4 Digital Marketing Mistakes To Avoid in 2021 According to digital marketing experts Garrett Shiner and Kianoush Nikkhah Kouchaksaraei, avoiding these mistakes can boost overall marketing efforts

Most entrepreneurs already know that traditional advertising and digital marketing are two different games altogether. And in a market that is constantly changing, how are businesses supposed to maximize their marketing efforts? Digital marketing experts Kianoush Nikkhah Kouchaksaraei and Garrett Shiner say that knowing what "not' to do is just as important as having a good advertising strategy. Keep reading for their top four digital marketing mistakes to avoid in 2021.

Not knowing how your target customers' pain points have changed

Year 2020 has been a wild year for entrepreneurs. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, most markets changed dramatically. According to Shiner, those changes are going to continue into 2021. "Not only has your business changed, but your target customers have changed too," said Shiner. "Their needs and problems are likely to be different than they were a year ago.

As per Kouchaksaraei, "You should always be aware of what problem you are solving for your target customer, besides making sure to adapt your business so that whatever new problems they have, you can solve those too."

Not interacting with user-generated content

"The consumer market has moved largely online this year," said Kouchaksaraei. "So, you want to enter 2021 with plans to grow your web presence. Otherwise, you'll cease to be relevant with your audience." Kouchaksaraei and Shiner say it's a mistake to neglect interaction with user-generated content. "I tell my clients to repost consumer content," said Shiner. A good strategy? Post content that features your product; the chances are that the original creator will repost or retweet. "Works every time," added Shiner.

Making it hard to find your Web store

As stated before, consumers will be shopping online in 2021. "So don't make it difficult to get to your Web store," said Shiner. "Link your social media accounts to your store, and make it accessible with only a click. It's the digital version of having your storefront on a prominent street with the doors open."

Kouchaksaraei says you want your Web store to be easy to use. "If you've neglected to develop your web store until now, make that your top priority. If you think your customers will stick around for a slow or glitchy website, you're wrong."

Not calling customers back to action

"You've heard of Call to Action," said Kouchaksaraei. "But don't forget about something I refer to as a Call Back to Action." According to Kouchaksaraei, a Call Back to Action occurs when you've almost made a sale, but a customer has left an empty shopping cart unfulfilled.

"Send them an email, remind them you're waiting for them," said Shiner. "Bring them back to the scene. With a little nudge like this, they'll pull the trigger and make the purchase." Forgetting to follow-up directly impacts sales and revenue.

Year 2021 is going to be a different digital market than we have ever seen before. But experts Kouchaksaraei and Shiner say that you can increase your marketing efficacy tenfold if you avoid a few noteworthy mistakes. Adapting your digital marketing strategy to the changing world is the key to staying relevant.