In the age of computers, tablets, and mobile phones, businesses have had to adapt their marketing strategies to continue to reach their target audience. However, the internet is full of information, and there are many myths that may deter businesses from taking vital steps to develop a digital marketing strategy.
Top 10 digital marketing myths
1. Digital marketing doesn’t have to be a priority
Many companies don’t prioritise digital marketing because they believe there are other, more important marketing tactics to invest in. They see digital marketing as a ‘bonus’ rather than a necessity.
However, in this ever-changing digital world, marketing online is crucial. Approximately three quarters of people research a business online before making a purchase, which means failing to invest in sufficient digital marketing tactics can be detrimental to brand awareness, sales, and business image.
2. You only need to be on social media if your competition is
Another common marketing myth is that businesses shouldn’t bother with social media marketing unless their competition does. On the contrary, if your competition isn’t on social media, that is even more incentive to make sure you are. Social media marketing can put you in the lead, especially if your competition doesn’t have an adequate digital marketing strategy. By failing to create a social media presence for your business, you are missing out on a crucial and effective opportunity to create business awareness, exposure, and sales.
3. A website is all you need to market your business
It’s true that creating a website for your business should be an important step in your digital marketing strategy. Past and potential customers can visit your website for information about your business, sales, and updates, and to make a purchase. However, a website is not enough to market your business. Other digital marketing strategies, such as Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Paid Advertising, are essential to successful digital marketing.
4. Email marketing isn’t worth it
Emails may have a lower click-through rate than other forms of digital marketing, but they are still a beneficial addition to your marketing strategy. There is a misconception that email marketing will be filtered out as spam, or that it will simply be ignored by customers. However, most people check their email at least once a day, and If you think your marketing emails are ending up in spam folders, you can take steps to prevent this.
5. Only young people use social media
A harmful misconception is that social media is only effective in marketing to young people. Though It’s true that some platforms, such as TikTok, have a user base that is mainly young people, other platforms, such as Facebook and LinkedIn, are filled with people of all ages. By researching your target audience, you can decide which social media platforms will provide you with the best results.
6. Social media followers only matter if they become customers
Though ‘quality over quantity’ is often true, don’t underestimate the power of having a large social media following. Even if a large portion of your followers aren’t making purchases, you are still creating brand awareness and becoming visible to more and more people.
7. One social media profile is enough
This is untrue for a multitude of reasons. Only having a Facebook account means that you are only marketing to a specific demographic who uses Facebook, primarily older people. To market to as wide of an audience as possible, it is important to cover all bases – Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, etc. If you don’t, you’re missing out on extremely beneficial opportunities to gain customers, increase brand awareness, and generate sales.
8. You should ignore or delete negative reviews – they’re bad for your company
Nobody wants negative comments about their business floating around. However, it is how you respond to these comments that really makes a difference. Potential customers will appreciate a business that responds to negative reviews with an apology or explanation. Avoiding and ignoring negative reviews can indicate that your business doesn’t value the customer experience and refuses to acknowledge when you have made a mistake.
9. The internet is too vast for digital marketing to be effective
With 4.6 billion people accessing the internet, many businesses may view online marketing as futile. However, digital marketing tactics can be more effective in targeting audiences than traditional ones. For example, advertisements can be personalised based on a user’s previous searches and local search ads can help target users who live near your business.
10. Digital marketing is only for large businesses
Digital marketing can benefit any business, from large corporations to small, independent stores. It allows you to market and sell products to customers worldwide. It can also allow people to set up online businesses without having to invest money in establishing a physical store.
What now?
Now that we’ve dispelled some of the common myths about digital marketing, it should be clear that adapting your marketing strategy to include digital marketing elements is essential to continue marketing to a wide range of customers and maintain a successful business.
