Having a business can be difficult. You need to get the word out about your company and bring in customers, but it’s hard when you’re smaller than everyone else. For example, if you’re competing against Walmart, there’s no way that your business is going to get ahead without some serious marketing efforts.
One of the best ways to market your small business is through digital marketing efforts. This means that you use websites like Facebook or Twitter for advertising what you have for sale or use Google Adwords or Facebook Ads to direct people searching online towards your product page on an eCommerce website.
However, many small businesses discover that it doesn’t go well for them when they try their hand at digital marketing. They end up frustrated because they’re not getting the results they want, which can affect their product’s sales.
So what is going wrong with these digital marketing efforts? How can you fix your mistakes, so you don’t lose any more money and give up on digital marketing efforts altogether? Here are five common problems that businesses run into when they try to market themselves digitally:
1. Not Having a Good Website
A lot of times, business owners think that they can just put up a website with some basic information about their company and call it good. However, the truth is that if you really want to have a successful digital marketing campaign, your website needs to be top-notch. Not only does it need to look professional, but it needs to load quickly and be easy for people who are visiting to navigate through.
First impressions are very important when it comes to getting people to visit your website in the first place, so make sure that whatever site you’re using is modern-looking. Hire a web design agency to create a great website that is simple and easy for users to navigate.
2. Not Having the Right Keywords in Your Title Tags and Meta Descriptions
When somebody searches for information online, what they’re really doing is asking a question. They start with a question in mind, usually something along the lines of “where should I buy headphones?” or “how can I get my house clean?” and then type that into Google to discover an answer.
The websites that Google displays when someone searches for information are the ones that have given them the answer to this person’s question in their title tags and meta descriptions.
This means if you want to drive more customers to your website, it’s vital to make sure that you have your keyword in your title tag so that it shows up every time somebody types in a related search inquiry.
3. Not Having the Right Amount of Information on Your Website
If you’re using a website as part of your digital marketing efforts, it’s important to have enough information on the site to learn what they need to know about buying from you.
For example, if your company sells shoes online, then having ten different style options isn’t helpful. Potential customers who search online are looking for one specific pair of shoes, not ten different choices.
So put yourself in your customer’s shoes and think about what information they would need before they buy from you to answer the question, “should I buy these?”
4. Not Utilizing Social Media Platforms for Your Business
While it may seem like common sense to use social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc., many small businesses still don’t take advantage of them even though they are free tools to advertise with.
This is why it’s important that every business uses some form of social media marketing because this is where most people are spending their time online nowadays. They’re on Facebook looking at pictures of their friends’ babies or reading the news on Twitter. And since most people using social media are looking for ways to spend their time, it’s the perfect place to advertise your business.
5. Not Having a Blog on Your Site
Having a blog is vital because it gives people an easy way to find out about future updates from your business and learn more about whatever you do.
So make sure your business has a fresh blog with relevant information for people to search online. That way, when somebody searches for what you sell, they’ll most likely become a customer because they know enough about how great ya’ll are.
Digital marketing can be a great way to connect with more potential customers and increase sales, but only if it’s done correctly. By avoiding these common mistakes, small business owners can improve their chances of success with digital marketing.