9 Reasons Why Your Digital Marketing Efforts Are Failing

In 2017, digital marketing is essential to success for any business.

Even industries that were slow to go online, like manufacturing, now find the ROI they can achieve from digital marketing is many times more than what’s possible using traditional outbound sales and annual conferences.

There’s one catch: Digital marketing has a tremendous learning curve.

When your digital campaign works as it should, the feeling is amazing: Qualified leads and pre-sold prospects may be banging down your door for pennies on the dollar. Getting to that point, however, requires many moving parts all working together.

Many enterprises, big and small, never reach that point.

It may be tempting to leave digital marketing to the millennials, but that attitude leaves money on the table in the long run. Plus, competitors will rush to fill the online space without you. In the long run, digital is both a huge growth engine and a branding necessity.

So, how can you figure out what’s not working in your digital marketing strategy?

9 Ways Your Digital Marketing Efforts Could be Going Wrong

We all know proving a negative is a real headache. This goes double in the digital world.

It’s easy to see what’s going right, but tough to figure out what’s broken. In the early stages of your digital marketing efforts, when you’re not getting a peep from customers, the lack of any actionable insights can be truly disheartening.

Luckily, there is something important on your side.

The truth is this: When digital marketing fails to launch, there are some likely culprits.

There are many ways things can go wrong, but most teams actually make some predictable mistakes starting out. Without understanding the root of the problem, however, early mistakes can turn into a cycle – spinning in circles without getting anywhere.

Let’s look at some common issues:

1. You Don’t Know Your Customers Well Enough

Every marketing campaign starts with an understanding of who your ideal customers are, what they want, and where you can find them. The modern Web means finding is easier than ever – but you still need to be able to deliver content that resonates with them.

In general, people go online to answer questions and solve problems. The same is true of your customers, no matter who they might be. When you have a deep knowledge of their pain points, you can provide Web content that will build their trust in your brand.

2. Your Efforts are Inconsistent

In digital marketing, consistency means two things. First, you must be consistent in developing Web content that makes a tangible, positive difference to your customers. Even if you’re sticking with reliable old blog posts, they can still make a huge impact if you deliver them weekly.

Second, customers need to see and hear from you on a regular basis – even if they aren’t ready to make the purchase. Remarketing lets them encounter your ad on platforms they trust and be reminded of your message, while your email list lets you communicate directly with them.

3. You’re Not Collecting Data

Although marketing should always start with your key customer in mind, it can also surprise you. There could be vast, untapped audiences for your message ... but you don’t really know who you’re talking to unless you make data collection a priority.

Gathered and used well, data facilitates a personalized user experience that cuts through the clutter. To start building that framework, institute and use an analytics suite, like Google Analytics. This can tell you how users are reaching your site and what they do once they get there.

4. You’re Not Following Up

Everybody who comes to your website will be at a different stage in their buyer journey. The majority of them won’t be ready to make a purchase – it could take weeks or months. But: A diligent, consistent (there’s that word again!) follow up process can make the difference.

Let’s face it, people don’t like talking to sales reps. Luckily, the Web offers other options for follow up. Trade a useful piece of content for your prospect’s email address and you have the chance to engage directly any time you like. You can even automate the process if you're getting too many leads to handle.

5. You’re Only Using One Channel

Your own website will always be your most important digital channel, of course. Still, you have huge opportunities to leverage other platforms – and you should use them. That includes trusted, relevant publishers in your industry as well as more general content platforms.

To give just one example, YouTube can help you access an audience of millions and can even improve your Google search visibility. If you don’t embrace using it, however, you’re shutting the door on those views while taking on all the overhead of hosting your videos yourself. For example, take a look at the company Blendtec. They sell the "Worlds most advanced blenders." They took their somewhat dull product over to YouTube, and get millions of views with their "Will it Blend" video series. Talk about a huge marketing success.

6. You Don’t Know Who Your Influencers Are

Who do your customers trust? Until they’ve had time to get to know you, the answer isn’t you. They may trust friends, family members, colleagues, and many public figures. Odds are good, however, that some of the people they trust most are out there on social media.

These social media “influencers” can use their outsized influence to make waves in your target market. And here’s the secret: It’s not that hard to develop a positive relationship with them. They need useful, informative content for their audience. You can provide it.

7. You Aren’t Amplifying with Social Media

No matter what you’re doing online, you can do it faster and better with social media. Sadly, so many brands have made embarrassing blunders on Facebook, Twitter, and the rest that many mid-sized enterprises feel the risk isn’t worth it. This couldn’t be further from the truth!

First, if you are in the B2B sphere and not using LinkedIn, you may be losing out on millions. Second, any social media presence is a step up from none at all. Just getting in the habit of sharing your content once a day is a firm foundation to start on. Little steps lead to big results!

8. You Aren’t Providing Mobile-Friendly Content

More and more people are turning to their smartphone first when they want to access the Web. This is even true of high-powered B2B decision-makers. After all, mobile devices are often the only way to get online when they are headed from point A to point B.

If you want to capture attention from your customers during their “downtime,” you’ve got to be thinking in terms of a sparkling mobile experience. Making sure your site works well with mobile isn’t just good customer service, but also affects your Google visibility.

9. You Aren’t Using Visual Content, Especially Video

The visual turn in content is here. Short videos – two minutes or less – are extremely popular among mobile users. Infographics are some of the most shared content on the Web. Good visual content speaks to people on a deep level and shows you care about communicating with them.

Each of these nine steps build on one another. Start from the top by implementing the first thing your business lacks so far. Before you know it, your digital marketing will be on the way to yielding the results you deserve.