In the complex world of digital marketing, even seasoned professionals can stumble. To shed light on these pitfalls, we’ve gathered insights from eight experts, including CEOs and Marketing Managers. They discuss common missteps from focusing on too many digital channels to the importance of balancing long-term vision with agility.
- Focus on Fewer Digital Channels
- Prioritize Engagement Over Reach
- Set Realistic Digital Marketing Expectations
- Adopt a Mobile-First Strategy
- Target Solution-Related Keywords
- Manage and Optimize Continuously
- Clearly Define Your Target Audience
- Balance Long-Term Vision with Agility
Focus on Fewer Digital Channels
One common mistake businesses make is focusing on too many digital channels. To succeed in digital marketing today, you must focus, have expertise, and build community. Community building is more important than ever.
When you find a platform where your community lives, build on it, even if it’s not the largest platform overall. It could be your largest platform. Many people say to start a blog or make videos, but it all ultimately depends on how and where your target audience consumes content. Focus on that!
Nicole Lee, Content Marketing Manager, Upland Software
Prioritize Engagement Over Reach
One common mistake I’ve frequently observed in businesses’ digital marketing efforts is their tendency to prioritize reach over engagement. While it’s important to cast a wide net, I believe that creating meaningful engagements with your audience is more valuable. It’s akin to throwing a party where thousands are invited, but only a handful actually enjoy themselves. This mistake can be avoided by focusing more on quality rather than quantity.
At BusinessMap, we’ve shifted our social media strategy to be more interaction-focused; we started asking questions, monitoring the response type and frequency, and tailoring our content based on feedback. This change led to customers feeling more valued and, as a result, they were more likely to become positive brand ambassadors. Trust me, you’ll find it rewarding when your audience willingly spreads your message simply because they had meaningful interactions with your brand.
Pavel Naydenov, Head of Marketing, Businessmap
Set Realistic Digital Marketing Expectations
One of businesses’ biggest mistakes in digital marketing strategies is expecting immediate results. Early in my career at Netrocket, I launched a new campaign for a dental client, anticipating quick success. When the results were slow, the client grew anxious.
However, I reminded them that digital marketing is a long-term game. It takes time for customers to see, engage with, and trust your brand. This experience taught me the importance of patience and setting realistic expectations.
To avoid this pitfall, focus on consistency and persistence. Continue to deliver high-quality content and engage with your audience regularly. Understand that it might take several exposures for potential customers to respond. Track your progress, but give your strategies time to work. Patience, combined with a steady effort, will eventually yield the desired results.
Ihor Lavrenenko, CEO, Dental SEO Expert
Adopt a Mobile-First Strategy
One common mistake businesses make is neglecting mobile optimization. Most businesses still design primarily for desktop, overlooking the growing number of mobile users.
To avoid this, you should always prioritize a mobile-first approach in your design and content strategies. Make sure your website is responsive, easy to navigate on small screens, and that your content loads quickly.
This not only improves user experience but also boosts your search engine rankings.
Chad DeBolt, Founder, Surchability
Target Solution-Related Keywords
A very common mistake is that businesses with limited budgets will often devote the majority of their digital marketing strategies to branding campaigns. The problem is that it’s a marathon, which they run out of steam on (read: budget) before landing any wins. Instead, they should focus on solution-related keywords for their target locations.
Kevin Hall, Digital Marketing Consultant, Halls Consulting
Manage and Optimize Continuously
One common mistake I often observe in business digital marketing strategies is the ‘set it and forget it’ approach.
Companies spend considerable time and resources to set up their digital marketing channels, like social media or email marketing, but afterward, they fail to consistently manage and optimize these platforms. I’ve seen this scenario play out at a textiles company we worked with at Businessmap, causing a significant dip in visibility and customer engagement.
To avoid this, it’s crucial to continuously monitor the outcomes of your marketing efforts, revise your strategies based on performance metrics, and keep pace with evolving market and customer trends. Remember, in digital marketing, consistency and adaptability are key.
Gabriel Lukov, Head of Inbound Growth, Businessmap
Clearly Define Your Target Audience
One common mistake I see businesses make in their digital marketing strategies is not defining their target audience clearly. To avoid this, take the time to research and understand your ideal customer—their demographics, interests, and online behavior.
This will help you tailor your marketing efforts to reach the right people with the right message, leading to more effective results. Remember, it’s not about reaching everyone; it’s about reaching the right ones.
Alex Stasiak, CEO and Founder, Startup House
Balance Long-Term Vision with Agility
Businesses often overlook the long-term vision when executing their digital marketing plans. While having a robust digital strategy is essential, the execution should be agile and adaptable to current trends and immediate goals.
Poor execution isn’t just about spotting and squashing errors, though. It’s about creating a work environment where you, your team, or your agency can function at optimal levels of creative problem-solving and imaginative excellence. Businesses should ensure their digital strategy is designed with a long-term perspective, but their execution remains flexible and responsive to changes.
The clarity of the long-term vision is key and must encompass a company’s “what we hope to achieve.” After you have the clarity of this long-term perspective, you must remain consistently responsive to the ingredient of change—both the anticipated and the not-so-anticipated.
By balancing a long-term strategy with short-term, actionable steps, you can effectively navigate the digital landscape. To effectively navigate the digital world, one must work methodically toward specific but malleable goals. This approach not only prevents stagnation but also keeps your digital marketing efforts dynamic and progressive.
Blake Smith, Marketing Manager, ClockOn Australia
