Did you take the opportunity at the end of last year to analyze your digital marketing plan? As we all know, the industry changes quickly and it’s important to keep up-to-date with new technologies, online tools, and changes in the way things are searched online in order not to be left behind.

If you become too comfortable and don’t take time to analyze or adjust your strategy, your brand or business may be left behind in the dust. Be aware of what your competitors are doing and pay attention to online forums and reviews to see what clients are currently saying about your brand and look for trends in your industry.

How to avoid major digital marketing pitfalls?

#1: Solidify your message. You can’t build a strong brand or business by having conflicting messages. This means that your website must reflect what you’re saying on social media and what your sales team is saying to potential clients. In short, everyone must be on the same page before surging ahead. Strategy is essential. Without it, everyone just chooses their own direction, which may or may not be the right one.

#2: Do market research. Say that the popular thing right now is creating viral videos, is that type of marketing right for your audience? Create personas for your clients and fully understand the demographic you are targeting. It doesn’t mean you have to hold strict to these guidelines, but it gives guidance for what to focus on first. Make your marketing strategy make sense for your client base.

#3: Keep track of everything. With the release of dozens of new tools to track clicks, conversions, and everything in between, there’s no longer an excuse to not know exactly how and where your budget is being spent and what the effects of those efforts are. Make sure your site and any clients’ sites are being tracked in Google Analytics and Webmaster Tools as these resources will only become more important and powerful as the year goes on.

#4: Avoid radio silence. Once you have your digital marketing plan in place, make sure that you keep the momentum going. It’s not enough to set up your social media channels and schedule posts. Make sure you are interacting and responding to your audience online. Analyze the amount of traffic you are receiving to both your website and social networks and identify areas in which you can improve.

#5: Be adaptable. It’s important to reiterate that the digital marketing world can change from one day to the next. Your marketing team should always anticipate these changes and research the predictions for what’s next. Also, if one strategy is consistently not working, reevaluate the process, and test something new. What worked last year may not be as successful in the future.

Digital marketing doesn’t have to be complicated. At its core is the ability to stand behind your product and brand and know the best way to market it to your audience. Ask yourself:

• What makes my product stand out?
• What does my brand stand for?
• Who is my audience?
• How I can reach my audience?
• How can I track my efforts?

This is just a sampling of questions that your marketing team needs to figure out before starting your strategy. By avoiding the above-mentioned pitfalls, your efforts won’t go to waste. Take the next steps to strengthen not just your brand, but your clients’ branding as well.

Angela Taylor is the Marketing Manager for Etching Expressions, a company specializing in custom etched wine bottles.