Digital marketing is like a fast-moving train, chugging its way down the digital landscape at a tremendous pace and evolving every step of the way. Unfortunately, marketing departments are in danger of missing their stop if they don’t keep up with the latest advancements, technologies, platforms and best practices that make digital marketing so dynamic.  

Here are six warning signs that your marketing department might be falling behind the curve in the digital space. 

1. Conversion Rates Are Below Expectations

Lead generation is one of the most vital tactical marketing activities for any organization, and conversions are the key metric that tells digital marketers how they’re performing. Unfortunately, many marketing teams don’t quite know the right formula for reaching acceptable levels of customer conversions. According to a study by MailChimp, email open rates hover around 20 percent on average, and click rates to landing pages average two to three percent. Landing pages should be converting to qualified opportunities at about 2.35 percent. So if you’re coming in around 15 percent on open rates and below two percent on clicks and landing page conversions, it’s time to rethink your digital lead gen approach and find a new approach to campaign management, targeting, content, and execution. 

2. You Still Don’t Have a Mobile Strategy Locked Down

Mobile is the new frontier for digital marketers, with consumers now spending significantly more time on their mobile devices (51 percent) than on their desktops (42 percent). That tipping point is not lost on the most successful mobile marketers, who go so far as to now have a “mobile-first” attitude when it comes to digital marketing strategy. If you haven’t yet framed your mobile approach in a way that leverages this massive opportunity, you’ll miss out on the real benefits: 55 percent of mobile users have clicked on a mobile ad, and 53 percent of those consumers ended up making a purchase. 

3. Your Search Placements Are Still Ending Up on Page 3 or 4

Today 57 percent of B2B marketers say that SEO has the greatest impact on lead generation, but search engine optimization takes a clear strategy that focuses on placement and conversions to get it right. It’s not easy to land on Google’s cherished first page of search results and convert them to qualified opportunities, but it can be done. Currently, only 22 percent of businesses are satisfied with their SEO conversion rates, making SEO skills one of the most highly prized in the digital marketing space. SEO marketers must understand the latest changes in the Google search algorithms and know how keywords and content impact search engine rankings. 

4. Internal Resources Do All Your Content Creation

Product marketers hone their skills over the years to create compelling marketing content that drives successful campaigns, but today’s consumers are looking for more. A whopping 96 percent of B2B buyers want content with more input from industry thought leaders, according to a HubSpot report. That means that marketers must increasingly turn to external contributors (many of whom syndicate their content on multiple mediums) to help generate the exciting ideas that help sell products and services. If you’re just sticking with your internal resources, you should consider enlisting the help of third-party writers, or ensure that your internal writers are properly skilled to generate the right type of thought leadership content. 

5. Your Social Sites Mimic Your Website

Social media is another area of digital marketing that takes time to master, and it’s right at the top of most companies’ priority list with 83 percent of all marketers now actively pursuing social media marketing initiatives. The most successful know the nuances of social media content and campaigns, from how to publicize easily digestible chunks of content to designing pages that engage consumers more effectively. Social media sites are also the top choice for addressing customer care, putting the onus on social marketers to develop social communities and sync service organizations with customers. 

6. Your Sales Teams Are Still Doing Things the Old Fashioned Way

Digital marketing success doesn’t end with the marketing team. There is enhanced focus now on digital selling tactics, and it’s up to marketers to impart their digital knowledge to the sales organization to ensure success. Sales leaders that embrace social and digital selling are 51 percent more likely to reach quota and 78 percent more likely to outsell their peers. If your sales teams are doing things the old-fashioned way and not embracing digital tools and techniques, your marketers aren’t doing a thorough enough job of sharing their best practices and contributing financially to the business. 

These warning signs don’t necessarily mean you’re not doing an adequate job on the digital marketing front, but they should serve as red flags that performance should be improved. It’s never too late to empower your digital marketers with the latest digital marketing courses to ensure you’re taking steps in the right direction. 

Our Digital Marketing Courses Duration And Fees

Digital Marketing Courses typically range from a few weeks to several months, with fees varying based on program and institution.

Program NameDurationFees
Post Graduate Program in Digital Marketing

Cohort Starts: 2 May, 2024

8 Months$ 3,000
Digital Marketing Specialist

Cohort Starts: 24 Apr, 2024

8 Months$ 1,649