With endless digital marketing strategies and tactics, it's important for small businesses to recognize common shortfalls and overcome them.
If you are a small business owner, then you know that it can be difficult to get the word out there about your business. With so many people competing for the same customers, it can be hard to get noticed. And with so many different marketing tactics out there, it can be difficult to decide where to focus your resources.
Billboards, postcards, email newsletters, social media, banner advertising, search engine optimization, etc., are all examples of marketing tactics used today. However, when not done properly, ineffective marketing and wasteful spending can drive small businesses out of business.
With digital marketing (also known as online marketing), small budgets can go a long ways when utilized properly. The key is to "know your audience". Tailoring your marketing campaigns to the needs of your target audience can help you get the most bang for your buck.
But whether you like it or not, every small business will have a digital marketing failure at some point. Maybe they forgot to restrict their location targeting to their specific city, state or region; maybe they bid on Google Ads keywords that stretch their daily budget too thin; or maybe they simply forgot to include the latest sale in last week's newsletter so no one knew about it.
That's where this blog post comes in. We're here to help small business recognize common shortfalls with digital marketing and provides simple tips on how to overcome them.
Problem: Low conversion rate on landing pages
Solution: Use a funnel to lead people to the right page with the right content at the right time. Having a well-planned sales funnel can not only help you increase your conversion rate but also save you a lot of money in the long run. An ineffective landing page can turn away even highly-interested potential customers. Landing pages should be simple and helpful, with a sophisticated design that keeps the relevant users on the page.
Problem: Organic traffic from search engines is low
Solution: We highly recommend checking out Neil Patel's article "Building a Successful Organic Traffic Pipeline in 5 Steps". With Google algorithms changing on a regular basis, it's important to have a strategic approach to modern search engine optimization (SEO). It basically boils down to relevant content, regular & shareable new content, and including proper keywords to make sure your business is found on Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
Problem: Not communicating with fans and customers regularly
Solution: Deploy marketing automation. Marketing automation is extremely powerful because it enables you to communicate with customers and fans on a more regular basis without tying up too much of your valuable resources. You’ll get high engagements with marketing automation if you understand your target audience’s interests, create relatable and shareable content, and personalize your messages. Without this, your prospects will feel like they’re communicating with robots and the chances of them abandoning your business increase.
Problem: Shortage of resources
Solution: Entreprenuer.com says it best: "Unlike huge companies, SMBs often lack the funds to attract marketing professionals. They also have a tight ad budget and lack knowledge of the field's ins and outs. As a result, many companies abandon marketing altogether, hoping that their site and other platforms will grow organically.
This wishful thinking rarely results in a positive outcome as without quality content, appropriate platforms and analysis, businesses cannot grow. You have to take online marketing seriously; otherwise, you will most likely end up in financial trouble."
Many small business will turn to local marketing freelancers to affordably address their marketing needs. When this is the case, finding an experienced marketing generalist is a great idea.
While these are 4 common shortfalls in the digital marketing world, it's surely not a catchall.
If your company is struggling with digital marketing, it's important to seek assistance before it's too late. Don't push those marketing failures to the side, address them head-on with freelancers or agencies who know the ins and outs of digital marketing.