Digital marketing is a buzz nowadays, and any business that fails to leverage this approach is bound to fail. Almost all online platforms come with various ads showcasing businesses’ need to digitize their strategies to attract customers and increase engagements.
Sure, there are free platforms out there with detailed guidance and quick tips on starting and getting going with digital marketing. You can even find so-called gurus portraying themselves as prime experts for boosting online appeal and brand visibility.
But here is what you need to understand. The world of digital marketing is a competitive and complex ecosystem that can either make or break a business. It may be easy to start in most aspects but sustaining the business digitally is another story.
That is why every business owner should conduct intensive assessments to ensure efficient and effective strategies. In a sense, business owners should take a look at the opportunities of digital marketing from places such as Oregon Web Solutions Portland SEO Agency, and the most common mistakes to avoid.
To give you a head start, consider knowing and understanding these mistakes so you won’t fall into the same trap that ruined many other businesses.
Here goes.
A sneak peek of Digital Marketing
Before we present the common mistakes when hiring a digital marketing agency, let’s first deepen our understanding.
There are three compelling reasons why a business owner taps a digital marketing agency, and these are:
- To grow and expand their business towards building sustainable operations
- Lack the in-house resources and promote a more appealing web visibility
- Need for a competent SEO company to address all the errors/mistakes of previously hired digital marketing agencies
The aforesaid final reason is one of the most critical matters that you should dabble on, especially that it’s a common issue for many startups. Do know that thousands of new companies and even established brands picked the wrong digital marketing agency as of press time. That is why they ended up dealing with broken pieces of an unappealing online presence with which nobody likes to engage.
Here is the catch.
There are numerous advantages of tapping a digital marketing agency. But whether you are eyeing a new digital marketing agency because yours is terrible or you’re just starting with online marketing, here are some of the typical mistakes you should know and avoid at all costs:
- Not conducting research
- Falling for lucrative packaging
- Selecting a relatively cheap online marketing company
- Falling for “special ingredients” proposals that seem too good to ignore
- Choosing a local company simply because they carry a local reputation and advocacy
Believe me. Your company has a higher chance of better online engagements and beneficial outputs if you do away with these five habits and choose a reliable digital marketing agency.
To put thoughts into context, there is a story about one particular client who had a bad breakup with a digital marketing agency. It was a haunting experience for the client as he spent sums of money and much of his time and effort. Unfortunately, the company could not even provide any historical data or let the client access their Facebook Page. Even worse, the company pulled their website because the client doesn’t have technical rights.
So what can the client do with no social media visibility and no historical analytical data? He can only do so much, especially when the company blocked him from their platforms. Therefore, he was desperate and on the verge of an emotional breakdown.
That is a story that holds for many others who have fallen to the wrong digital marketing company.
That doesn’t have to be your story.
So, know these common mistakes and avoid them!
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Falling for Lucrative Packaging
This is a common mistake of many newbie entrepreneurs. Even big-time brands fall into this trap. But if you remember an important lesson during your elementary years, you should know that its cover should not judge a book. Any item or service that seems too lucrative on the outside with all eye-shattering glitters could translate into a dangerous trap.
So make sure to wear a critical thinking hat and churn out some necessary skills when doing your assessments. The general idea is that an online marketing company generates high-tech and stunning marketing pitches for you, saying that you will have the same for your target market.
But that’s a scenario that only a few understand and be wary about.
Do know that SEO companies, for example, that allocate substantial amounts into their own sales tactics usually devote less effort and time to their given customers. So what’s the catch here?
Well, all companies have limited resources so how they spend their money reflects their main goals and priorities.
Think about this question. How many of the company’s employees are addressing client gaps and are in sales?
If you’re to choose between such a company, then opt for the one that focuses on satisfying client services rather than glimmering rhetoric and online visibility. In other words, choose a company that offers an army of credible and reputable personnel instead of a company with an army of salespeople.
Sure. One might say that it’s common to fall into shiny traps. But consider taking a deeper look when you come across these polished marketing presentations. What is the content signifying? Is it all about hypes and hopes? Is it shallow? Are you being drawn into a wrong decision by glimmering rhetoric and visuals?
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Falling For Secret Ingredients That Seem Too Good To Ignore
Drawing from the first mistake lessons, the second mistake also comes with various glitters and hypes. So what should you do? Consider taking a different option when the company focuses more on bragging about their secret ingredients without any concrete proof. Don’t hesitate. There are far better options out there. Just run away from the seemingly appealing offer.
And why is that? You may ask. Here is the thing: There is no such thing as a secret ingredient for SEO. That’s because the SEO process is a well-understood and well-articulated concept among thousands of specialists worldwide.
It’s only strategy and execution that determines whether a campaign flops or succeeds.
So why get trapped on vain promises when you can go for a digital marketing agency with a verifiable historical record and actual results.
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Selecting the Cheapest Option
Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels
In the digital marketing world, it’s imperative to note that you get what you pay for. And as we’ve mentioned earlier, there are also freebies available. But there are always downsides attached to such options.
After all, most cheap marketing agencies use keyword-stuffed optimizations, paid links, and irrelevant content. That makes your website more prone to penalization than gaining the upper hand, especially that Google has caught on to most black-hat strategies.
Now, if you’ve come to love an online marketing company that you can’t compensate for, consider requesting a consultation to get advice from specialists. Although the chance may be slim, there is no harm in trying.
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Selecting A Local Online Marketing Company Simply Because They’re Local
You don’t need to choose a local digital marketing company if the given does not provide satisfactory results. Why risk a major component of your business simply because of that appeal of local patronization?
Here’s what you have to remember. Regardless of what everyone thinks or shares with you, a competitive digital marketing agency should nail the local market, albeit their location. What makes this point even more interesting is that local digital agencies are accessible from almost everywhere with credible internet connections.
That’s why to consider companies that invest in in-person meetings and assigning account managers to clients to ensure face-to-face and meaningful interactions. In other words, the selected company should come to you to show how much it cares to attend to your business needs.
With that in mind, don’t subscribe to a foreign digital marketing company except if the target market is in the said country. Know that choosing extremely cheap online marketing agencies from “SEO agencies” overseas and so-called click farms can do more harm than good. Besides, there are too many cultural barriers that need to be considered to ensure a more genuine tone and language.
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Not Conducting Research
Many newcomers select an online marketing company by choosing what appears first when searching for the “best online marketing company in the city.” This is not an effective way of doing things.
It’s imperative that before decision-making, you conduct an intensive and thorough research about the company. Research is critical here. Review all crucial details, including case studies. Consider interacting with existing and previous clients to assess their performance. Check out their blog and so on.
You can also dabble on the following questions.
Do the company’s tone and language appeal to you? Do their customers reflect the target market of your company? Can they present clear and detailed documentation of their accomplishments with actual figures and testimonies?
So there you have it. Make sure to have these typical mistakes in mind and avoid them at all costs!