5 Digital Marketing Myths Debunked

Breaking: With so much information out there regarding the do’s and don’ts of digital marketing, it can be hard to tell fact from fiction. Here are five common digital marketing myths to ignore.

Read time: 3 minutes, 20 seconds 

The world of digital marketing is replete with tips, tricks, axioms, and purported best practices, many of which are a little questionable in terms of their validity and effectiveness. With so much (often conflicting) information cluttering the collective marketing consciousness, it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction. Below are five common digital marketing myths that need to be laid to rest for good.

Myth # 1: If you build your website, the visitors will come.

It’s a tale as old as time: A burgeoning business builds a carefully crafted and beautifully designed website, and once everything is up and running, they expect the visitors to come pouring in. Sadly, after a few weeks (or even months) of seeing little to no traffic to their gorgeous online storefront, they are left befuddled, wondering what went wrong. The truth of the matter is that opening an online outpost is only the first step in the process – now comes the hard work of actually figuring out how to attract visitors to your website. This is where the art and science of learning how to market to your target audience becomes of utmost importance.

Myth # 2: CTR is everything.

Well, not necessarily. Truth be told, a high click-through rate (CTR) simply means that your ad creative is doing a great job of getting people to click through to your offer. While this is obviously not a bad thing, it does not always translate to more sales. What if your landing page is barely relevant to the type of ads you’re promoting? What if there’s no continuity in your offer? What if poor web design is making it difficult for people to sign up, fill out an online contact form, add products to their cart, or make a purchase? All of these factors can hinder your marketing efforts, which is why what happens after the click is just as important as getting the click in the first place. Conversion rates are almost always a better indication of the success or effectiveness of your campaigns than CTR.

Myth # 3: SEO is dead.

This myth has been around since the inception of SEO, and it will probably never go away for good. While it’s true that the SEO techniques of 2007 will get you nowhere in 2018, this reliable staple of digital marketing is far from being on its deathbed. The SEO of today is far more integrated and comprehensive than ever before, as it takes a wider variety of variables into account such as site speed, responsiveness, backlinks, site architecture, keyword optimization, user interface, and social signals.

Myth # 4: Negative online reviews should be hidden or avoided at all costs.

While it’s a popular notion in today’s world to “ignore your haters,” this doesn’t bode well for people who plan to do business in an honest and transparent manner. Instead of ignoring, avoiding or attempting to bury negative online reviews of your business, you should treat these instances as opportunities to demonstrate your willingness to learn from your customers and improve your products or services. By tackling tough issues head-on with honesty and professionalism, you won’t lose the respect of your customers; on the contrary, you’ll gain it.

Myth # 5: Mobile visitors don’t convert.

This statement has some validity when you’re dealing with a poorly designed mobile site, but if you’re taking responsiveness, site speed and intuitive navigation into account, mobile visitors can convert just as well as their desktop counterparts. Just be sure to make any consumer actions super-easy to execute by eliminating unnecessary steps, enlarging the size of buttons and online form fields, and tailoring your site design to provide a user-friendly experience on smaller screens.

Much like Pinocchio’s nose, the list of digital marketing myths seems to grow longer every day. Keep the above information in mind to help you discern between helpful and harmful information as you navigate the complex digital marketing landscape.