Google is known to change its algorithm every now and then in order to improve the user experience. While it may be a good thing for the users, the marketing experts have a tough time as they have to constantly evolve their digital marketing strategies with the changing algorithms. Every year brings new changes and with it some new trends.
A lot of people fail to realize the importance of these trends and do not follow which results in poor conversion or user interaction while which is not good for the business.
To avoid these mistakes this year, here are 11 things that you shouldn’t do in order to attain better results:
Don’t go for Quantity over Quality
Some people try to increase the number of there blog posts in order to attract more people but this is not a good strategy. Not only does Google discourage this practice but the readers also leave.
Readers want something informative, interesting or exciting to read and that should be your goal. Two to three high-quality posts per week will usually perform better than 10-12 average quality ones.
Don’t go for Short Blogs
The time for short blogs has ended and the trend is to have long–form blogs. Longer blogs not only get the most engagement from readers but also are the most shared on social media channels.
People want to be fed with more information if they are interested in a title. Readers want in-depth knowledge about the title that has caught their eye. Therefore, you need to have informative long-form blogs so that you can attain an active following.
Google is also known to favour long-form blog posts; however, a long blog does not mean you add useless information that is of average or low quality. Having a long post with useless information will not engage or attract people so it is important to add engaging and informative content so that you can attract active readers.
Don’t Mislead
Google does not like pages that mislead people with their title or content. You should focus on the relevancy of the title to the type of content that follows. Many people make attractive titles but do not follow up with the information or story mentioned in the title.
Don’t Ignore Facebook
Many people use Facebook for socializing with friends and as a pastime which is all right, however, many of them are unaware of the possibilities it offers in the digital marketing domain.
People still go to LinkedIn when it comes to lead generation; however, the advanced targeting features offered by Facebook prove to be valuable tools for B2B marketing. Having an engaging business Facebook page will significantly increase its visibility.
Don’t Ignore the Live Video
Videos have been a great way to connect with people and grab their attention; however, the live video feature is gaining a lot of popularity. An 80% increase in the popularity of live video was seen from the year 2015 to 2016.
According to Facebook, users spend three times more time on a live video than they spend on a recorded video. People also comment ten times more on a live video.
Don’t ignore Email
Although it might not be as fancy as other trends in the digital marketing industry, email marketing is sure to provide a good turn around for the amount spent on it. According to the Email Marketing Consensus 2017, email campaigns give the best return on investment (ROI) compared to any other marketing domain. Moreover, 73% of the marketing experts believed that email was an excellent or good method for marketing.
Having a proper email marketing campaign can do wonders for a business. All you need to do is know your target audience and produce the best possible value proposition that they’ll be sure to be attracted by.
Don’t use Mobile Pop-ups
Mobile pop-up ads are the worst. They might be effective in terms of lead generation but are a major annoyance to the users. Imagine watching something or reading something and a random ad pops up on the screen; it is extremely irritating.
Apart from readers, Google Algorithm also dislikes the use of these pop-up ads which should concern businesses that use it. Google released a warning against the use of these pop-up ads and since February 2017 it is penalizing the websites that are still using such ads.
Don’t use social sites for outbound sales
Social media platforms such as Twitter or LinkedIn provide great tools for a rich interaction with the customers. These sites are also helpful in things such as brand awareness, building customer relationships, getting feedback, etc. However, some businesses try to make outbound sales using these platforms which do more harm than good.
When companies try to sell you something or ask you to sign up on such social media platforms, it compels them to un-follow them. These platforms are meant for interaction and you can use them best for such aims.
Don’t make generic offers
Businesses make offers to people for lead generation purposes; however, one should always avoid making boring or generic offers that are of little to no value to the customer. Try to offer something unique and valuable for free; something that others would charge for.
An example of this would be offers of free eBooks. Although eBooks have a reputable standing when it comes to search engine optimization it is no longer interesting. Everybody offers free eBooks and even though some might have the insightful knowledge, eBooks have lost value and interests no one.
Alternatives that would be more interesting and would grab people’s attention would be to offer a portion of internal training, a directory, an evaluation, a useful reference tool, etc.
Don’t ignore the Customers
Customers are the soul of any business, therefore, in digital marketing, it is important to know that what you are doing will appeal to the people and will attract them. Producing engaging, informative, and worthwhile content should be the aim because at the end customers’ convenience is what matters most.
Don’t Ignore Mobile Phone users
The number of people that surf the internet through smartphones is sky high and it is still aiming higher. Therefore, a good social media marketing strategy should not ignore the mobile phone users.
