It’s easy to think that modern marketing utilities are so helpful, convenient and accessible that only a fool could do things incorrectly or fail to make an impact. Making that assumption would be a big mistake. As we’ve seen, even huge celebrities and brands can fail to market themselves occasionally, while sometimes small firms can nail a viral moment or message and benefit as a result.
That’s because marketing is often equal parts science and art. In other words, you can frame the marketing effort well, but if you have nothing to say, sometimes it can fall flat on its phase. But marketing isn’t necessarily about “finding the perfect combination of words” to spellbind people into the vision you’re trying to share, after all, any enterprise or individual can brag and boast.
But so far, this intro is something of an overview of marketing mistakes, without nailing them down specifically. As goood marketing is about precise messaging, let’s follow suit, and discuss the most common promotional mistakes businesses make in the modern world:
Relying On Social Media For Everything
Social media marketing is hardly a bad place to start. Your business doesn’t achieve credit among the market for choosing to only go analog of course, although perhaps brands that tried to hark back to a classic and vintage aesthetic may benefit from doing so.
After all, social media (even outside of the standard platforms, YouTube counts for instance) is where most people spend their time even a little bit each day. Better yet it's free to use, and sometimes posts can reach millions.
Yet treating social media as your only marketing channel is like trying to catch fish with just one type of bait so to speak - you're missing out on whole schools of fish that might prefer something else. So for instance, a fashion brand running a pop-up store in a city and promoting through mysterious posts could generate more hype and interest than any targeted ads campaign.
Many businesses have learned this the hard way. They pour resources into maintaining multiple social accounts, crafting perfect posts, and chasing engagement metrics while neglecting traditional marketing methods such as SEO or radio ads that could serve them better depending on the brand style. This might not apply to you, but it might. A local restaurant might get more value from a well-placed billboard than a thousand Instagram posts, for instance, especially if they’re in the local area. Moreover, an overreliance on social media could potentially lead to:
Improper Signposting
Because social media is so accessible and present in our lives, we can often forget it’s not a real place. But the real world is a real place. So make certain you don’t let marketing get in the way of actually showing where you are and what you have to offer.
In other words, marketing should guide people naturally toward your offering. Think of it like giving directions - you wouldn't tell someone to "go somewhere nice" when they're looking for your shop. Yet many businesses fail to clearly direct their audience, assuming people will figure out the next steps themselves. For example, if you have a local store or restaurant, or even just a headquarters, then outdoor banners, well-printed, can help you introduce that to the local community no matter where you are. Don’t expect people to rely on GPS or Map apps alone.
Good signposting also means making each step obvious. If you want website visitors to book a consultation, don't hide the booking link in a maze of menu options. If you're running a promotion, the terms shouldn't require a magnifying glass to read through. Clear pathways can inspire and may even convert a lead, which is a great result.
Chasing Memes & Trends At All Costs
The temptation to jump on every trending topic can be overwhelming because it does actually work for some brands. However, just like how for every successful recording artist there can be hundreds who didn’t quite make the cut, the same can be said for businesses that achieve virality.
One museum might delight audiences by using TikTok slang to make people laugh at the juxtaposition of both, but if your business does that, it might not come across the same way. Now, you’re not going to commit endless damage to your standing if you try and fail, but the truth is that considering your brand integrity is important. If you’re not structured to be whimsical and very silly, you don’t have to be. Moreover, many brands (RyanAir, and Wendy’s) have somewhat done the “zany and no-prisoners” approach to social media, and it doesn’t always work.
Marketing isn’t about only speaking when necessary of course, you sometimes have to keep the content up, but ask yourself if that trending topic genuinely relates to your brand message. Will your audience appreciate the reference, or will it seem forced? Not all brands get the balance right, so it’s worth considering.
Developing An Inconsistent Personality
This naturally flows from our preceding point. Brands do need personality, but that personality should feel natural and consistent. Some businesses can swing wildly between formal corporate speak and trying to sound like a teenager on TikTok, especially if they haven’t nailed down what their actual vision is.
Even more confusing, others adopt completely different tones across different platforms, confusing their audience about who they really are or where they should go to actually get the true message. This again speaks to an unplanned approach to promotion within the business, which could do with some further retooling.
You can think of brand personality like a character in a story - it should remain recognizable even in different situations - the best cartoon characters of all time can be pictured by a silhouette alone, like Marge Simpon’s towering hair. You see a few seconds of an Apple advertisement with its sleek and often white backgrounds, and you know future, cutting-edge tech is what’s going to be shown to you.
If you can nail down a simple branding vision, you don’t have to throw everything at the wall to see what fits.
Relying On AI Too Closely
AI can be fantastic for putting together a content plan, generating images or even structuring posts. For that reason, it can enhance marketing efforts, but remember that they shouldn't drive them entirely. Many businesses now rely on AI to generate all their content, leading to bland, generic messaging that readers can spot from a mile away and may even feel a little uncomfortable to see, especially when all brands sound the same. Keep in mind that these tools should support human creativity, not replace it.
The best marketing still comes from human understanding - knowing your audience, their needs, and how to speak to them authentically. If you hope to sell to someone, you can provide them that much. So, AI can help refine your message, but it shouldn't be creating it from scratch, and it’s best to think that way especially if you’re just starting out.
Saying Too Much, Conveying Too Little
Some marketing materials read like someone trying to win a word count competition (no this blog doesn’t count, it’s a post! At least that’s what we hope.). That might mean long paragraphs of features, benefits, and technical specifications will say less than a few well-chosen words would.
Good marketing isn't about cramming in every possible detail, it’s meant to be as disciplined as you can. Keep in mind that marketing should think about shorter attention spans. You have to sell more in less time. So make sure the substance works well and to your advantage instead of worrying about style so much.
With this advice, you’ll be able to avoid some of the most common mistakes made in modern marketing.