline.