Contributor/Author : J Cummings

When drawing up your digital marketing plan, there are a lot of things that you have to consider. SEM, SEO and social media are some of the wheels you need to put in motion in order for you to get the right momentum going. But like all things, there is a right way and a wrong way to get it done. Here are some of the mistakes you should avoid in your digital marketing:

1. Not defining your audience
Understanding your demographic and the way they behave is one of the keys to a successful marketing strategy. If you create a marketing strategy that is great, but not tailor-made for your target audience, you will fall short of your goals. As a brand, you need to define who you are selling to, in order to craft messages that get the right people interested in your brand offering. Precise targeting is especially important in the digital space, where there is information overload.

2. Failing to set goals

If you do not set goals, the odds of your campaign failing is very high. Before you begin executing any digital
marketing campaign, you need to outline your objectives and set measurable goals, which will help you track if your objective is being actualized. Goals help you track success and identify problem areas where your campaign needs to be adjusted or fine-tuned.

3. Not prioritizing mobile
10 years ago, mobile was not an important part of digital marketing, apart from traditional mass messaging text and calls. Currently, it is a very dominant platform you could be losing out on if you do not make it a priority. When crafting your digital marketing strategy, take into consideration how it would play on mobile. Please note, optimizing for mobile is more than just having a mobile-friendly website, it also entails crafting custom strategies for mobile users.

4. Failing to perform a competitive analysis
Keeping track of what competition is doing is a good way to measure the success of your website. Use tools to compare your website against your competitors. If you find they are doing something right, find ways to improve upon it and if they are doing something wrong, these are things you should avoid doing.

5. Not engaging on platforms where your audience are
A report by Social Media Examiner states about 50% of digital marketers do not know which social media platform is right for their brand. Understanding where your target audience is, is the key element in a digital marketing process – this is often a blind spot for a lot of brands.

However, before you can find where your target audience is, you need to understand your target demographic then build everything else upon this data.

6. Not making the most out of customer feedback

Deleting or not responding to negative blog comments, Facebook comments or tweets is wrong. Customer
feedback, whether it is positive or negative, is an opportunity for you to improve your brand standing and engage with your audience.

Responding to feedback is more than just engaging, you also need to respond promptly and work on solving the issue. It is far better for your customers to be on your channels leaving their feedback as opposed to going to other platforms. One negative blog comment can quickly morph into 10 nasty emails or a tweetstorm that you might not be able to control. The data you get from feedback can also help you improve your brand’s offering.

7. Not having a personal relationship with your customer’s

Investing time and effort into strengthening your relationship with your customers is a great way to reach your digital marketing goals quicker. The more you demonstrate that you care ab
out them, the more vested they become in your brand – it is a win-win for all parties. How do you do this? You can start by remembering important dates and sending them a message or a card on those dates. You can also send out a signed personalized thank you card when they make a purchase. The possibilities are endless.

8. Attempting to do it on your own

Even on a very tight budget, you can still get the help of a professional digital marketer.

Even though it might seem counterproductive, with the help of a professional, you can get a lot done for less. The advice of a professional will help you identify and avoid pitfalls and mistakes that could cost you a lot of money.