5 Digital Marketing Mistakes to Avoid
Sep 04, 2017
10 min read
Nowadays, no matter how big or small a business is, it employs digital marketing strategies to attract new online leads, customers and visitors. With so many advanced methodologies and technologies available to the digital marketers today, still, they could be making serious mistakes that will prevent their marketing campaigns from driving the desired results or achieving acceptable performance. By avoiding these 5 potentially expensive digital marketing mistakes, you can make sure that your next digital marketing campaign does not meet with failure.
1. Having no Clear Goals
One of the biggest mistake that digital marketers make is “ not having clear goals”. Be clear about whether your marketing goals are to increase sales, leads, engagement, website traffic, or some other objective. Then try to create a plan or strategy to reach your goal that is specific, achievable, relevant and measurable as this will help you provide right direction to your marketing campaigns. Having desired goals will make your campaign more successful and effective.
2. Having no Social Media Strategy
Business without a social media strategy can never deliver an effective message to their target audience. To execute a successful Digital Marketing plan or campaign, a strategy must be in place. Set a clear social Media strategy. After all, Social Media is a free and most powerful tool to spread the word about your content and your business.
3. Buying Social Media Followers
Buying fake social media followers can help strengthen your business prominence and validate its social proof. But it will never help with increased Return on investment and nor will it improve your user engagement in case you have fake business followers The point here is to focus on genuine customer relationship rather than focusing on numbers.
4. Your website is not Mobile Friendly
As we are living in a digital era. Mobile Users or audiences are increasing, and the massive growth of video and social media is taking this forward. As a growing number of people are on mobile devices, it is becoming essential that digital marketers consider their customer’s mobile experience with their brand and website. Google Research also indicates, that most of the users nowadays prefer to purchase a product on a mobile-friendly website than a non-mobile friendly one.
5. Using Excessive and Irrelevant Hashtags
There is no doubt that the use of hashtags in Digital Marketing or Social Media Platforms can truly help businesses to become more visible. But using irrelevant and excessive hashtags can be annoying to users. To avoid this, limit your hashtags usage to a sensible and considerable number. Also, make sure they are relevant to what you are trying to convey.
There is no doubt that the world will soon shift completely from analog to digital practices. Digital Marketing is so essential in the present digital world because it is one of the fast growing terms in the current marketing field and also it is set to become the future of marketing industry.
If you correct the above described 5 Digital Marketing mistakes, you can reach your end goal and increase your sales. For more information about Digital Marketing,Contact us!
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Things You Must Remember Before Adopting Marketing Automation
The application of marketing automation in this digital world has entirely reflected on the small and local businesses and big-scale industry-specific firms. In 2019, The global market size of marketing automation solutions was at $15.6 Billion. It is expected to reach a whopping $25.1 Billion valuation by the end of 2023. It is accelerating growth aspects for these industries, but it functions as a helping hand in minimizing the burden off your marketing division. Another study suggests that the automation software industry would increase at a CAGR of 19.2% between 2020 and 2025. It means that the value of the global marketing automation software industry would triple by 2025. At this moment, most businesses have already invested in Marketing Automation to synchronize their time and resources with the help of technology, resulting in effective and optimized marketing. In simpler words, marketing automation allows your business to leverage technology to do marketing tasks by replacing human resources. Since these tasks are routine and mild, mostly email targeting or repetitive chores such as auto-responding to pre-sales leads, etc., technological aid is considered an ideal resource for them. Marketing automation somehow affects your marketer’s duties and responsibilities and transforms their complex functions into much simpler tasks. As a result, your marketing department gets time to be creative for designing marketing campaigns and ponder upon increasing brand awareness via product and service quality. In addition, the best thing about emphasizing technology is that you source out the best results at the right time with purposeful business insights and data analysis that elevate your firm’s productivity. The best action plan for businesses worldwide in this modern time is to put marketing automation into operation and consider lead generation and nurturing their primary tasks. By doing so, you’re not only allowing technology, or say, Artificial Intelligence, to automate your business’ marketing requirements but remove emotional presence in some of the tasks with practical machine learning elements. Source: Pexels What To Do Before Committing To Marketing Automation? After your business has given a thought to MA being a full-fledged tech aid, you must have a list of things ready to check before diving into the implementation of marketing automation. Luckily, below is the list of those factors that one should think about MA to supersede human efforts and time . 1. Creating A Strategic Plan With technology surpassing your business marketing routine tasks, you may have to draw and implement a new strategy altogether. For obtaining the best results, your business has to undertake its goals and objective statements related to marketing and how you used to establish marketing campaigns. To begin with, list down why marketing automation would be the right decision for your business- refer to the global statistics for efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and customer engagement projection. Diving into the marketing automation world without a firm strategy could be daunting, like shooting an arrow in the dark- inefficient and less promising. Moreover, you’ll not only be deploying unnecessary monetary funds and efforts but lose crucial time. You could have used the time to explore or work on new opportunities. 2. Having Quality Content By implementing a strategy to obtain marketing automation services, your next step would be to plan out content delivery to your prospects. Having good quality content on your plate is crucial to engaging your customers with the correct information. With marketing automation and content working together, your business will experience a positive shift in sales, thus increasing your revenue growth. Therefore, having a firm grip on high-quality content creation is significant to trigger the buying process. Another benefit of producing good content for your business would be greater customer engagement on your website. If a customer stays on your website by engaging with the last level of content that takes them to the purchasing page, it can increase the conversion rate. 3. Align Your Departments Bringing technological aid to your marketing department does not mean the other departments of your business firm would not be affected or could relate to it. You must bring harmony to your marketing, sales, and other divisions, right from the beginning. When you plan to give your marketing strategy a new shape, it is crucial to comprehend its effects on the business sales and anticipate the customer behavior/actions after introducing marketing automation. Synchronize the objectives of your marketing and sales departments to make the most of marketing automation tools and enhance your marketing campaigns then and there. Incorporating your sales experts into the marketing automation systems facilitates their understanding of the importance of sales-ready leads and how to nurture those leads to obtain positive results. 4. Training Your Division Heads For The Change It might sound efficient and convenient in upgrading your marketing campaigns, departments, and experts towards automated aid, but, in reality, it requires constant training and development to understand the complexities of marketing automation. Your business marketers must show interest in learning about MA; they must continue the practice to specialize in the industry-specific roles for your business. Consider working on the product and marketing automation tools to explore the loose ends and define a sharp plan that would help take advantage of MA tools. In addition, your marketing team can create data statistics after working with the marketing automation software to link with the initial objective strategy that can be studied by your sales team as well. 5. Setting A Benchmark In the end, before implementing marketing automation, set your business benchmarks in terms of revenue, lead generation, customer base, etc. These benchmarks must be objective-driven, so your business can achieve them with marketing automation’s aid. Once you’re clear with the benchmarks, develop ways to measure your results after successfully implementing MA tools. Having that said, you may want to explore expert guidance from a leading brand. Saffron Tech is your one-stop shop to narrow down your marketing automation system requirements. With our team of experts empowering your marketing approach, we aim at providing an efficient and cost-effective service to help you assess which marketing automation tool would do wonders for your business type. Visit our website and sign up to dive into our services! ...
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The Saffron Recipe for Content Writing
Content writing is a unique, creative art form which requires the best of both artistic and scientific blends. While there is no “perfect” content out there, since content in itself is an intangible component; there are various parameters that are used to differentiate between a great content from the rest. Every writer has their own style of writing and I personally believe, that writers need to stick to their own style and approach. That is what essentially makes one write up different from that of the other. Uniqueness is a key parameter that defines the saleability of a freshly baked content. However, there are a few general guidelines that each writer can follow to effectively take up the art of digital content writing. As you might have guessed, a writer can be a best selling author or novelist, but that might not mean that he may also be as effective in writing contents for content marketing purposes. Here is a comprehensive Content Writing guide that our writers here at Saffron Edge use, to take inspiration from and create successful contents time after time. 1. Introduction or 'Hook' The contents that work successfully in the digital domain need to be precise and to the point. Unlike the other forms of writing where we have a margin to write expanded (allegorical/personified) introductions before diving to the point to help in build-ups, we do not have that room in our contents that work for online blogs and guest posts. (Mainly because, the attention span of the users is 5-8 seconds). Therefore, The introduction needs to start up with a quick and effective 'Hook' that generates audience’s curiosity.The main focus of the topic should quickly be addressed within 1 or 2 paragraphs max. How I do it: I divide the Introduction into roughly 100-250 words (at max) wherein I try to encapsulate the topic synopsis and write a trailing sentence that leads the user further down into the post. 2. Main Content or 'Meat' This is what makes or breaks the content. The industry-accepted structure of a good blog post has the main content points broken into 'subheadings' instead of playing out like a newspaper article. Subheadings help in providing appropriate pauses between consecutive points and also gives the audience the time to think about what each sub-heading (or sub-point is talking about). These subheadings need to be precise and catchy at the same time. Humor or pop references are welcome as long as they are aligned with the niche of the write up and their target audience. How I do It: When I attempt subheadings and pointers, my first approach is to try and relate each point to a real-life experience or example that is general enough for people to relate to. This helps in 2 folds:i) Helps associate the user to the contentii) Helps co relate the subject matter better and is also easy to understand at the same time.I then go onto divide each pointer into paragraphs of 50-100 words at max, so that the audience doesn't get overwhelmed. 3. Conclusion or 'Climax' Conclusion is like a recap of the entire subject matter that has been dealt with within the content so far. Additionally it should also provide the essence or value proposition of the content that the target audience would derive benefit out of. The conclusion often entails Call to Actions as well for instance: “to get an in depth understanding on the <subject matter> you can visit <page/site link> or <resource landing pages>”. This example is just basic. The better the call to actions are, the chances of improving user conversion or content follow through increases as well. Other Guidelines regarding Content Creation 1) The language that we use for the US audience should be simple and consist of simple sentences instead of complex sentences. i.e. 3-4 sentences joined with conjunctions and additives or pauses are not recommended since such a structure tends to make the piece less readable and comprehensible for the general audience. It also increases the risk of making grammatical errors and miscommunication of the message that we are trying to send out. While, this is not a necessary parameter for a successful blog content; it is highly recommended. 2) Adjectives and Adverbs should be used far and few. The American and other global audience, lacks the attention span to read fancy narratives when engaging in online content. They also do not trust any content that have too many descriptions or adjectives to define the point in question. Example: a. Instead of using “The scenery outside the Premium Villa is so very fascinating that it takes your breath away” you can use “The scenery outside the Premium Villa is breathtaking.” b. Instead of using “We provide the very best service in the industry that you can’t imagine.” you can use “We provide the best service in the industry.” or “We provide quality services that money can buy.” 3) It is a healthy practice to not target a specific word count while starting out a topic. These days the Google algorithms prefer deep content and favors contents above 700-800 words on an average. However, it is not necessary that every 1000 word post generates heavy traction while every 500 word post generates none. Quality, Simplicity, Readability, and the information is what ultimately distinguishes between a good content and a great content. 4) Another effective way to improve content quality is to pose questions to the reader instead of just stating your point and wrapping up. The essential difference between any article and a blog is that a ‘blog’ is a form of communication between the user and the blogger (blog writer) and it needs to have the right amount of ‘human touch.’ My Tip: I often use personal narratives such as “I” “You” “We” etc. This helps the user feel that the blog is talking or addressing to each individual and helps them engage more with the content.One of the reasons why blogs are preferred over articles or news pieces is the fact that articles, news pieces etc. are information-laden and behave like manuals or nuggets of knowledge that you may find in text-books. That is not what the audience is looking for when on the web. The audience wants to read and entertain themselves while digesting the information that is out there. Blogs help serve this purpose. 5) While there are thousands of blog posts being published every day, only some blogs make it through to the top. From the writing perspective, we need to build a solid foundation or “trustability” for the facts that we are putting forward in our content.An effective way to increase trustability to your content is to substantiate the facts with evidence. The image below is a screenshot of an article that I had written previously. You can find how I have used a link on a word or a phrase contextually, to substantiate a data without blatantly advertising the link (which is considered as spamming in the Google guidelines) Here in the image if you notice the highlighted text “Panda 4.2 refresh” from one of my past articles, has a hyperlink to another piece of content which is contextual and also helps substantiate my statement. If as a user, I’m interested in knowing what that article talks about, i could simply click on it and visit the article, of which you can find the screenshot below. The key here is to not over do the linking. Keeping it precise and relevant will give you bonus points in your endeavor as an authoritative blogger. 6) Last but not the least - Revision is the key. No matter how many tools we use to streamline our work process the inevitable fact remains that, “Tools will be tools and Human Intelligence will prevail” (at least for the near foreseeable future). Manual Revision helps us review the written content from a contextual point of view which is quite complex for programmed tools to function upon. I have personally tried various tools such as Grammarly and Hemmingway App. to test out intentional and unintentional grammatical mistakes to check for their accuracy and have realized that 10% errors always remain.At the end of the day, clients or readers can not trust any content, no matter its value proposition, if they are grammatically inaccurate. So it’s always a best practice to manually revise and correct the written content before publishing or sending it out. ...
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5 best ways of Acquiring More Patients Online for Your Dental Practice
Having a perfect smile is a dream that the majority of the population chases. Your dental practice helps get rid of the pain and insecurities of the people. Picking a dentist is like buying a car, it’s a long term commitment, and only when a person completely trusts the functioning of a vehicle, he/she will then purchase it. Same is the case with your clinic, only when patients completely trust your practice, will they choose to come to you for their problems. How do you get people to trust your practice is the real question. The internet is the best way to gain and retain patients nowadays. If you're not utilizing online marketing, you are missing out on patients (and money). Here is a comprehensive guide on how to acquire more patients online for your dental practice, along with some dental marketing tips. 1. Create an Effective Website The majority of patients today search for clinics online. If you don't own a website yet, you’re basically invisible to a lot of potential patients. Creating a website that displays all of the information regarding the location of your clinic, phone numbers, hours of availability, services provided, prices, and other important details prove your digital and physical existence. On the main page itself, try to include unique aspects of your business, such as the field you specialize in and also specify the procedure on how patients can schedule appointments.At the same time, you should keep in mind that your website should look and feel engaging and interactive. Staying up to date with the present generations trends is very important. You should regularly update the key aspects of your website. Updating your website from time to time, giving it a fresh new look, proves that you are digitally active and dedicated to providing services to the people. The online world is always changing and evolving; your business needs to adapt to this environment. Let all creativity loose when it comes to making an awesome website. Staying relevant is key if you want to survive in a cut-throat environment, and it can only be achieved by regularly pushing out new content on your website. For a start, you can add infographics, creatives, videos, patient testimonials, and relevant blogs etc. There are a number of companies that provide services, which you can use to build a creative and informative website. Digital Marketing companies are built around the idea of creating interactive and effective website plans. By opting for these services, you need not worry anymore about your online presence; you can then put in 100% into your practice. 2. Create a Social Media Presence Social media platforms are in abundance. People are addicted to the online world and according to research, “In 2018, an estimated 2.65 billion people were using social media worldwide, a number projected to increase to almost 3.1 billion in 2021.” There are a number of different social media platforms available for you to advertise your business on. In this modern age, for people to know that your business exists, you need to have an active social media presence. Users only want to view content that is relevant and engaging to them. Your posts need to be both informative and creative at the same time. Get creative! For you to gain more patients, you need to portray your business in the best possible manner. Take the assistance of companies that provide Social Media Marketing services, as they are equipped with the best of strategies and plans. A well planned marketing strategy can greatly benefit your practice; by increasing traffic on your website, creating a strong online presence, boosting trust and credibility, and most importantly increase the amount of patients. Source 3. Utilize Reviews When people compare options for dental services, they look at reviews to see what other people have to say about different dentists. The reviews that patients post is very crucial for your business’ reputation. Encourage patients to provide you with feedback for the services they receive. If those reviews are in a good sense, publicize them on your social media and website. Make sure to use recent reviews and the ones with positive feedback. If you do get a bad review, device ways of turning them into positive ones. Provide answers for the negative feedback and give a statement of regret where necessary. Reach out to them with customer service and do what you can (within reason) to satisfy your patient. 4. Email Marketing Everyone utilizing the internet, has an email today. Most people will enter their email down to sign up for an appointment. Once you have their email address, you should use it to send them reminders about appointments and any discounts you might be offering. Similar to social media, you need to maintain a balance between sending enough emails and too many. Spamming should be avoided at any cost. You should keep people engaged and informed without forcing them to unsubscribe. If you can, give the patient something in the email that will encourage them to stay subscribed. Plan an email marketing strategy in such a way so as to keep yourself far away from the spam folder. 5. Answer Popular Questions Majority of the population turns to the internet to get answers for their questions regarding their dental issues. By taking the initiative to answer those questions, you build trust and credibility. At the same time, you can advise those people to visit your clinic to receive expert guidance and care. Use your social media presence to solve patients dilemmas and at the same time, advertise yourself. When professionals answer questions, their word is taken seriously by the majority, and you can use your knowledge to disregard incorrect online information. You can help people to get a proper understanding of specific topics with the help of detailed blogs, articles, videos, creatives, infographics etc. It's All About Branding When utilizing online marketing options, it's important to keep your business’ goals and objectives in mind. There are a number of different ways to establish your practice. You need to think of the manner in which you want to portray your business. Once your online presence is established, you need to ensure that everything and anything that you post is in total relevance to your practice. Your main objective is to gain more patients, and to achieve it you need to have a strong marketing strategy. For instance, if you want to target families with children, then your content should be according to certain specifications. You will need to create content that would engage both the parents as well as the kids. So basically, when targeting different audiences, you need to keep in mind their preferences and accordingly make them interact with your content. The internet is a very valuable tool, and your dental practice can really take advantage of the marketing options that it provides. These creative dental marketing ideas are sure to increase the number of patients you currently have. If you utilize these tools with a well-planned marketing strategy, will business will definitely grow. Creating a strong website and an effective marketing strategy requires to be done by experts. Check out the services we provide, it will really help you. ...
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