The opportunity to promote your business online has surged since the pandemic, making it worthwhile to explore ways you can maximize your reach. Scrambling to figure it out while managing all the other responsibilities you juggle as a small business owner can be daunting – we can help.
Our time in the digital marketing biz has allowed us to observe and learn from prime examples of what not to do when marketing your business online. Everybody makes mistakes – but you don’t have to make these ones.
With our list of 5 digital marketing mistakes to avoid in 2022 you can be sure to set yourself up for success this year.
#1: Not knowing your audience is one of the biggest marketing mistakes business owners make
It’s a common trap for businesses to get wrapped up in the mechanics of digital marketing without realizing that they need to understand their target audience. One of the most common marketing mistakes we see business owners make is overgeneralizing their marketing efforts in an attempt to cast a wider net.
Your target audience is the ideal type of customers you want to sell to and who would most likely be interested in your product or service. They can be defined by characteristics such as their age, gender, profession, income, interests, or location.
As a business owner, its up to you to get to know your audience beyond these quantifiers as individuals and find out what’s important to them. Focusing on your audience’s problems allows you to position your solutions, which will define your strategic business plan.
#2: Having no social media strategy
Never underestimate the value of social media. The power it holds to connect you to the outside world is a game changer for opening channels of engagement. Connect with current and potential clients to build a community online around your brand.
Find out what your audience engages with the most and cater your content to meet their needs. Valuable content will always be better than something thrown together quickly that misses the mark. Data tracking and analytics can help you figure out what’s working and what you can skip for next time.
Make social media strategy a priority this year and be patient. It takes time to build a following, find your niche, and see the impact of your ads.
#3: Ignoring Search Engine Optimization
If you are DIY with your digital marketing or have hired a marketer to assist with your paid search, social media or website conversions, SEO is important to understand.
What you don’t know WILL hurt you. Google penalizes websites that don’t observe SEO best practices by hiding them from search results, making this one of the key marketing mistakes to avoid.
Developing high-quality, valuable, and original content is the cornerstone of effective SEO. A Wingman can talk you through some of the key things to know and help you plan your next steps. Chat with us today!
#4: Focusing on the wrong metrics
Digital marketing is all about data. If you’re not tracking metrics, start! Getting comfortable with analytics is the key to optimizing results.
On the flip side, data doesn’t mean much if you can’t understand it… Make sure your metrics are aligned per channel per objective, and establish “cost-per” thresholds, optimizing for quality over quantity.
Mastering this aspect of digital marketing will help you tailor your strategy to meet your business goals. Stay organized by tracking information visually so you can see what’s going on.
#5: Obsessing over the top position on google
It takes a huge investment of time and/or money to achieve and maintain top placement ranking on Google (or Bing).
You may be allocating your budget and resources ineffectively – possibly missing out on excelling at other tactics. You must decide if it’s worth the investment.
Using SEO: Rankings fluctuate continually based on location, time of search, and more. Focus on your highest priority keyword terms and aim to land in the top 3 to 5 positions.
Using SEM: Rather than bidding for placement, bid for performance.
Less marketing mistakes means more success this year!
Now that you know which digital marketing mistakes to avoid, you can carry on your 2022 planning with confidence. You don’t have to do it alone either, from mission planning to takeoff to making a perfect landing, we’ve got your back. Contact us today!
You don’t have to fly solo.
