Online Marketing, Digital Marketing or Internet Marketing
The Top 5 Mistakes You're Making in Your Online Marketing
Online marketing, or digital marketing, or internet marketing - however you choose to refer to it - it's something you absolutely have to do as an entrepreneur if you want your business to stand out from the competition and make sales. But if you've been at it for more than just a few months, chances are you're making one or more of these common mistakes that can be easy to miss but really have an impact on your bottom line results. Learn what they are so you can fix them!
1) Not taking action
All too often, online marketers feel they have to have a perfect plan before they act. The problem with that approach is that no plan is ever perfect. Plus, while you’re waiting for perfection to strike, you’re not actually taking action and seeing results—and you could be missing out on a great opportunity to get your name out there and learn more about what works and what doesn’t work for your business or personal brand. Don’t be afraid to create a strategy quickly, test it with potential customers (friends or family members are a good place to start), and make updates as necessary. It’s better to take an imperfect leap than never make any progress at all!
2) Ignoring web design
Investing in a quality web design is just as important as having professional photography or video. A beautifully-designed website not only reflects positively on your business, but also makes visitors feel more comfortable with you and ready to trust you. On top of that, when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO), which I’ll touch on later, there are certain aspects of design that help ensure your site shows up in Google results. This is one reason why a high-quality web design can cost upwards of $10,000! But if you don’t have an extra $10K hanging around, worry not; read more about how to create a gorgeous online presence without breaking your budget.
3) Thinking digital marketing is easy
Nothing could be further from the truth. While online marketing is becoming easier to manage, it’s still an intricate process that you have to approach with a systematic and strategic mindset. Before you can get started, you need to make sure your digital marketing basics are solid, so it’s best to start learning them as soon as possible. That way, when you begin applying them at work, they’ll already feel natural instead of leaving you scratching your head every time something doesn’t go right. The sooner you address your digital marketing challenges (and what better way than by learning from someone else’s mistakes?), the more prepared you’ll be for potential snags down the road.
4) Being afraid of failure
If you try and fail, you'll learn what not to do. If you don't try, you'll always wonder if your idea would have been successful. It's better to find out as soon as possible so you have time to address the problem. It's better to know if it will be difficult, so you know how to better prepare. So go ahead, give it a shot! The worst that can happen is that you won't succeed... but you'll know for sure. And if your business does work out, then there are plenty of resources available to help guide you through scaling up from small-scale success to large-scale success. The most important thing is that you get started—don't wait until everything is perfect before taking action!
Weighing yourself down with too many ideas: Sometimes it can be tempting to throw every good idea we have into our business plan or marketing campaign, just because we think we might need them all someday. But when we overload ourselves with new ideas, we lose focus on what really matters—the key points of our marketing strategy or business plan.
5) Not doing your research
If you’re looking to promote your business on Facebook or Google AdWords, don’t just jump right in. People tend to be very passionate about their business and not do any research when they start advertising online, says Wright. Often times he sees businesses that have spent thousands of dollars before realizing that they aren’t getting an appropriate return on investment (ROI). Make sure you understand what is going to work for your company and plan accordingly. It might take some time but it will save you money in the long run. • Get familiar with your customers: Don’t focus all of your attention on how much traffic you can get to a site; instead, focus on creating a good experience for people who come there. When you understand what makes them tick, you can craft a better strategy around them and make more effective marketing decisions down the road.
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