As featured in CurbAPeel Magazine.
You have probably heard things like you have to SEO your website, social media is the best marketing tool, video is the best medium, you have to be on every social media platform, or a host of other things you “should” be doing with your marketing.
We are going to break down the 5 marketing myths you should stop believing.
Myth #1: More Traffic = More Money
The reality is that we all want to get more sales, but just because someone clicked on your website does not mean they are there to make a purchase. In fact on average conversion rates for landing pages is only about 2.35%.
By rule of thumb if more traffic comes then you will likely make more sales, but traffic can be challenging to generate (more on that later). Instead, the best marketing strategy is to increase conversions through content and user experience.
More conversions oftentimes is a simple fix, that is a lot less simple to spot unless you are elbow deep in your analytics. Here are some simple tips.
- Adjust the layout of your page to make it easier for visitors to navigate to an offer page.
- Adjust your offers and where they are located at within your site
- Keep testing and adjusting your site and track traffic and conversions until you maximize both (think quantity and quality).
Myth #2: Content, Content, Content
Unless you have been living off the grid, you have probably heard something like, “content is king.” The problem, content for the sake of content will just confuse and push away your potential customers.
To win the content game you have to think of content in the context of a funnel. Every piece of content should drive your visitors through the purchasing cycle from awareness through evaluation and buying. This is where strategy becomes critical to the conversion of visitors to buyers. What should you be doing with your strategy?
- Create a campaign that focuses on a specific niche or problem that your customers are experiencing.
- Focus your content to walk through the buyer’s journey from gaining awareness to making a purchase.
- Post with purpose. Do not post just because you have been told you need an article or blog every month.
Myth #3: Keywords Will Get You Ranked On Google
Back when the internet was an infant and myspace was still the “cool” social media platform, you could jam a keyword into your site until the seems were bursting to get to #1. Fortunately, that has changed over the years and all the dirty keyword stuffing tactics stopped working.
Now that you know that keyword stuffing won’t win you the coveted #1 spot on google what will? Keywords are still important but, you also need to think about the intent behind the search as well. Does the blog or page serve the purpose that people are searching for?
That is because Google is focused on giving searchers what they are looking for, not just keywords. Here are some strategies outside of keyword stuffing that work.
- Understand the intent of what people are searching for. Are they looking to buy a shirt or learn how to make one? Tailor your message to the intended message to capture that audience
- Do not try to hide extra keywords in white at the bottom of your page. Google will see this and it will impact your SEO ranking.
Myth #4: I Must Have a Huge Social Media Following
Don’t get me wrong having followers on social media is a great way to drive traffic to where your customers can buy your product, BUT… It does not mean that you have to invite every person in every networking group to like and follow your page. Just like your website the goal for your followers is to attract people that are likely to purchase from you.
Unfortunately, one of the biggest mistakes I see business owners make is posting “I will follow you if you follow me” campaigns in every single group they belong to. Often this means you will just have 20,000 followers that have no intention of buying from you. Last time I checked, you want sales. Use these tips to upgrade your social media campaign.
- Use content that attracts, informs, and directs your target audience to buy from you.
- Social media is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time to build up quality followers that will buy from you.
- Don’t be fooled by the “build your following in 30 days” scams. They often use automation that is against the social media platform’s Terms of Service and could get your account banned.
Myth #5: I Have To Be on All Social Platforms All The Time
I am just going to cut to the chase on this one. You are a busy business owner like I am. While it seems like a strategy that makes sense if you don’t have someone managing your social media accounts you most likely don’t have 6 hours a day to be posting and making videos.
I am not saying don’t do social media, instead, I am saying determine how much time per week you can devote to social media and divide that time between the platforms where your audience is. This will allow you to focus on working on your business instead of going to the social media rabbit hole. Here are the 3 principles that you should apply to social media platforms.
- Determine what platforms drive sales opportunities and focus on those platforms first.
- Build content for your primary platform (the one that drives the most sales) and adapt that to the other platforms you are on.
- Attempt to post at least 3-5 times per week to stay in front of your audience.
Marketing Doesn’t Have To Be Hard
The reality is that marketing does not have to be as hard as many people think. The myths above break down into foundational skills that as a business owner you should understand to help move your business forward. All the myths really point back to two key areas: message and time.
Focus your message so that you are speaking to your ideal or target audience. Use that message to inform and drive them to buying decisions with your company.
Don’t forget that marketing takes time. It also can require a significant amount of your time. If you have the budget, hiring a marketing agency can save you time, effort, and energy so you can focus on the rest of your business.
Learn more about how we simplify the marketing process for your roofing or restoration company.