Marketing your business is simple. All you have to do is have a website, open a few social media accounts and post pictures, right? Think again. A successful internet marketing strategy involves more than just having an online presence. It involves planning, research and dedication – lots of it!
Most business owners don’t realize that aside from having a website, they need to have a well-planned internet marketing strategy to go with it. Sure, you have SEO, PPC, SMM and all the typical marketing strategies that we’ve been conditioned to use, but if you don’t have a solid marketing strategy then you won’t see any results. It takes much more than just a “pretty” website to get your business out there.
Over time, I’ve learned that patience and dedication is key when building an internet marketing strategy – and failure is the biggest lesson! This industry is a learning experience; not only for business owners, but for marketers as well. Why do you think professionals are so good at what they do?
So, how do you know it’s time to get the pros involved for an internet marketing strategy makeover? Let’s find out.
Too Much to Handle
It’s frustrating when months go by and you notice little or no results. While most business owners think they can handle their own marketing themselves, sometimes it’s best to get some guidance from the pros.
A specialist will provide a stepping stone to not only jumpstart your marketing strategy, but also help you see actual results.
Social media marketing alone can easily be a full-time job – especially when you’re trying to market your business online and offline. It’s not just about posting pictures about your business and gaining followers, it’s about how many followers actually engage with the content you share. In this case, sometimes quality is better than quantity.
Some symptoms of social media marketing overload include:
- Abandoning your social media accounts for weeks, or even months. Definitely not a good idea. You want to keep your followers interested, and encourage them to engage with your content. Try not to abandon your loyal followers!
- Not knowing what to post about, or if it’s even relevant to your business. Irrelevant content, or random posts, only makes things worse. It’s ok to think outside the box, but just make sure it’s relatable to you and your followers.
- Trying to multitask without having a plan. Been there, done that. One minute you can be full of ideas, and then later you find yourself doing something completely different. It can be challenging to plan out every single move you make across social media, but the end result can be rewarding.
- Working after hours. We’ve all done it (especially when you love what you do) but it can get very stressful and overwhelming if you do it too often. That’s why having a solid marketing plan will help you manage your time more efficiently.
Misconceptions about Internet Marketing
There are plenty of businesses that offer some type of marketing or SEO package. Most of them promise to get you on the first page of Google in just two weeks, but let’s be honest – you can’t. It can take months to see a noticeable change on your overall ranking, and sometimes your original plan might fail. This is why most business owners get discouraged when considering a marketing specialist. However, if you do your research and find the right person to guide you through the process then it makes a huge difference.
Common concerns:
- It doesn’t work. Yes, it does work, but not overnight. Every business is different, so a true marketing specialist will study your business and help you get to where you need to be.
- I already have a website, so I don’t need to spend on marketing. Ok, but how else do you expect to get noticed if you don’t expose your business through marketing? Having a website goes hand-in-hand with your internet marketing strategy.
- It costs too much, so it’s not worth it. You don’t have to spend millions to successfully market your business. That’s why you have to trust the person, or company, you hire in order to see accurate results and get your money’s worth.
Making the decision to improve your marketing strategy is the first step toward helping your business grow. It’s not easy to put your business in someone else’s hands, but if you find the right person to fill in the blanks then it won’t be so intimidating.
Cultura Web Design is a full service, award-winning agency that strives to not only create unique and attractive websites, but also helps businesses improve their internet marketing strategies in a less-complicated way.
Our team of professionals specialize in web design, logo design, WordPress development, eCommerce, responsive web design, mobile apps, SEO, social media marketing, pay per click advertising and more. Learn more about our services or contact us for a personal interview.
