online marketing mistakes
Online Marketing is confusing.
It’s like you have a website and a social media account and then all of a sudden you need to magically manifest those amazing customers. 99% of the time it doesn’t work that way.
So we try things, lots of things, hoping one thing will be the the magic bullet. This is called the “trial and error” phase of marketing.
During this phase there are a lot of common online marketing mistakes that I see small businesses make.
Here are the Top 6 which I am sharing with you in the hopes that I can eliminate some of that headache for you.
online marketing mistakes no. 1: they don’t have a niche
Many small business owners are scared to focus on just one Target Market, thinking that this will mean they will be saying No to sales.
When in reality, it has the opposite effect! When you can communicate to someone in a way that shows that you really understand them, they are far more likely to buy from you than someone who is just speaking to them generically.
And as an added bonus it is so much easier for you to create your marketing materials if you are creating it around one person, and not trying to please everyone.
More sales. Less stress. Win. Win.
online marketing mistakes no. 2: they focus on the wrong numbers
Too often I see small business owners focusing on numbers like followers, website visits or page views.
The truth? NONE of that matters unless you are converting them to a sale (either directly or via your list). This means you need a highly engaged audience on Social Media (so they actually see your stuff), visits from people who are the right audience (see No. 1) and an easy path to sale.
The easiest way to check this is to make sure you have a E-Commerce and/or Goals setup in Google Analytics so that you will get the % conversion rate from each source of traffic. Then you will know where best to spend your time.
online marketing mistakes no. 3: they don’t have an email list (or they do but it’s for a “newsletter”)
Email plays a vital role in online marketing as it helps bridge the gap between initial interest and purchase. When someone comes to your website, they might not be ready to buy on that day. So what other option do you give them?
Creating a great email opt-in is a good way to capture those extra names and then you have a means to contact them in future, without relying on social media algorithms to deliver your message for you.
Stuck for ideas? This blog post will help.
online marketing mistakes no. 4: they don’t create regular content
Using Content Marketing as part of your strategy gives you a way to really build that know, like and trust factor with your audience. Plus as a bonus, it gives you something to promote that isn’t salesy.
The online space is getting more and more “noisy” and providing valuable information or inspiration to your audience using content, is one way to really cut through and be remembered.
Types of content include Blogs, Video and Podcasts but it can also include short form text social media posts, beautiful photography and graphic images. Check out this post for more ideas.
online marketing mistakes no. 5: they try to do too many things
Fail admission, I suffer from this one big time! As a marketing strategist, I like being the guinea pig and figuring out what is working and what is not. And at times (ok all the time), the to do list gets overwhelming.
You don’t need to be on every social media channel – pick one to focus on and be awesome at it!!
You don’t need to try every <insert latest awesome marketing tactic here> – instead focus on the couple that you think are the best fit for your business and your skill set.
The solution? Form a strategy! Which leads me to….
online marketing mistakes no. 6: they don’t form a strategy
By creating all your marketing material to be directed towards a certain goal, for a set period of time. You will:
- Ensure that your audience has all the information they need to make a buying decision
- Have one clear message, and not confuse your audience
- That message will be amplified as they are hearing it in multiple places and ways
- You will find it so much simpler to create your marketing materials
To map out your strategy, first define your goal and then, working backwards, map out each step your audience needs to take or each potential touchpoint they will have with you. This includes your website, email, content, social media and promotions,
Everything Intentional.
If you identify with some of these mistakes, don’t worry you are definitely not alone!
That is why I created my FREE course: Online Marketing Demystified. This 7 day program goes through each of the pillars of a successful Online Marketing strategy, how you should approach each and how to put them together into a cohesive strategy that will work for your business.
You can join free anytime here.
After going through it, you will definitely begin to feel a much greater sense of clarity as to what direction you should take with your marketing and how all those pieces fit together.
