As a private equity investor, it's important to thoroughly evaluate a company's performance and potential for growth before investing. In 2022, and forever into the future, one key aspect of this evaluation should be the company's digital marketing strategy, & performance.

Digital marketing can be an extremely effective way for companies to reach and engage with their target audience, drive sales and revenue, and build brand awareness. It can also provide valuable insights into customer behavior and preferences. Therefore, analyzing a company's digital marketing performance can give you valuable insights into its overall health and potential for growth.

When performing due diligence on a company, here are some key areas to consider about their digital marketing performance:

1. Data & Systems analysis: Has the company taken the time to build automated reporting & data visualization systems? Are they working properly? What technology stack are they using?
2. Website traffic and engagement: How much traffic does the company's website receive, and how engaged are visitors with the site? High traffic and engagement levels can indicate a strong online presence and a strong connection with the target audience.
3. Social media presence and engagement: Does the company have a strong presence on social media platforms, and are they effectively engaging with their audience on these platforms? A strong social media presence can be a powerful marketing tool, and high levels of engagement can indicate a strong connection with the target audience.
4. Search engine visibility: How visible is the company's website in search engine results? A high search engine ranking can be crucial for driving traffic to the website and reaching potential customers.
5. Conversion rates: What is the company's website conversion rate, and how does it compare to industry benchmarks? A high conversion rate can indicate that the company's marketing efforts are effectively driving sales and revenue.
6. Customer feedback and reviews: What do customers say about the company's products or services? Positive customer feedback and reviews can be a powerful marketing tool and can indicate high levels of customer satisfaction.

Ultimately analyzing a company's digital marketing performance can provide valuable insights into its overall health and potential for growth. 

When a company has healthy fundamentals but has failed to invest time and energy into these criteria, there is often an immediate opportunity to add value.

Please feel free to reach out if you're considering adding digital marketing due diligence to your process, or if you're looking to add digital marketing capabilities to your platform team.

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