The internet has changed the way we interact, the way businesses operate, and the way consumers receive information. While there are many benefits to the “digital nomad life”, there are also a number of challenges that come with being online. In particular, when you’re starting a business online, it’s important to understand what pitfalls you might encounter and how to avoid them. In this article, we’ll talk about five online marketing mistakes that can make or break your business.
1. Thinking that SEO is enough
Search engine optimization (SEO) plays a huge role in the success of any business, but especially for those that operate online. In fact, according to HubSpot Blogs research, consumers prefer to learn about products through organic search engine results rather than paid advertisements.
Additionally, when it comes to getting found online, your domain authority (how much “weight” your website holds in comparison to the other domains out there) plays a huge role. For instance, if you have a website about cooking, but your domain authority is only high in comparison to other “cooking websites”, then your SEO will likely struggle to produce results for your business.
On the contrary, if your domain authority is high across multiple platforms, then you’ll be able to optimize your SEO and gain more traction online. Similarly, if you want to build a quality audience that is interested in your product, then focusing your SEO efforts on driving traffic to your homepage will likely prove to be less effective than segmenting your target audience based on their interest levels and tailoring your content to speak to them.
In conclusion, SEO is an important part of any online marketing strategy, but there is more than one mistake you can make that will negatively impact your SEO. If you want your business to grow online, it’s essential to understand what makes SEO work and how you can get the most out of it.
2. Publishing too much content too quickly
“Content is king”, or so the saying goes. However, creating content to “rule the roost” may not always be the best strategy for driving traffic to your website or boosting your social media presence.
In particular, if you are just starting out as a business owner or marketer, then it’s probably best to focus on creating content that will attract, interest, and retain your target audience.
Additionally, how you present that content is just as important. Make sure that the way you present your product or service is what will make your content easy to understand and memorable. For example, if you’re selling skincare products, then using language that is easy to understand and presenting your product in an appealing way will help make your content more accessible to your target audience.
As a general rule, start off modestly, taking it easy with a few informative posts each month that will give the reader some value. Once you’ve established yourself as an expert in your industry, then you can decide to spend more on content creation, sponsored posts, or social media ads. Each option has its perks, so you want to weigh the benefits of each one against your budget to see what will work best for your business.
To help you establish yourself as an expert in your industry, do plenty of research into your chosen niche and start forming opinions on whether something is or is not valuable information for your target audience. Additionally, if you believe that your product or service will be valuable to your target audience, then you’re more than halfway there to becoming an expert in your industry. Just keep in mind that establishing your expertise can take time.
3. Chasing the dollar
No one factor, such as cost per click (CPC) or cost per impression (CPM), will determine whether or not your online marketing strategy is paying off. Instead, you need to consider a number of factors, including the size of your overall audience, your bounce rate, and the amount of time that your audience spends on your site. It’s also important to set a budget and stick to it.
For example, if you are considering an online marketing campaign for your clothing brand, then you might want to prioritize cost-per-acquisition (CPA) over CPC or CPM. Why? Because you can easily measure the success of your campaign based on the amount of money you’ve spent. Let’s say you’ve spent $500 on a social media ad campaign and you achieve a 3% click-through rate. In order to break even, you’ll need to spend $1000 on similar campaigns in the future. However, if you set a $200 CPM and you achieve the same 3% click-through rate, then you’ll be making $1000 in profit in the first campaign.
In general, the lower the CPC or CPM, the more you’ll profit from similar campaigns. However, this doesn’t mean that you should always choose cheaper options to the exclusion of everything else. Cheap clicks will only get you so far before you start losing audience share, and ultimately, your business. Additionally, the more you spend on individual posts and content, the more you’ll see results.
4. Going down the rabbit hole
“Content is king”, or so the saying goes. However, creating content to “rule the roost” may not always be the best strategy for driving traffic to your website or boosting your social media presence.
In particular, if you are just starting out as a business owner or marketer, then it’s probably best to focus on creating content that will attract, interest, and retain your target audience.
Additionally, how you present that content is just as important. Make sure that the way you present your product or service is what will make your content easy to understand and memorable. For example, if you’re selling skincare products, then using language that is easy to understand and presenting your product in an appealing way will help make your content more accessible to your target audience.
As a general rule, start off modestly, taking it easy with a few informative posts each month that will give the reader some value. Once you’ve established yourself as an expert in your industry, then you can decide to spend more on content creation, sponsored posts, or social media ads. Each option has its perks, so you want to weigh the benefits of each one against your budget to see what will work best for your business.
To help you establish yourself as an expert in your industry, do plenty of research into your chosen niche and start forming opinions on whether something is or is not valuable information for your target audience. Additionally, if you believe that your product or service will be valuable to your target audience, then you’re more than halfway there to becoming an expert in your industry. Just keep in mind that establishing your expertise can take time.
5. Thinking that Instagram is a free pass
Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over a billion active monthly users. It’s an excellent choice for any business, whether you’re just starting out or already have a sizable audience. Why? Because Instagram gives you the opportunity to connect with potential customers where they are – on their phones, which most likely means that they’re already considering making a purchase.
This opportunity may not come with many costs, aside from the occasional celebrity endorsement or sponsored post. However, if you’re not prepared to spend money on Instagram ads to increase your brand’s reach, then you’re missing out on a potentially valuable source of traffic.
In conclusion, if you run a business online or are considering doing so, then it’s important to understand the many challenges that come with being online. In particular, when you’re starting a business online, it’s important to avoid these five online marketing mistakes so that you can develop a strategy and carry it out effectively.