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Top 10 Most Common Digital Marketing Myths To Leave Behind Right Now

Digital marketing is one of the most effective ways to generate business online. However, there are many myths circulating the interweb that can be harmful to your business. Here are the top 10 most common digital marketing myths you should leave behind – right now.

1. Myth: Negative Reviews Are Bad For Business

It’s a common misconception that negative reviews are bad news. While no one likes to receive negative feedback about their business, it’s not all bad. In fact, if you have 5-star ratings across the board, you actually appear less credible. By having a few negative reviews, potential customers are able to see that you’re a real business and your reviews came from real customers. However, you should always remember to address the negative reviews publicly and prioritize them. This will show the upset customer – and customers who are doing their research – that customer satisfaction is your top priority. In our most recent webinar, Taking The Frustration Out Of Review Management, we talk about how you could use both positive and negative reviews to your advantage.

digital marketing, marketing myths, marketing, digital marketing myths2. Myth: Only Young People Use Social Media

Different social media channels appeal to different age groups. For example, 55% of Facebook users are 35 and older. While there are social media sites that appeal to the younger crowd, there are several more out there that interest the older crowd. Many business assume they won’t reach the right people online because their demographic is older. However this is not true. People of all ages are on social media.

3. Myth: My Customer’s Aren’t On Social Media

According to Statista, over 3.6 billion people were using social media worldwide in 2020. That number is projected to increase to roughly 4.41 billion by 2025. Sure, maybe not all social media platforms will be right for you depending on your target demographic. But your customers are somewhere on social media – you just have to find out where.

4. Myth: Email Marketing Is Dead

Contrary to popular belief, email marketing is not dead – not even close. According to WBR Digital and Emarsys, 80% of professionals say that email marketing drives their customer acquisition and retention. If you’re someone who utilizes email marketing but don’t see it benefiting your ROI in any way, then perhaps you need to take a look at these best practices:

  • Personalization: Subject lines are everything when it comes to email campaigns. In fact, they can make or break open-rate. By going that extra mile and spending some extra time on your subject line, you can start seeing an improvement with your campaigns. Creating a personalized subject line can make all the difference.
  • Mobile-Friendly Templates: Majority of people check their emails on their mobile devices. If your email isn’t mobile-friendly and hard to view on a cell phone, then chances are you’re not going to have success with your email marketing strategy.
  • Use Metrics: Metrics drives results. This pertinent information tells you how many people interact with your emails, who they are, for how long they’re interacting with your content, and more. Make sure you’re tracking everything from the click-through rate and open-rate to the bounce rate and unsubscribes.
  • Don’t Be Spammy: Make sure you’re always following them CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 to avoid harsh penalties. Not only is it against the law to email someone who hasn’t agreed to receive your emails, but it can also harm your credibility and reputation.

5. Myth: Digital Marketing Doesn’t Work For Small Businesses

Actually, it’s quite the opposite. Digital marketing is primarily for small businesses. While big corporations can spend thousands of dollars on marketing campaigns, chances are that small businesses have a smaller budget to work with. Digital marketing is far more cost-effective than the traditional forms of marketing – such as radio ads and TV commercials. Here are the top 5 cost-effective digital marketing strategies that small businesses can benefit from.

  • Email Marketing
  • SEO (Search Engine Optimization)digital marketing, marketing myths, marketing, digital marketing myths
  • Content Marketing
  • Social Media Marketing
  • PPC (Pay-Per-Click)

6. Myth: Being Online Is Enough – A Strategy Isn’t Needed

Being online is essential – but that’s not all you need to be successful in the digital landscape. You must also consider whether or not you have a strategy and what that looks like. To be successful, you need to consider what your goals are and who your customers are. Before you get started, conduct a SWOT Analysis and set your SMART goals to help you outline a strategy that works for you.

SWOT Analysis stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. SMART Goals stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Based.

7. Myth: Content Is All You Need

While content is important, it’s not all you need to have a successful digital marketing campaign. If you write a really entertaining and intriguing blog with a great story line but no one reads it, what’s the point? You need to do more than just create great content – you must also have a strategy. Here are some tips and tricks to create a content strategy that works:

  • Define Your Goals
  • Research Your Target Audience
  • Focus On Your Niche
  • Measure and Track Your Results
  • Listen To What Your Customers Say
  • Amplify Your Content

8. Myth: SEO Isn’t Important

If you want great visibility and more website traffic, then SEO should absolutely be important to your business. Not only does SEO help build trust and credibility, but it also increases your engagement, traffic and conversions. Not to mention, organic traffic is responsible for the majority of traffic to your website. Many small businesses believe SEO is too expensive, but it’s actually relatively cost-effective with a good ROI. A good SEO strategy will only improve and get better the more attention it gets – and the more you invest in it. Businesses who want to be seen and searched for online should implement SEO into their digital marketing strategy.

9. Myth: More Is Better With Content Marketing

You may think that the more content you publish the better – but that is far from the truth. Less is more. When it comes to content marketing, you want to strive for quality over quantity. More often than not, increasing content frequency usually means sacrificing content quality. Don’t put out more content for the sake of putting out more content. Only put out content when you’re sure it meets your standards of quality.

10. Myth: My Industry Is Too Dull For Digital Marketing

There is no industry too boring or too dull for digital marketing. Whether you own a local bed and breakfast or you own a carpet cleaning business, digital marketing is great for all types of businesses.  While some businesses require more out-of-the-box thinking, it can be totally doable. Not only that, but it can even be fun and entertaining. Even if you don’t think people would be interested in what you have to offer, you should still add digital marketing into your strategy.

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Have questions about your digital marketing strategy? Get in touch with our team at VitalStorm. Call us today at 877-311-5695 or visit more of our marketing tips here.