8 Digital Marketing Myths
Digital marketing is becoming the new kid on the block and getting the attention of many brands, from the OGs (originals) to the startups. Every brand wants a slice of that digital marketing pie. But with this new spotlight comes great responsibility and a number of assumptions and myths. It is not all a fairy tale, filled with unicorns and rainbows in the digital marketing realm, there are some myths that need to be ironed out.
With that being said, here’s a list of 8 Digital Marketing Myths that need to be addressed:
- All You Need Is A Website
This is a widely agreed misconception that a number of business owners have developed. With just a website, it is possible to acquire new and potential customers on the internet. This is very wrong, simply because your online presence needs to be constantly evolving. If your website is static with little to no updated content, it is very likely your customers will move over to the next brand. Worst case, your direct competitor. Social media presence will be an added advantage, customers get to relate with your brand on a social level.
2. You Don’t Need A Separate Digital Marketing Budget
Most organisations and business owners still have the mindset that digital marketing is just an add on to the overall marketing budget. Even though the offline campaigns have to be in sync with the digital marketing campaigns. Digital marketing should be considered as a stand-alone and needs its own budget to achieve the overall objective of the business. Without a digital marketing budget, it will be quite difficult to make an impact online.
3. SEO Is Overrated
To say that SEO does not exist or is not important is the biggest misconception that can greatly affect business owners. SEO is the added seasoning you need in your digital marketing soup, that will give it that extra flavor. Most online users use a search engine for their basic needs from ‘how-tos’, product reviews and so on. With an active SEO presence, it gives a holistic approach to digital marketing, from on-page optimization to off-page optimization and even technical part. It also plays a major role in ranking higher in organic search results which helps your customers target you.
4. Conversion Rate On Mobile Is Low
Nowadays, people use their mobile phone for everything. From ordering lunch to setting reminders and even stalking people online. It’s easier on a mobile phone to get a number of things done, so why not add the checking out process. There’s a myth that the checkout process is too lengthy and filling out all the tiny fields will be too stressful. The tip is to make your mobile B2B forms more mobile friendly — that is mobile responsive — and simpler for your users.
5. Not Every Company Needs Social Media
A number of brands have experienced the benefits of social media from acquiring new customers and definitely retaining them. It is all about people-based marketing and allowing your brand to interact with customers on a personal level. If managed properly, it can be used as a channel for any industry however, research needs to be carried out on which particular social media channel best fits your business needs. For example, if you are a fashion brand Instagram best fits your needs due to the pictorial effects. If you are a news outlet, Twitter does the job effortlessly, you get to send out tweets without any limitations. Don’t try to conquer all social networks. You may only need 1 or 2 to achieve your business goals.
6. Isolating Your Platforms Is Necessary
This is one of the most popular myths that exist, every platform should stand alone. Cross-platform is not necessary, this is very untrue. Ensuring your brand is seen on as many digital marketing platforms will go a long way in increasing your reach. It will help boost the efforts put into content marketing, which will lead to an increase in engagement from the different platforms.
7. Content Does Not Have To Be Specific
As long as there’s content up, you’re good to go — this is a very big mistake. The content you put up should be specific to the needs of your target audience. It has to be helpful to ensure the attention of your customers is retained which will lead to higher engagement. Let’s not forget that it also helps with search engine ranking which attracts a wider audience base.
8. Email Marketing Is Also Considered Spam
This occurs when email marketing is done in a poor way, instead of informing customers, it bombards them. Email marketing can be used as a very effective marketing tool if done properly. This can be done by ensuring the people who receive your emails have requested for this and you do not overuse the power of email marketing. Ensure you are not choking your audience with irrelevant information.
With the right digital marketing blueprint, it is very possible for your business to improve massively and attract paying customers. Block out the noise of all the digital marketing myths and focus on your goal of reaching a new level in your business. The right principles and techniques need to be applied when executing a digital marketing plan.
Idunnu is a Social Media Strategist at 3WP. Learn more about 3WP at 3wp.io
