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When it comes to Internet marketing, most business owners and executives are like casual sports fans: They understand key concepts, and even most of the important rules, but care little for the day-to-day details that actually mean the difference between success and victory. Instead of dealing with endless stats and analysis, they just want to sit back and enjoy the show.
That's understandable, given that most business people have other things to devote their attention to, and it's the ultimate success or failure (measured by profitability) of campaigns that actually matters. Still, you don't want to focus so much on the "big picture" that you lose sight of the things that actually matter most to customers.
Here are a dozen Internet marketing details you can't afford to overlook:
1. The layout and color scheme on your business website. Our first impressions of a website are always visual, and it's important that the look and feel of your site reflect your company's branding and identity.
2. Your website’s navigation structure. The more confusing your site structure is, the more likely customers are to click over to a competitor’s pages to find information or products they're looking for.
3. Your "best customer" profile. You can't put together a strong Internet marketing plan until you know who your best customers are. You know your industry better than your design team does, so make sure they get this information right.
4. Your own marketing personality. This comes back to branding again. You want to be sure you have a clear picture of who you really are as a company and can communicate that to customers online.
5. The core offer you're making to customers. Don't leave it to your creative team to determine where your competitive differentiators lie, because this will make or break your online marketing plan.
6. The frequency with which you're reaching out to buyers. If you get the sense that customers are hearing from you too often, or not often enough, you'll have to make changes to ensure that you aren't annoying buyers or losing their interest.
7. Click-through and conversion rates for your most important promotions. If people aren't clicking through from your online ads, email newsletters, and other promotions, you'll never generate any bottom-line momentum.
8. Bounce rates from your landing pages. Likewise, leaky landing pages could signify a number of different problems, but they all really amount to decreased profitability.
9. Your search engine positioning. Although Google shouldn't be your sole source of business online, it is an important resource for letting your customers find you. Make sure your site ranks well for important keywords.
10. Social engagement levels. If people aren't commenting on your posts and updates, or your list of fans and followers isn’t growing, it's probably a sign that your social media marketing is bland.
11. Your company's online reputation. You have to know whether colleagues and customers are saying good or bad things about you online, because the difference will have a significant effect on your future sales.
12. The ROI from your Internet marketing plan. All the details and indicators in the world don't mean much if your online marketing is costing you more than it's making over the long run.
Are you likely to have the time, energy, and inclination to keep up with all of these details yourself? Probably not, but it's important for you to be aware of them, occasionally look out for them, and make them a priority with your creative team. By doing so, you can ensure that your Internet marketing plan accurately reflects your company's goals and priorities, and isn’t just a "big picture" that's never going to come into focus.
Looking for a trusted online marketing partner to help you with things like search engine optimization and social media? Call or email our team today for a free consultation. 404.352.3006
Patrick Carlson is Principal Partner of Bull’s-Eye Creative Communications, an Atlanta-based creative marketing communications company that assists businesses with increasing awareness and sales. www.bullseyecreativecommunications.com
