7 Costly Mistakes to Avoid When Building an Online Presence for your Brand

To build a successful brand online is not a day’s work. It is an extremely arduous task that requires serious planning and even better execution. Thankfully, establishing an online presence is an art that has been perfected a number of times by different people all over the world.

In the process, certain guidelines and formulas have been discovered which, if adapted appropriately, can help you achieve a result that is just as great, or maybe even better.

In the process of learning what to do, however, it usually pays to also learn what NOT to do. That is why below we have dedicated a chunk of resources to discussing 7 critical mistakes that you must always avoid in your quest to build a reputable online brand for your business.

1. Don’t Neglect the Power of Targeting

Targeting is a business tool that helps you save money while improving results in a drastic fashion. As a matter of fact, there are two broad aspects to targeting that you should always have in mind.

The first of these is that you are always better off targeting a small group of people that are suitable for your brand and can relate with what you have to offer than focusing on a broad audience who have nothing in common with your products and vision. Keep this in mind. It is invaluable as you go along.

Secondly, you should also always have it in mind that it is okay to spend a great deal of time and resources finding the perfect audience. Proper market research, no matter how expensive or time intensive, will end up saving you a great deal in the future than a hasty research process.

Make proper use of both approaches, and you should start seeing results in no time.

2. Don’t Forget About Mobile Users

More than half of the entire global internet traffic comes from mobile users. This is why we always advise anyone looking to build an online presence to pay extra care to mobile optimization.

In the early days of the internet, mobile optimization either came last or was ignored totally. Later, it started to achieve a higher level of importance almost on par with PCs and Desktops.

Today, it is arguable that mobile optimization and eCommerce development should always take precedence when it comes to digital marketing and brand establishment.

Most of your customers are on mobile, it only makes sense that you try everything in your power to cater to them.

3. Don’t Ignore the Competition

A popular mindset that many people have in business, particularly when it comes to business on a digital scale, is to focus on themselves thinking that as long as they do everything in their power to be good, everything else is taken care of.

Well, this is the wrong mindset to have.

Yes, focusing on yourself and your quality is great. But guess what, you have to do more than that. Your competitors are also focusing on quality, and there is a huge probability that they are getting things done in ways that you probably didn’t think of.

Carrying out proper, in-depth analysis of your competitors not only gives you an edge over them, it also helps you discover methods and strategies that you wouldn’t have been able to otherwise.

4. Don’t Underestimate the Power of Social Media

At this point, it seems redundant to highlight the importance of social media as an ultimate tool to building a reputable brand online. Everyone knows that they are absolutely important, yet many remain adamant to take advantage of them.

While most people recognize the importance of social media, they just don’t do enough to truly exploit the benefits. The right approach to social media platforms can help you fast-forward your journey and quite literally make you an overnight success.

Some of the most important tips in maximizing social media for brands include focusing on only a handful, making use of viral templates, constant interactions with followers, and proper profile optimization as explained in the next point.

5. Don’t Avoid Optimizing your Profiles

No matter which platform you choose to dedicate most of your time to, having a proper profile optimization strategy can lift your page above the competition.

Proper profile optimization usually involves making the right decisions in terms of text-based profile elements such as display name, username and bio information, and also employing the right visual elements such as profile pictures and header images.

For platforms that allow complete background profile design, there is nothing stopping you from taking advantage by building custom graphics to upload in the appropriate areas.

What’s more, free design template websites like Designurbate have an array of ready-made templates that can be easily edited, personalized and employed in this capacity without wasting any time or money.

6. Don’t Leave your Customers on their Own

You should always endeavor to interact and respond to your customers at a specified time of the day. Obviously, doing this all on your own can be quite tasking, and this is why we usually recommend the establishment of a dedicated customer service unit if you can afford one.

Depending on the scale of your business, you can start with one employee who responds to social media and website queries, and of course answers questions regarding products and services.

Little gestures such as appreciating your customers and answering their questions as promptly as possible can go a long way in distinguishing your business as a brand that can truly be trusted.

7. Don’t Forget About Discounts and Promotions 

A tool as old as time itself, discounts have a way of getting people to commit to your brand even in circumstances where they wouldn’t have done so otherwise. Everyone’s looking for the best deal whether they know it or not.

Offer your customers the best deal you can afford, and before you know it, they’ll become loyal to you and you alone. Discounts and promotions are so effective that when used correctly they will always end up paying dividends.

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