3 Digital Marketing Mistakes To Avoid In 2015

Recently I came across an article co-authored by Brent Gleeson and Jeffrey Baskin about the 3 Digital Marketing Mistakes To Avoid In 2015 (http://www.forbes.com/sites/brentgleeson/2015/01/13/3-digital-marketing-mistakes-to-avoid-in-2015/).

As we begin a new year in 2015, the writing is on the wall.  Digital marketing is not only here to stay but it is consistently becoming a larger part of most companies’ marketing budgets every year.  According to Emarketer.com, in 2010 companies spent twice as much on TV than they did on digital.  By the end of 2015, TV and digital spend will be just about equal.

So what does this mean for you?  Well if you don’t have your website up to date, aren’t engaging in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Content Marketing or some kind of Search Engine Marketing strategy you might want to make a business case for doing so.  It also means more and more companies are diving head first into digital marketing and buying into the hype of various buzz words they see online or on social media.  Yet many times they still lack true understanding of what they should expect from their digital marketing efforts or from a digital marketing agency.

Here are some tips to help you avoid what I would consider the 3 biggest mistakes companies make in digital marketing.

Mistake #1: Poor Planning

In the Navy we used to say “Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.” When it comes to digital marketing this may be the biggest mistake companies make.  The lack of an organized cohesive strategy will lead to wasted time, money and opportunity.  Before you invest real dollars toward your digital marketing efforts you should have the following planned out.

Understand your marketplace. A brand needs to have a sound understanding of its competitors, geographical boundaries, customer demographics, existing distribution channels, and any information on trends in your markets (both demographic and product-related).

Perform a SWOT Analysis. Understand your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Define your marketing objectives. What do you want to achieve as a result of your marketing efforts and what goals and KPI’s are you using to measure success?

Have a budget. What can you afford to spend on this marketing effort as a whole and then how is it broken down by individual marketing channel?  You need to spend your money wisely especially if you are on a limited budget.  For example, if you need direct response for success, consider doing Pay Per Click instead of Social Media.

The “plan” is the key component to your marketing foundation and without it your chances of success are very limited.

Mistake #2: Unrealistic Expectations

While running a digital marketing agency, we see companies of all shapes, sizes, and budgets. And it never fails, whether the company is spending $5,000 a month or $500,000 a month on their digital marketing efforts they all have the same expectations of immediate results.  In most instances the ink isn’t even dry on the contract and our phones and emails are going crazy with questions like “Why aren’t we on page 1 for Google already” or “Why isn’t our Pay Per Click campaign hitting it’s Cost Per Acquisition goal?” Even when expectations have been clearly set. Or so you thought. The idea that digital equals instant results is one of the biggest misconceptions, especially for companies newer to this practice.  The fact is, even digital campaigns take time to be developed, optimized, and improved to where you are seeing the results you are hoping for.

Be patient and let the campaigns develop.  Just because you aren’t seeing results in weeks 1 and 2 doesn’t mean you need to panic and try to change your strategy.  Too many times companies hop around and never settle in to find out what really works and what doesn’t.

Mistake #3: Not Being Informed

Digital Marketing is no longer a cloud of smoke and mirrors where no one knows if the dollars spent are producing results.  With the advent of new analytics software, every dollar, every view, every click can be tracked and analyzed.  The question is do you have the right resources to perform true data science?

As a business owner, manager, or marketing staff member it is your responsibility to be informed about how your company is spending its marketing budget.  Even if you have hired an agency or invested in in-house staff, how do you know they are qualified or performing at optimal standards?

Even if a brand is working with a marketing agency, key stakeholders must be aware and take ownership of critical data points. For example, if you are running PPC campaigns, you should know how to log into Adwords and check the account history and be able to follow the modifications being made to the account.  This should be the same with any aspects of digital. Know the terms, the KPI’s and best practices.  The amount of free learning materials out there is endless.  If you don’t have the time then you should find someone who does. Hire a consultant to run audits every month and help weed out unqualified work. This will save you a lot of money in the long run.  It will also keep your primary marketing agency and staff on their toes if they know someone will be checking their work.

In conclusion, digital marketing, including mobile, will continue to grow and evolve well into the future and will eventually eclipse traditional TV, radio and print.  Now is the time to make sure that you are getting the most for your marketing spend. Be prepared to keep up with the times and have a scalable digital strategy that can adjust with the trends.