You may have a fantastic business, with innovative products, exceptional services, and enthusiastic and talented employees. Unfortunately, if your digital marketing strategy is ineffective – or even harmful – all of this could fall away to nothing. After all, in order for a business to succeed, it must attract clients and customers.
Whether you are designing your first marketing strategy for your startup, or are looking to improve your current small business practices, here are some do’s and don’ts of marketing.
Do – Focus on Social Media
Social media is an essential component of a modern digital marketing strategy. From Facebook to Instagram, use social media to interact with your audience and form relationships by providing value (remember that 80/20 rule when it comes to sales posts), starting and joining conversations, and posting at regular intervals.
Don’t – Forget about Traditional Marketing
Creating a comprehensive digital marketing strategy is key for businesses and in a tech-driven society, understandably so. However, don’t forget about traditional methods. Print marketing, such as flyers and leaflets, can support your digital efforts, provide a more personal and targeted approach, and could help you to stand out from your competition.
Do – Put Your Customers First
Your customers are the lifeblood of your business, so make sure their experience is your number one priority. Consider all aspects of your business from a customer’s POV and consider what you could do to enhance this. This could boost customer loyalty and provide free marketing through good word of mouth.
Don’t – Stop Improving Your Strategy
One of the biggest marketing mistakes any business can make is to stick to the same strategy. You may think you’ve honed the perfect practices, but with continual SEO and algorithm updates, digital marketing is continually evolving. As such, in order to reach your audience, your strategy must be adapted and updated on a regular basis.
Do – Optimise for Mobile
Smartphones and devices are now our main source of internet access, accounting for almost 60% of searches and traffic. This means that more than half of your customers will access your website via mobile. In addition, research has shown than if a website takes more than 3 seconds to load, 53% will leave, so optimising for mobile is essential.
Marketing is at the heart of any business and can directly impact the success of a company. Follow these dos and don’ts to boost your marketing strategy, and make sure you stay up-to-date with the latest developments, such as voice search.