By USDR
Digital marketing and the mistakes companies make: this is something plenty of news and media outlets cover, and Forbes even did a recent piece highlighting the issues businesses have in this area. The Forbes article was written by contributor and digital marketing guru Neil Patel, and it pointed out the rise of entrepreneurs starting their own businesses, coupled with their lack of knowledge when it comes to the time, investment and expertise required to do digital marketing the right way.
Digital marketing has evolved over the years, and 2016 represents a new frontier in this world, as well as a relatively new group of commonly made mistakes facing businesses.
Taking into consideration Patel’s list, as well as some others, below are five of the most prevalent and yet avoidable digital marketing mistakes seen this year:
- Failing to Create a Cross-Channel Strategy
Digital marketing doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and it’s not an entirely separate entity from traditional marketing, yet most businesses treat it as such. Having siloed marketing departments or focus areas is putting a damper on your efforts. Instead, what’s most valuable is to create a cross-channel strategy that integrates traditional and digital marketing and lets them play off one another.
- Making It All About Selling and Promotion
When businesses think about turning to internet marketing and social media, they often do so with the mindset that it’s all about selling. If they’re not seeing a boost in sales numbers, their efforts aren’t working. That’s the wrong approach. Instead, it’s critical to look at digital marketing as the cultivation of a conversation that leads to relationships. Sales and revenue should be a secondary indicator as to how well your efforts are working.
- Not Training Employees
For whatever reason, there’s a misconception that anyone can handle digital marketing for a company, regardless of their knowledge or experience. You may find the administrative assistant of a company is also entirely in charge of digital marketing, and it doesn’t work. Digital marketing training is a worthwhile investment for any business.
- Lacking an Understanding of Data
Digital marketing is dependent on your ability not just to capture data, but to analyze it and use it. Tech.co released a recent news piece covering the steps to becoming a better digital marketer, and number one on that list was “Learn to Interpret Your Data.” The problem may be as simple as not having the right technology, but once you get this area right, you’re going to be able to improve your targeting, personalize the experience of your customers, and optimize every area of the sales process.
- You’re Not Evolving
This was one of the problems Patel highlights in his Forbes piece. Digital marketing is always changing and evolving, and if your tactics, platforms and strategies remain the same, you’re doing yourself and your business a disservice. A primary component of successful digital marketing isn’t just being aware of the changes as they’re happening, but also having the flexibility to change along with the environment.
As 2016 continues, digital marketing will likely remain a key headline, particularly in technology and business news. It’s important for marketers to keep up with the news and information as it comes out, and also to think about issues like the ones above, so they can make sure they’re not making the same mistakes.
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