10 Search Marketing Myths Busted

One of the most common search marketing misconceptions is that digital marketing is only for big businesses. However, the idea that digital marketing only works for businesses of a certain size is totally false. Actually, it’s quite the opposite. Digital marketing is a measurable and cost-effective way for all businesses to increase brand awareness and drive conversions. Furthermore, a compelling and effectively targeted digital marketing strategy can reach the right customers at a much lower cost than traditional marketing methods. And that’s why businesses of all sizes need to have an online presence.

1. Our website is our digital marketing

Many businesses believe that once they’ve invested in their website, the traffic will come flooding in. However, the harsh reality is that launching a beautiful website that’s a dream to engage with isn’t enough to carry your brand online. People need to find it first; that’s where search marketing strategies like SEO, content creation and pay-per-click(PPC) come into the mix. Elements such as ads, metadata, keyword research and images all contribute to how well you rank on search engines. Your website alone won’t be enough to generate traffic. Your website needs to be a hub of digital activity, but it can’t be the beginning and end of your digital marketing strategy. 

2. Content isn’t that important

Another common digital marketing myth we often hear is that content marketing isn’t important in search performance. However, content marketing is a vital part of any business’s digital marketing strategy in today’s climate. Your audience is searching for information online, and they rely heavily on search engines to find the most accurate results. Not only does content help you rank higher on search engines, but it also provides answers to your audience’s queries. Ultimately, content helps businesses establish relationships with their target audience. And as a result, they see an increase in brand awareness, communities and, most importantly, conversions. 

3. Only websites with high traffic can make digital marketing successful

One goal for a lot of companies is to increase the traffic to their website or online store. But it’s important to know that more traffic doesn’t necessarily equate to more revenue. Of course, having a large amount of website traffic has its benefits. But in reality, it doesn’t mean anything if those customers aren’t converting. The key to search marketing is bringing in the right kind of traffic and then using the power of SEO to encourage visitors to convert. So, remember, search marketing is about quality over quantity. Instead of having thousands of visitors that don’t generate any profit, search marketing is focused on attracting targeted website visitors that are looking for the products and services you offer.

4. If my competition isn’t doing digital marketing, I don’t have too either

Another common marketing myth is that if your competitors aren’t doing search marketing, then you don’t need to either. However, if your competitors aren’t doing search marketing, it’s even more reason to start! In business, it’s important to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to marketing, whether traditional or digital. If you invest in search marketing before your competitors, this simply puts you one step ahead of the game. So, just because your competitors aren’t taking the necessary steps to dominate search engines doesn’t mean you should make the same mistake! Starting your digital journey before your competitors means you’ll reach your audience far more effectively than your competitors.

5. Search Marketing Results Can Be Achieved Overnight

This is, by far, the most common digital marketing myth. There is nothing instantaneous about marketing, no matter which industry you belong to. And while many believe that SEO can generate results overnight, the truth is, search marketing techniques generally take time to show results, and there is no definitive answer. This is because, in addition to all the variables that play a role in optimising your website, things like; indexing, competition, inbound links and content, they can all determine how long your SEO efforts take to show results. Remember, patience is key in search marketing – but the results are always worth the wait.

6. Email marketing is dead

‘Email marketing is dead’ the urban digital marketing myth. You’ve probably heard that email marketing is dying, or even worse, that it’s already dead. Don’t believe it! Contrary to popular belief, email marketing data shows that email is still one of the most effective and low-cost ways for businesses to reach customers, despite the increase in new ways to connect with customers – mainly – social media. Furthermore, data shows that email marketing is very much still alive, with 99% of users checking their emails every day, and over 4.1 billion users in 2021.

Email marketing has a bad reputation for being more of a ‘spammy’ type of marketing. However, most email marketing campaigns have been opted in by users. Email is an intimate venue. Users sign up for email marketing campaigns because they’re interested in what you can offer them, and why would you want to miss the opportunity to directly communicate with your customers in such a personal way? If your email marketing campaign is useful and offers quality, then it will never feel like spam. The data available proves that email marketing is still one of the most effective marketing tools used to convert people into loyal customers while getting great ROI along the way. A 2016/20 survey on email marketing ROI found that the return for every pound spent on email marketing stood at around 35.41 British pounds.

7. Personalisation is too invasive

Despite the statistics that prove the effectiveness of personalisation, it still seems to get a bad rep. So, we’ve decided to put this marketing myth to rest once and for all. Shoppers of all ages (especially younger shoppers) prefer a personalised shopping experience. Furthermore, research suggests that consumers “expect” personalisation in brand communications. The goal is to provide your customers with a unique experience relevant to them instead of a one-fits-all experience. The right personalisation strategy can help re-engage customers and keep your brand fresh in their minds.

8. Negative reviews are bad for business

It’s a common misconception that negative reviews are bad for business. No one likes receiving negative feedback and most businesses strive to get as many five stars as possible. However, negative reviews aren’t actually as bad as you might think, and having five stars across the board shouldn’t be your main goal. In fact, having all five-star reviews can actually have the opposite effect – too many positive reviews can seem fake to shoppers.

If your business receives negative feedback, don’t panic! Instead, embrace them. Negative reviews can be used as constructive feedback – the perfect opportunity to take valuable feedback from the people who matter the most.

You should always take the time to respond to negative feedback; this shows you care about their feelings and can soon change a negative experience into a positive one. Ultimately, how you choose to respond to negative reviews has the biggest impact on your brand reputation. So, remember, a negative review will only stay negative if you avoid it.

9. You need to be on every social media platform

Many brands and businesses believe they need to be active across all social media platforms. And while social media is a powerful tool for business, if your audience doesn’t use certain social media platforms. Then you don’t want to be wasting time and resources creating content for platforms that your audience aren’t using. Instead, you should focus your efforts on platforms that align with your audience and marketing tactics – you only need to be where your customers are!

10. My industry is too boring for digital marketing

The great thing about digital marketing is that there is no industry too dull or boring; digital marketing works for all different types of businesses. It’s important to remember that all businesses have their own niche and demographics. With more people than ever using the internet, if your strategy is targeted, no matter how “boring” it might seem, there’s a high chance there are people out there looking for your product or service.

So, there you have it, ten search marketing misconceptions busted. If you have any search marketing myths you’d like clearing up, please get in touch with our marketing specialists, who will be happy to help. While you’re here, why not check out our blog for more digital marketing tips?