13 Terrible Digital Marketing Mistakes You Could Be Making Right Now

It's no secret that digital marketing is essential for businesses that want to grow and succeed in today's digital world.

But with so many different digital marketing channels and strategies to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to start - or, more importantly, where not to start.

It can also be difficult to keep track of which channel is most effective for promoting your business objectives - but do not worry.

We have compiled this list of 13 mistakes companies make when it comes to digital marketing, so you can avoid them when you develop your digital marketing strategies.

Read on to learn more about the marketing mistakes you could be making right now!

13 Terrible mistakes you are making with digital marketing

1. You do not define your goals
2. You have no strategy
3. You do not know your target audience
4. You ignore your competitors
5. You are not incorporating SEO
6. You lack a marketing budget
7. You are relying only on organic traffic
8. You don't create captivating content
9. You don't promote your content
10. You're not using social media
11. Your website isn't mobile-friendly
12. You are not analyzing your data or measuring results
13. You're not making use of available tools

You don't define your goals

Setting and achieving goals is a cornerstone of success in any field, but many companies treat digital marketing as an exception. They spend money on digital advertising without setting clear goals, other than increasing brand awareness or website traffic.

While these goals are important, they are not specific enough to ensure that your digital marketing efforts are successful. Therefore, it's essential to set clear and achievable goals for your online marketing campaigns.

Without specific goals, you have no way to measure your progress or determine if your campaigns are successful.

So what constitutes a clear goal?

It depends on your business, but a good rule of thumb is to make sure your goals are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely).

By following this simple guideline, you can avoid the pitfalls of undefined goals and set your business up for success.

So take the time to define your objectives before you launch your next campaign.

You have no strategy

Without a strategy, your digital marketing activities are likely to be ineffective and a waste of time and money on tactics that do not work, and you'll never be able to achieve your long-term marketing goals.

A good online marketing strategy helps you focus your efforts, allocate your resources, and measure your progress. It also ensures that your marketing endeavors are aligned with your business marketing objectives.

It should be comprehensive and cover all aspects of online marketing, from SEO to social media and content marketing to pay-per-click ads. Without a plan, businesses are unlikely to get the results they want.

So if you are serious about marketing your business online, you should prioritize developing a digital marketing strategy.

It could be the best business decision you ever make.

Related resources:

• Digital marketing strategies for small businesses

• 13 reasons why your business needs a digital marketing strategy

• 40+ mind-blowing facts about digital marketing you probably didn't know

You don't know your target audience

When it comes to digital marketing, "Who is my target audience?" is one of the most important questions you can ask yourself. Without this crucial information, all your marketing exertions are likely to be for naught!

Think of it this way:

If you sell women's shoes, it makes no sense to target men.

If you sell school administration software, it would not make sense to market to hospitals either.

The key to successful marketing is to target your audiences as specifically as possible.

Only by knowing your target audience can you create marketing materials that appeal to them.

So if you do not know who your target audience is, it's time to find out.

Otherwise, you're just setting yourself up for failure by essentially shooting in the dark and hoping that something will eventually hit your mark.

You ignore your competitors

In the world of digital marketing, it's easy to get tunnel vision and focus only on your brand. However, this is a big blunder.

In today's fast-paced and ever-changing world, it's more important than ever to keep an eye on your competition and stay one step ahead of them. That does not mean you should obsessively watch them or constantly compare your performance to theirs.

But you should be aware of what they are doing and how it affects your marketing efforts.

Ignoring your competitors can lead to missed opportunities, missing out on valuable insights, and blind spots in your marketing strategy.

So, as you plan and execute your internet marketing campaigns, make sure you keep them in mind.

You are not incorporating SEO

This makes it easier for search engines to find and index your content, making it more likely to show up in search results.

You lack a marketing budget

Digital marketing is often perceived as free, which is a common misconception. While it's true that there are many free digital marketing tools and tactics, the reality is that most successful digital marketing campaigns require some level of investment.

The biggest mistake you can make with your digital marketing is not allocating a budget.

Without a budget, you will not be able to invest in the tools and resources needed for a successful campaign. You'll also likely end up with a patchwork of different marketing activities that do not work together effectively.

Bottom line: digital marketing is free. However, if you invest some money in your campaign, the ROI of a well-executed digital marketing campaign can be worth the effort.

If you do not invest in digital marketing, you are missing out on a great opportunity to grow your business.

You are relying only on organic traffic

Organic traffic (the traffic you get from free sources like search engines or social media) is the lifeblood of any effective marketing strategy. It is the be-all and end-all of any website or blog that wants to rank high in search engines and attract visitors.

However, it would be a mistake to rely solely on organic traffic.

And why?

There are several reasons why.

First, organic traffic can be very volatile. It can fluctuate wildly from month to month and even from day to day. A sudden algorithm change can cause a dramatic drop in organic traffic.

Second, organic traffic is slow to build. It can take months or even years before you see the results of your SEO efforts.

Traffic from organic sources alone is not enough!

That's why an integrated marketing strategy is so vital.

You need to supplement your organic traffic with other sources, such as PPC advertising, social media advertising, programmatic advertising, native advertising...

Paid advertising can help you get instant results, reach new audiences, and grow your business. It can also be a valuable way to test different marketing strategies and messages.

If you are not using paid ads, you are missing out on a valuable way to reach your goals.

You don't create captivating content

Engaging content is the backbone of digital marketing. If you're not creating content that engages your audience, then you're not doing digital marketing right. Period!

However, developing engaging content isn't as easy as it sounds. It takes time, effort, and a lot of trial and error to create content that resonates with your audience.

But it's worth it.

With engaging content, you can build a strong relationship with your audience and turn them into lifelong fans.

Don't know how?

Here are some tips to help you create content that's both informative and enticing:

1. Write in a clear, concise, and easy-to-read style.

2. Use meaningful headlines and subheadings to grab attention.

3. Use images, infographics, or videos to break up the text and make it visually interesting.

4. Use storytelling to make your content more interesting.

5. Appeal to the emotions of your audience to make them interested in your content.

You don't promote your content

Creating content is only half the battle - you also need to make sure your content is seen by your target market. Failing to promote your content is a big mistake that can kill your digital marketing efforts from the start.

There are several ways to get the word out about your content and make sure it reaches your target audience.

You can share it on social media platforms, post it on your website or blog, or even send out an email newsletter.

Whatever method you choose, make sure you promote your content regularly and effectively, or you'll never reap the rewards of your hard work.

You're not using social media

Social media shouldn't play a supporting role in your digital marketing strategy - it should be front and center.

Not only does social media provide you with a platform to reach a larger audience, but it also allows you to connect with your existing customers and build relationships.

In addition, social media networks can help you drive traffic to your website and generate leads, build loyalty and trust, and increase your reach and online presence.

If you're not using social media for your business, you're missing out on a great opportunity to connect with and engage your target market. You're also making it difficult for your business to compete in the digital marketplace.

Don't make this mistake - let our team help you leverage social media for your business today.

Related resources:

• Google ads vs smart campaigns. Which one is right for your business?

• An in-depth guide to search engine marketing

• The basics of search engine marketing (SEM)

Your website isn't mobile-friendly

In today's digital age, it's more important than ever to have a mobile-friendly website. A recent study found that 53.74% of the total web visits are currently mobile, compared to 46.26 percent coming from desktops. This means that if your website isn't optimized for mobile devices, you're missing out on a large portion of your potential audience.

A website that's not responsive is one of the worst mistakes you can make in your digital marketing efforts.

If you want to ensure that your website reaches the widest possible audience, you need to make sure that your website is easily accessible and usable on all devices.

Otherwise, you risk losing a lot of visitors who should have been directed to your website in the first place.

You don't thoroughly analyze or measure data

If you don't analyze your data and measure your results, you're making a big mistake.

Not only are you not able to identify what's working and what's not, but you're also missing out on valuable insights that could help you improve your digital marketing efforts.

Data analysis is essential to understanding which digital marketing channels are effective and which aren't. Without it, you're flying blind and wasting your time and resources on activities that won't get you closer to your goals.

If you want to be successful with digital marketing, you need to make sure you're measuring your results and constantly analyzing your data.

Collecting data is the easy part - the hard part is making sense of it and using it to improve your campaigns.

But if you master data analysis, you'll be well on your way to success in the world of digital marketing.

Only then will you be able to make the necessary adjustments and tailor your strategies for maximum results.

You're not making use of available tools

Your digital marketing efforts are only as good as the tools you're using. If you're not making use of available tools, you're missing out on a lot of potentials.

There are a ton of effective tools out there that can help you with your digital marketing efforts - from social media management to email marketing to content creation.

These tools can help you boost your online presence, reach your target audience, and easily measure your success. 

Not using the available tools is a huge mistake - you're missing out on potential customers, leads, and sales. You're also most probably not getting the most out of your digital marketing efforts.

Don't make the mistake of neglecting available tools - make use of them and see your business grow.

Not sure where to start? Here are 11 free SEO tools to help you increase your website ranking and here are the 10 best social media management tools to help you manage your social networks.

Better still, here are the 30 most useful chrome extensions to help you with your digital marketing day-to-day work.

Related resources:

• Boost your site's search engine rankings with these 16 tips

• 13 proven ways to increase website traffic quickly and easily

• 10 things you can do right now to improve your search ranking

Final thoughts

Digital marketing mistakes can greatly hurt your chances of success. In this article, we discussed 13 of the most common ones including things like not having a clear online marketing plan, not measuring results, and not incorporating SEO among others.

If you would like assistance with increasing ROI for your digital marketing efforts, talk to us. We are the leading digital marketing firm in Kenya, we can help you create a more effective digital marketing strategy that will help you achieve your desired results.