The 10 biggest digital marketing mistakes for business owners and how to avoid them

Business Owner – Is your Marketing Team still making mistakes?

As a digital marketing consultant, I’ve seen many business owners make mistakes when it comes to their digital marketing efforts. Digital marketing is a complex and ever-changing field, and it can be easy to make mistakes if you’re not careful. If you’re a business owner and still doing your marketing yourself, then it’s time for a rethink.

Iconic Digital has spent the last 10 years working with successful global businesses to develop compelling marketing strategies which deliver real results. Whether your aim is to secure better brand awareness, increased market engagement or just to get more leads, our digital marketing services can help.

In this article, I’ll outline the 10 biggest digital marketing mistakes that business owners make, and provide tips on how to avoid them.

Mistake #1: Not having a clear goal

One of the biggest mistakes that business owners make is not having a clear goal for their digital marketing efforts. Without a clear goal, it’s difficult to measure the success of your campaigns, and it’s easy to get side-tracked by vanity metrics like page views and social media followers.

To avoid this mistake, it’s important to define your goals before you start any digital marketing campaign. Do you want to drive more traffic to your website? Generate more leads? Increase sales? Once you’ve defined your goals, you can create a digital marketing strategy that’s tailored to achieving them.

Mistake #2: Ignoring mobile optimisation and conversion rate optimisation

More and more people are accessing the internet from their mobile devices, and if your website isn’t optimised for mobile, you’re missing out on potential customers. Mobile optimisation is more than just making sure your website looks good on a small screen – it’s also about making sure it’s easy to navigate, loads quickly, and provides a seamless user experience.

Websites function best when aligned to the 12-column grid rule. If a website uses more than 3 colours, it can become difficult to read. Positioning content in the right place on the screen can increase conversion by up to 48%, so it’s vital to look at eye tracking studies to ensure your content appears in the right place.

To avoid this mistake, make sure your website is mobile-friendly. You can use tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check if your website is optimised for mobile. If it’s not, you may need to work with a web developer to make the necessary changes.

Mistake #3: Focusing too much on social media

Social media can be a powerful tool for businesses, but it’s important to remember that it’s just one piece of the digital marketing puzzle. Many business owners make the mistake of putting all their eggs in the social media basket, and neglect other important channels like email marketing, SEO, and paid advertising.

To avoid this mistake, create a digital marketing strategy that includes a variety of channels. Social media should be just one piece of the puzzle, and you should be actively using other channels to drive traffic and generate leads. Learn more about Omni-channel marketing strategies or consider looking at the different digital marketing services you could use within your business.

Mistake #4: Neglecting SEO

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is the practice of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results pages. Many business owners make the mistake of neglecting SEO, either because they don’t understand its importance or because they don’t have the time to invest in it.

To avoid this mistake, make sure your website is optimized for SEO. This includes using keywords in your content, optimizing your meta tags and descriptions, and building high-quality backlinks. If you’re not comfortable with SEO, consider working with our SEO Agency in London who can support you to get to page one in Google search.

Mistake #5: Ignoring analytics

Analytics are crucial to understanding the success of your digital marketing efforts. Many business owners make the mistake of ignoring analytics, either because they don’t know how to use them or because they don’t have the time to analyse the data.

With the launch of Google Analytics 4.0 (GA4), many marketers haven’t yet made the transition from Universal Analytics. Find out more about how to switch from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics.

To avoid this mistake, make sure you’re regularly analysing your website and campaign analytics. Tools like Google Analytics can provide valuable insights into your website’s traffic, user behaviour, and conversion rates. Use this data to make informed decisions about your digital marketing strategy.

Mistake #6: Not investing in paid advertising

While organic traffic is important, it can take time to build. Many business owners make the mistake of not investing in paid advertising, either because they don’t have the budget or because they don’t understand its value. If your Ad spend has been poorly managed, then it’s likely that you haven’t had good results.

To avoid this mistake, consider investing in paid advertising. Platforms like Google Ads and Meta Ads can be a powerful way to reach your target audience and drive traffic to your website. Paid advertising can be a great complement to your organic traffic efforts, and it can help you reach your goals faster.

Mistake #7: Overlooking the importance of content marketing

Content marketing is a crucial component of digital marketing. Many business owners make the mistake of overlooking the importance of content marketing, either because they don’t know how to create content or because they don’t have the time to produce meaningful content.

To avoid this mistake, invest in creating high-quality content that’s tailored to your target audience. This can include blog posts, infographics, videos, and more. By creating valuable content, you can establish yourself as an authority in your industry and attract potential customers.

Mistake #8: Not focusing on local SEO

If you have a local business, it’s important to focus on local SEO. Google MyBusiness is a free tool which helps you to get found in local searches, in addition to being featured in Google Maps. Many business owners make the mistake of neglecting local SEO, either because they don’t know how to optimise for it or because they don’t see its value.

To avoid this mistake, make sure your website is optimised for local search by a professional SEO company. This includes using local keywords in your content, optimising your Google MyBusiness listing, and building local citations. By focusing on local SEO, you can attract more local customers and improve your visibility in your community.

Mistake #9: Not building an email list and using marketing automation to generate leads

Email marketing is a powerful tool for businesses, but many business owners have stopped using email because of concerns about the GDPR or data compliance. By not building an email list, you’re missing out on an opportunity to reach potential customers and nurture existing ones.

To avoid this mistake, it’s worth considering adding gated content to your website. Gated content is high value content which sits behind a web capture form. This is a powerful way to build an email list of subscribed, interested users. Gated content examples include offering a lead magnet like a free eBook or webinar, or simply asking visitors to sign up for your newsletter. Once you have an email list, use it to send targeted, personalised emails that provide value to your subscribers.

Mistake #10: Not adapting to changes in the digital landscape

The digital marketing landscape is constantly evolving, and many business owners make the mistake of not adapting to these changes. Whether it’s a new social media platform, a new algorithm update, or a shift in consumer behaviour, it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and adapt your strategy accordingly.

To avoid this mistake, stay informed about changes in the digital landscape. Read our latest articles on digital strategy in the Learning Centre on this site. Other ideas include following industry blogs, attending conferences, and networking with other professionals. By staying informed, you can ensure that your digital marketing efforts are always up-to-date and effective.

In conclusion, digital marketing is a crucial component of any company’s marketing strategy, but it’s important to avoid the common mistakes that many business owners make. If you’re a business owner and still trying your best to run your own marketing, then it’s time to get a digital marketing team. Iconic Digital is one of the UKs best outsourced marketing agencies. Our team of specialists can work on crafting a bespoke marketing strategy with guaranteed results – all for a fixed monthly fee. Get a free audit or take a look at our most popular Marketing Packages for Small Businesses.