It would be fair to say that we’ve entered an “anyone can do it” era when it comes to online marketing.
Gone are the days when you have to enlist expensive professionals to help your cause. Now, there are all sorts of services that can get you up and running in no time and, usually, at very little cost.
However, don’t be under any illusions. Sure, it has become easier than ever to market a business, but there are certainly right and wrong ways to do it. Through today, we are now going to take a look at some of the most common mistakes that can hold you back.
Mistake #1 – You don’t publish the most important information
We’re hopefully not talking about something as obvious as contact details at this stage. Still, it’s quite incredible how many businesses don’t publish a list of their services or even case studies on previous work they have completed.
Something else that often escapes small business websites are those “trust signals”. It might be the relevant insurance you have armed your tiling business with or the recent qualification that puts you ahead of the competition. Either way, showcase it. You’ll be ahead of the majority of competitors in a flash.
Mistake #2 – “Build it, and they will come”
If you’ve seen the Kevin Costner film Field of Dreams, you might be familiar with the phrase “build it, and they will come”. Unfortunately, this is not always the case regarding online marketing.
You could have the best-looking website on the planet, but it won’t do you any good if people can’t find it. This is where you need a basic marketing plan to back up your website efforts. This doesn’t need to be grossly expensive or innovative; it’s all about getting your name out there. Whether it’s signage on your vehicles or classic business cards – make sure people know about your website.
Mistake #3 – Not tracking your efforts
If you’re not tracking your efforts, then you’re flying blind. How will you ever know what’s working and what’s not if you’re not paying attention to your analytics?
This is a very easy mistake, particularly for small businesses just starting to get to grips with online marketing. Understandably, you want to focus on the creative side of things, but at the same time, you need to make sure you’re keeping an eye on the numbers too.
There are a whole host of free services out there that will track your website traffic for you. Google Analytics is perhaps the most popular, but there are plenty of others.
Mistake #4 – Not having a plan
This is the big one. It’s all well and good having a website, and it’s all well and good getting your name out there, but if you don’t have a plan, then you’re never going to achieve anything.
Marketing is not a “set it and forget it” exercise. You need to be constantly tweaking, testing, and trying new things. If you’re not, then you’re going to get left behind.
The bottom line is this – if you’re serious about marketing your business online, you need to be serious about it. There are no shortcuts. You need to put in the hard work, and you need to be prepared to make mistakes. But if you do, you’ll be in a much better position to succeed.
