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Does your business have an online presence?
Chances are, you have some aspect of online marketing already in place for your business.
But as humans, we are prone to make mistakes.
And online marketing for business is no exception.
Take a look at some of the top mistakes online marketers make, and how you can rectify the same.
Every online marketing campaign is launched with some objectives in mind.
But over time, they are either forgotten or become outdated.
It is essential that you have definite goals you want to achieve through online marketing. You have probably heard of setting SMART goals…
Are the goals for your business specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound?
If they aren’t, perhaps you need to begin there. Set specific, meaningful goals that you can achieve within 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year.
The next step is to develop a strategy, and create an action plan to help you achieve those goals.
The only way to reach a lofty goal is to break it down into bite-sized pieces, and work on it – one bit at a time. The little effort you put in each day will help you achieve good results in the long run.
There was a time when flash website were all the rage. The site itself would take several minutes to load, making visitors wait or click the “X” button.
If your website utilizes flash for the home page or is generally slow to load, it’s time you do something about it.
Another annoying feature is the pop up that just cannot be closed!
Yes, we do understand the need to increase a business mailing list by asking visitors to sign up for a freebie. But there should also be a way for people to just browse through the content on your site without having to sign up for anything right away.
People generally don’t enjoy waiting. If you’re going to make them wait or sign up just to view your content, it’s the easiest way kiss potential clients good bye!
While some bloggers do prefer their privacy and don’t post their personal information online, that cannot be the case for an business that’s trying to make money.
It is essential that you have a contact page on your website, listing different ways you can be contacted.
Here at Get Found Online, I’ve listed my email ID, as well as phone numbers and address for those trying to reach me locally.
It’s not just casual site visitors who may be trying to reach out to you. Prospective clients and other businesses who want to partner with you may also be trying to get in touch with you.
Some of these connections may be prove to be beneficial for your business in the long run. You might lose out valuable opportunities just because you neglected to include your contact details on your website.
A website has become a non-negotiable for businesses worldwide.
As soon as the business name is finalized, the owners buy the domain name and spend good money to have a nice website done.
But often, these business websites are neglected after the initial launch.
The investment of money and effort to create a flashy site turns out to be a complete waste.
It is essential to make your website work for your business. It’s not just a show piece or emblem of pride, but a giant doorway that could bring you more conversions and clients.
Use your website to connect with your audience, update it periodically with relevant information, and share it liberally, online and offline.
When it comes to your business website, a bit of direction certainly helps! A specific call to action at the end of each page on your site will guides visitors on what they can do next.
Your call to action may vary based on your individual business goals.
If your goal is to build user engagement, ask a question and encourage visitors to leave a comment.
If your goal is to increase the size of your mailing list, provide a freebie and ask users to sign up for it with their email ID.
If your goal is to get more traffic, link to other related pages on your website.
If your goal is to increase social signals, encourage visitors to share the page on various social networks.
If your goal is to get more sales, direct readers to purchase your products/services.
These are simple but effect ways to utilize a call to action in order to reach your online marketing goals.
Content creation is a major quotient that drives digital marketing campaigns. All other marketing initiatives – blogs, social media, SEO, email marketing, etc. depend on quality content.
In fact, 82% of consumers feel more positive about a company after reading custom content. (Demand Metric, 2014)
Most potential clients check out articles on the business website, and other content published online before making their final buying decision.
Maintaining a company/personal blog can be invaluable to your business. You need not be restricted to only textual content either. Images, videos, podcasts, webinars, and slideshows are different mediums to shine with respect to content marketing.
A major part of traditional business marketing revolves around the connections you have.
It’s the same with online marketing as well.
If you have good, reliable online connections, your marketing efforts will bear more fruit.
Even if you are just starting out, it is important to reach different categories of people online and build quality relationships.
The three types of online connections you need to build are with your:
When building online relationships, honesty is crucial.
Be honest about what you have to offer, lavish praise on others, and be a gracious giver. The online relationships you build now will hold you in good stead for years to come
Analyzing your marketing metrics periodically will give you better clarity on what’s working for your business and what isn’t. Not monitoring your analytics is a huge no – no.
You need to be aware of what is happening on your website, social media channels, and email marketing program. Not only do you have to monitor your stats, you need to be sure to track the right metrics.
Even while you set goals for your business marketing efforts, you need to identify KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) that need to be tracked. These KPIs ought to be meaningful, and should tell you more about the performance of a particular marketing campaign.
Some KPIs could include:
Set KPIs that matter to your business, and track them using various analytic tools.
Technology evolves faster than most of us can keep track of it.
No longer do people use the internet only on desktop computers. We are now in the era of smartphones and tablets, which means business websites need to be mobile friendly.
In the SEO field, Google keeps changing its search algorithms… What worked 5 years ago will not work today.
We need to be aware of changes in marketing strategies and technology, and take steps to evolve our own businesses to keep up with the times.
Unless we make the move to learn and improve, we will be left out. Be the first in your niche to try out new strategies, and employ new technology. Your business will soon be considered a pioneer in your industry.
Every business needs substantial investments of time, effort and money to grow.
You will have to invest in tools, learning programs and mentoring if your business to move out of a stagnant state. With respect to digital marketing especially, you might have to hire a team to get some work done.
Other times, you may need to consult with an expert or hire a professional to ensure that you’re using the right marketing strategies for your business.
As your business grows, you may also need to invest in some tools to automate certain business processes. This will simplify your work, freeing your time to concentrate on more important business projects.
While you may not need to invest a lot as a startup, as you grow, these investments will help you get targeted leads and increase the overall revenue of your business.
In conclusion I’d like to add, we all make mistakes – we’re only human. But it’s our tenacity that helps us realize our mistakes, learn from them, and move forward. That is the key to online business success!
Don’t hesitate to request a consultation if you require any help with your online business!
Get ready to take your business to the next level. Lots of free resources, worksheets and eBooks to help you get started.