Digital marketing opens a world of possibilities for your small business. A digital presence can take your business to the next level. Before you dive into building a strategy, it’s important to know some of the major pitfalls that you’ll want to avoid. NUVEW Web Solutions covers some of the most common digital marketing mistakes and how our services can circumvent them.
Mistake #1: Not Identifying Your Target Audience
When starting a digital marketing strategy, your audience’s needs should be at the forefront. Many small businesses may think they need to target as wide of an audience as possible. But you’re better off limiting your scope and targeting those who truly need your services. Conversions are a matter of finding the customers that would be most loyal to you. Identify your ideal client and what they’d look like. There are a few ways to understand your target audience:
- Improve communications between your leadership and the employees who frequently interact with clients for insight.
- Use your website’s back-end analytics to determine the pages that are performing the best. What are clients looking at? How long do they remain on your website?
- Look at niche social media pages or forums to see what kinds of discussions your audience takes part in. See how your services can provide solutions.
Mistake #2: Not Responding to Negative Reviews
Reputation management is essential to curating a professional online presence. Many of the platforms used to develop your online presence, such as Facebook and Google My Business, allow you to receive customer feedback. Instead of ignoring them, use this opportunity to rectify relationships with your clients by responding to negative and neutral reviews. Neutral reviews showcase both sides of the customer experience, allowing you to address the criticism while also emphasizing your strengths.
There are several methods to effectively responding to neutral reviews:
- Thank the client for leaving a review, whether it’s praise or criticism.
- Respond right away to negative feedback. Validate their concerns and be empathetic.
- Avoid arguing. Acknowledge your responsibility and offer the customer a chance to speak with you directly. Doing so reinforces your brand’s values.
- Offer a refund or discount as recompense.
Even though small businesses may be tempted to simply ignore negative reviews, you can further your online image and retain loyal customers by addressing their concerns.
Mistake #3: Inconsistent Social Media
In today’s digitalized world, social media is one of the main sources that clients use to stay in the loop. If your social media isn’t updated regularly, it leaves an impression that your company doesn’t care about the surrounding industry conversations. Consumers are less likely to choose a business that doesn’t engage with its audience on social media since it makes you appear new.
If you are new to social media, there are a few methods to growing a loyal, interactive base. Post at least once a week across multiple channels. Provide bite-sized content that’s easy to share and engage with the comments left by your customers.
Take Your Online Presence to the Next Level
By avoiding these digital marketing mistakes, you can maintain a professional reputation online. If you’re ready to enhance your marketing strategy, contact NUVEW Web Solutions today to speak with our team.
