We’ve previously stated that in order for any brand to survive in this day and age, they MUST have an online presence. Keeping up with the latest online trends is an integral part of the modern business’ marketing plan. Transitioning your business from traditional marketing strategies (advertorials, radio spots, flyers) to the digital era (YouTube tutorials, Facebook Fan Pages, Pinterest) can be difficult for some, and if not done correctly, could actually harm your company. Rather than taking a chance on your business’ success, here is a list of the 5 online marketing mistakes to avoid:
1. Keep an Active Website
Yay! You finally have a website set up. The hard part is over, right? WRONG. Many businesses think that creating a web presence is enough, but a website won’t work for you unless you put the work into it. Make your site appealing to the reader. Draw them in with the webpage design and keep them coming back through engaging content. If you put in the effort to having an active and updated website, the site will then work for you by converting page visits into leads.
2. Do The Online Marketing Research
The key to online marketing is knowing who your audience is and what’s the best way to access them. Sure you could get free accounts across every social media channel available to try to access everyone, but online marketing isn’t about quantity, it’s about quality. Learn your market (who is your audience, what social media platform would best cater to them, when are they online) and utilize the tools to better accommodate them.
3. Less Me and More We
Although it’s easy to only publish content that focuses on your company and/or its products, it’s a big online marketing faux pas. Content should ALWAYS be client-focused. If we’re trying to build a relationship with clients, make sure the information shared isn’t just beneficial to you. Create content that is also relevant to them. Find the medium of establishing your brand while also catering to your audience.
4. Keep The Conversation Going
Consistency is extremely important when creating a brand and growing a business through online marketing. A post a day shows that your business is alive online, but active communication shows that your business is living. Community building and client engagement are the two ways businesses can consistently build a relationship with their audience. Respond to their tweets, “like” their comments on your posts, and thank them for sharing your content to create engagement. Quick and authentic responses keep your brand fresh.
Active engagement also shows your audience that you are listening to them and have a genuine concern about their needs.
5. SEO Overage
Yes, keywords are important when SEO optimizing your online marketing content. However, SEO over-saturation is harmful to your brand. Everyone wants to get their content to the top of the search engines, but if your content is too keyword heavy, there is a strong possibility it could get flagged as spam. Rather than flooding your page with keywords, shift your focus to creating high-quality, relevant content.
The face of online marketing is changing everyday and becoming a pro at managing the digital marketing scene is an acquired skill. As the Internet continues to set the tone for business, it’s important to have a team of strategists who are a mix of both creativity and web intelligence. The content creators at Nao Media pride themselves on staying abreast of online marketing trends to best help your business grow. For more information about how to get started with an online marketing strategy and to see how Nao can help expand your brand’s reach through web content creation and placement, click here.
