In an era when the Internet has taken over almost every aspect of our lives, the marketing industry has evolved a great deal as well. Various online tools, such as social media, e-mails, search engines, and other websites, have ushered in the age of digital marketing.Â
Digital marketing includes all kinds of marketing efforts that utilize the Internet or an electronic device. Businesses take advantage of different digital channels to reach out and connect with current and potential customers on a global scale.
However, digital marketing misconceptions and myths often bog down this useful marketing tool. While digital marketing is a necessity for a business to sell its products and services online, the misconceptions surrounding it often hold back business owners from engaging online and maximizing returns.Â
Some of the so-called digital marketing misconceptions that were once believed to be true have been revisited and found to be baseless. In this article, we will attempt to correct some of the much believed digital marketing misconceptions in the hope that more and more entrepreneurs are encouraged to make their products, brands, and services stand out on the digital platform.Â
10 Common misconceptions related to Digital Marketing
1. Digital marketing is synonymous with Computers
Digital marketing makes use of several platforms like computers, smartphones, tablets, game consoles, television, radio, as well as electronic billboards. From interactive advertisements and personalized e-mails to websites for mobile phones, digital marketing uses one or several forms of electronic media to reach out to consumers.
2. Digital marketing is only for big businesses
Busting this popular myth, we would say that digital marketing is beneficial for big and small businesses alike. You do not need a call centre to engage and communicate with customers, you can sell your products directly to a global consumer base without having to establish a physical shop. And, most importantly, digital marketing will fetch you valuable insights and data regarding the buying preferences of your target consumers. Thus, you do not need backup from any marketing research company.
3. Only massive website traffic can make digital marketing successful
One of the many prevalent digital marketing misconceptions is that the digital market owes its success to vast website traffic. On the contrary, the effectiveness of digital marketing lies in engaging the right kind of consumers visiting the website. The key to successful digital marketing is focusing on the target customer base which is genuinely interested in the products and services that your business has to offer.
4. Digital marketing is not integral to a company’s business strategy
Contrary to this misconception, digital marketing should be an essential part of the company’s business strategy. With more and more people using social media and online searching for product information, the company’s website serves as a ‘shop window’ for interacting with the continuously growing base of online customers. A company’s online presence plays a significant role in determining the market impression of the company, its future successes, and failures.
5. Digital marketing is a technical aspect
Another myth surrounding digital marketing is that it is a purely technical feature and the sole responsibility of computer specialists. However, besides being a practical technological tool, digital marketing is a crucial marketing skill and has to be embraced and adopted by every person in the company at all stages. It is not enough to know just the technology; the success of digital marketing initiatives also depends on a profound understanding of marketing and business sensitivities.
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6. Designing a website is enough for digital marketing
Online customers are always on the lookout for the latest information on the products and services of their interest. As a result, the online marketing platform is very dynamic and continuously evolving to keep up with the demands of consumers. In such a scenario, merely creating a website is not enough. Companies should focus on continually updating the website content to ensure a significant number of website visitors.
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7. Optimizing websites for mobile devices is unnecessary
It is more convenient to access product websites while on the move on smartphones and tablets. Naturally, customers will expect a professional and genuine website to be optimized for mobile devices, and if not, they’ll click away to a different one. If a website is not optimized or it is repetitively asking customers to download an app, then the company fails to create a lasting impression of the brand. Thus, website optimization is essential. It is easy, cost-effective, and possible through online web-building tools.
8. Criticism on social media is harmful to business
Out of the many digital marketing misconceptions, we cannot stress enough on the untruthfulness of this one! Legitimate customer complaints regarding your product or service should be addressed directly and considered a valuable opportunity for business improvisation. Instead of covering up genuine concerns and comments from customers, the company should provide a helpful response with the option to contact the customer service, with subsequent internal follow-up of the issue.
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9. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a dead concept
A common myth doing the rounds is that Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is dead. We would say that this is incorrect. Even though apps and social media have emerged as strong players in the digital market, the good old use of search engines continues to rule a large portion of web traffic. Whenever customers need information about a particular brand or product, they instinctively resort to search engines for online searching.Â
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10. Online goals and metrics are all that matter
Your digital business and marketing strategy can be based on many goals and metrics like followers, page views, likes, and comments. While these metrics are a great way to gauge the success of your company, they can often be misleading. Instead of solely relying on these superficial parameters, the company should stress on the finer aspects, such as the time spent on the website, abandoned cart for e-commerce sites, and the rate of website visitors converting into paying customers.
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Wrapping up
Digital marketing misconceptions and myths have been in existence for quite some time and continue to impede the growth of businesses. But, thanks to the emergence of a technology-driven world! Access to accurate information is just a click away. With the use of the right online tools, businesses can verify facts from myths. The world of digital marketing holds excellent opportunities to propel a business towards success, but only if you get rid of the rumours surrounding it.
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Are technical skills required for digital marketing?
Reading, writing, and editing code does help you with your digital marketing efforts. However, you can still do a lot without that experience. A majority of people who use social media do not know how to code. So many website builders and tools exist to assist you in adding content to your website promptly and efficiently.
If you want to create videos, you can use your smartphone and upload them to YouTube. If you're going to do email marketing, you can choose from many email management tools to design and send newsletters. All you need to start marketing your business online are some writing skills and creativity. You can build from there.
Is SEO a one-time effort when it comes to digital marketing?
You cannot do SEO once and call it a day. SEO is, in fact, an ongoing marketing strategy. Search engines constantly change. Your competitors are always updating their websites. Another well-optimized page can easily bump down a page at the top of the search results. If you are not paying attention, you will lose all of that momentum you built up from your initial SEO and see your results go down the drain.
Is digital marketing expensive?
While digital marketing requires an investment to drive results, you can do a lot within your budget. With digital marketing, advertising specifically, most platforms allow you to set a budget and place bids within that budget. If you are not happy with the results, you can easily make adjustments to see how much you are spending or use AI to maximize your budget for a specific goal. Many other features of digital marketing are either free or come at a low cost.
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