Growing a small business can be much like riding a roller coaster blindfolded. It’s up and down and you don’t whether you are coming or going. The to do list never gets shorter and the hours you work get longer.
To help grow your business and to achieve your long-term goals it's important to keep all the plates spinning. One of those plates is ‘online marketing’.
The world of digital marketing is growing rapidly and it’s vital for small businesses that they engage. However it's understandable that this is difficult with all the time constraints. The two most popular statements we hear from small businesses are “We want to market online, but don’t have the time” or “we see its importance but don’t know where to start”.
Over the next two-blog posts we can at least start to point you in the right direction. Here are 10 online marketing mistakes that small businesses make.
A Poorly Designed Website
The website is the online face of your business. It represents who you are and speaks volumes about your professionalism.
People hate to see websites that have been done on the cheap or just don’t have time spent on them. Websites don’t have to cost the earth so let’s make sure we have a good one. People will look for your business online and when they find you it’s important you give them something good to look at. If not, then onto your competitor’s sites they go.
A poorly designed website is guaranteed to put potential customers off.
Underestimating Social Media
Unless you live under a rock you know that social media is huge. So many small businesses are underestimating what social media can do for them. It’s an absolute fact that your customers are utilising social media day after day so why not reach them where they are? They are waiting to engage with you, so what are you waiting for?
An Average Logo
It’s important to have a logo that looks the part. Your logo is on every piece of your marketing from your website to your invoice. Spending a few pounds to make it look great is a no brainer. The amount of businesses that spend no time perfecting the right logo astounded us. That average designed logo is then stuck with them and appears on everything they produce. We have to get our logo right.
No Strategy
An aimless approach breeds aimless results. It’s so important for small businesses to have a strategy for their online marketing. The right questions need to be asked. Goals need to be set. Clear guidelines need to be in place for what platforms to be on and what content to post. How will the website and social media link together? A clear and intentional strategy will breed great results every time.
Not Mobile
71% of people access social media on their phone. When you are walking down the street there will be people all around you on their phone looking at one website or another.
Your website must be responsive. In other words it must be fully functional on mobile phones and tablets. This is an absolute must!
If your website has not been updated or designed in the last couple of years chances are it might not be. Time for a rethink. Check out your website on your phone and if you are not happy then maybe take some action.
Also if we can be of any help with your online marketing or social media do get in touch.
