14 Digital Marketing Mistakes Explained in GIFs
Digital marketing is becoming an increasingly critical component of the overall business strategy of companies, big and small, across industries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in the field are expected to increase 11% by 2022. While this is great, more jobs means more room for newbies to come in and make some rookie mistakes. Below, we show GIF reactions that exemplify how we feel when we see some of these digital marketing blunders on the web.
1. Not utilizing analytics enough
Analytics not only allow you to discover more about your customers, but they also provide a way of proving marketing’s worth to a company. With easy-to-use platforms like Google and Twitter Analytics, there is really no excuse for marketers to be avoiding the numbers.
2. Forgetting about your target market
Every project should begin with the end consumer in mind. When it comes to content, make sure what you are creating matches the interests of your target market.
3. Self-centered social media strategy
While the major social media platforms are a perfect place to promote what’s going on in your company, it shouldn’t end there. Make sure you interact with your followers and share interesting external content from across the industry.
4. Investing in every marketing tool
While it may be nice to get a new program or automation tool, make sure that it can actually drive value before investing in it. If you can’t manage it or use the information it produces, then leave it behind.
5. Forgetting about mobile
It’s 2015 and mobile is only getting bigger. Digital marketers must be at the forefront of mobile, or at the very least, make sure their websites have a responsive web design that allows users a hassle-free browsing experience regardless of the device they are viewing content on.
6. Thinking only in the short-term
While creating content on a whim may work for bigger organizations with a large editorial staff, those resources typically aren’t available in smaller companies. Instead, small marketing departments should implement a content calendar to keep organized and make planning and execution easier.
7. Not taking 5 minutes to proofread
Sadly, and despite best intentions, sloppy copy appears in marketing publications all the time. Getting a second pair of eyes on a blog post takes little effort and can potentially save you and your organization from embarrassment.
8. Looking at the wrong data points
Oftentimes marketers look at vanity metrics such as followers or impressions. Sure, that may give you a general idea of your own reach but doesn’t tell you much about the user. Engagement levels and conversion metrics are a much better indicator of how users are actually responding to the content you post.
9. Not thinking forward
A cool social media platform or web design trend that everybody is using today may be irrelevant a year from now. Always try to get ahead of a trend instead of following one.
10. Stuffing in keywords everywhere
Stuffing pages and metadata with target keywords used to be a legitimate tactic for improving search engine rankings. However, this strategy has essentially been rendered ineffective since Google introduced the Panda 4.1 update in late 2013 which grouped keywords by intent.
11. Not attending conferences
Not only do conferences give you an opportunity to hear from thought leaders in your industry, they also give individuals professional development and networking experience. Conferences are also a fantastic way for your organization to get brand exposure through sponsorships or speaking engagements for your staff.
12. Scheduling posts too far in advance
Social media schedulers are great tools for allowing you to manage your digital presence much more effectively. However, you’ll want to only post things that are relatively static or you may end up finding yourselves in messy situations like this.
13. Siloing into one type of content
Find a way of spicing up your blog by including multiples subjects and different types of media. If you don’t know where to start, consider using visually appealing content like videos, infographics, and animation.
14. Hassling the customer with remarketing
Digital marketers love retargeting because it allows them to get customers to return to their site after a previous visit. However, consumers can get annoyed if these banner ads pop up every time they go somewhere. Since getting rid of retargeting altogether could hurt your bottom line, be sure to use it in moderation instead.
Thanks to thegiflibrary, gif-database, and giphy.
