The internet has changed the way we do business, and how we market our goods and services. Whether you are running an e-commerce website, involved in MLM, or have a brick and mortar location, the core strategies, and the ways in which we execute them poorly, are essentially the same. Mistakes are inevitable, and experience will ultimately be your most valuable teacher. But, this doesn’t mean you can’t learn a thing or two from the people who came before you, and be a bit more aware of the things that you should maybe not even attempt in the first place. Here are just a few of the most common internet marketing mistakes to etch into your awareness.
Slow-Loading Website
In the internet world, your competition is only a short click away, and if your website is taking too long to load, you risk losing many potential customers. Invest in a good hosting service that will load your site at a lightning speed; don’t fill up your site with heavy graphics that take a long time to download.
Not Listing Your Site with the Search Engines
Sure, your site will be indexed by the search engines, and hopefully rank high for lots of different terms for which your customers are looking. But, many people forget about actually submitting their site to the search engines for consideration. You can learn how to do that here.
Not Keeping Your Website Up to Date
This may or may not apply to you depending on what type of business you have, but if it does, make sure you keep it up to date. If you run a blog, make sure you are publishing at least once a week ideally. If you have marketing material advertising a holiday-related sale for example, make sure you take it down after it’s over. If I am visiting your site in November, and I am seeing something about Labor Day, it might make a lot of people reluctant to shop there. These are not any sort of horrible transgressions, but the type of thing that could make people think twice before proceeding.
Not Getting Help When You Need It
Internet marketing can have a big learning curve, but there is still a lot you can do on your own; but sometimes, it is best to bring in the professionals. We can be reluctant to do this because we don’t want to spend a lot of money, but in the long run, it could end up costing you. But, if you just can’t seem to get quite the right look for your website, or are clueless about how to use social media effectively, it may be time to consult with an internet marketing company, preferably one with a lot of experience in your particular industry.
Too Many Questions
One of the most important facets of internet marketing is building an email list so you can regularly reach out to your target audience with promotions and valuable information. But, in getting them to opt-in, if you are asking them anything more than their name and email address, you may be chasing them away—some estimate every additional question reduces your potential customer pool by 10 to 15 percent.
So, there you have it; five common mistakes that could be thwarting your internet marketing success. While they surely aren’t the only flubs, they are important, and steering clear of them can definitely put your campaign in the right direction.
Not Making Connections
The connections you can make with other businesses online can be invaluable for yours. It may seem counterintuitive to try and help other people find success, but when you do that, they do it right back to you. Provided someone is not a direct competitor, share their content regularly on social media. Leave thoughtful comments on blogs in your niche to build links to your site, and attract new audiences.