Online marketing campaigns can be effective for prospecting, but if you find your ads are generating little response, revisit your strategy to
make sure you're focusing on the results you want. Here are a few reasons why business professionals' online marketing may seem ineffective, according to Forbes columnist Brad Shorr.
- You place emphasis on the wrong metrics. Shorr notes that search rankings and traffic volume may not be the most meaningful metrics to focus on. "In SEO, rankings used to mean a lot," Shorr writes. "Now they mean very little because every Google search engine user sees different results. Also, if you rank well for a term that nobody searches for, you're wasting your money." He also notes that getting more traffic to your website doesn't necessarily equate to more leads or revenue. Marketers need to concentrate on getting the "right" traffic to their site and impressing prospects once they've arrived there.
- You miss clearly defined goals. Beefing up your Facebook presence just because that's what your competitors are doing isn't a well-thought-out plan for increasing leads. "A clearly defined goal sounds something like this: 'We want to increase SEO-generated validated website leads by 20 percent over the next 18 months,'" Shorr notes. Your goals should be specific, time-sensitive, and measurable, he notes.
- You don't try something new. Don't get stuck in a rut; test out new campaigns. "Successful companies are always on the lookout for better ideas," Shorr notes. "This spirit must drive online marketing efforts." Embrace new marketing methods, budget for them, and evaluate the results you achieve, he says.
Source: “These 5 Mistakes Are Why Online Marketing Is Failing,” Forbes.com (April 7, 2017)
