Online marketing is a big umbrella of marketing activities you could be doing in your business, so it’s no wonder small business owners feel overwhelmed by it.
Most business owners try the scattergun approach of trying everything in the hope they will have success with one marketing activity. They’ll have a website, a blog, are on social media, spend time in Facebook groups, go to networking events etc.
Can you see how this would get tiring?
I’m not saying that these marketing tactics are wrong, but doing them all leaves you tired and unfocused. You might even want to give up after a while.
This trial and error, throw everything at it approach often isn’t sustainable and doesn’t necessarily give you results (in fact, for most of us it leads us to exhaustion and overwhelm).
In this post I’ll be sharing the 5 online marketing mistakes you’re making in your business, and how you can avoid making them.
1: Not having an email list
You may have read a blog post or two from me where I advocate building an email list… yes, I am a big advocate indeed!
Email plays a vital role in online marketing because it leads someone from initial interest to purchase (if done well!). When someone comes to your website, they might not be ready to buy right in that moment. So what other option can you give them?
You may have seen other business owners offer something for free, like a PDF or video series. This is called an opt-in (or freebie, or lead magnet) and this has proven to be an excellent way to capture those who are not yet ready to purchase. It gives you a means to contact them in future, without relying on social media algorithms to deliver your message for you.
Keen to create your opt-in gift? Here are some ideas for you.
2: Not consistently creating content
There is a saying that content is king, and while I think that’s a little bit over the top, it is important to create content for your business.
Content helps you in establishing and showcasing your expertise. It also helps you in building trust as someone who knows their topic and offers value to their community.
It’s getting quite busy and noisy in the online space so providing valuable information using content is one way to stand out and build a relationship with your audience in a way that’s not salesy but informational.
Content comes in many shapes or forms. You can create a blog, videos, podcasts, images or you can share your content via social media. Check out this blog post for more ideas about consistently creating amazing content.
3: Doing too many things
There are so many things out there you can do to promote your business. There’s a myriad of social media platforms, numerous Facebook groups and lots of ways to distribute videos. What do you pick and where do you start?
Doing it all is overwhelming, plus you’ll be spreading yourself too thin.
You don’t need to do it all. Pick one social media channel and be awesome at it!
If you want to be in Facebook groups, focus on no more than 5 to start with so that you become known for what you do and people recognise you when you post something.
As for all the other marketing tactics. Pick only a few that resonate with you and where you know you can reach your ideal client.
4: Focusing on vanity metrics
Following on from doing too many things, I often see business owners focusing on the wrong numbers as well.
They are focused on the number of likes, comments, website visits etc but what they really should be focusing on is CONVERSIONS.
Likes, comments, website visits, page views are great, but they’re really only vanity metrics because they won’t necessarily give you an income.
Start tracking where your sales are coming from so that you know where to focus your efforts. Is it from your email list? From a particular Facebook group? Or perhaps from in-person conversations?
Track and focus on the right numbers.
5: Not having a strategy
Perhaps I should have put this one at the top but I decided that this is the one you need to remember so I’m going to close with it.
Too many business owners take the trial and error approach and don’t have a strategy for what they are trying to achieve, which often gives them trial and error results and not sustainable growth or income.
The idea of a strategy is that you take an intentional approach. You create a plan and a roadmap for your business.
To map out your strategy, first define your ultimate goal for your marketing activity and then, working backwards, map out each step your audience needs to take or each potential interaction they will have with you. This includes your website, email, content, social media and promotions.
Are you facing any of these challenges? Don’t worry, you’re not alone.
If you’re ready to create a plan for your business growth but are unsure where to start, please get in touch. In a 1:1 session we can map out a path to success for your business. Get in touch here.
Disclosure: Some articles on this site may contain affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, Bianca McKenzie may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
