In today’s marketing environment, everything is splintered. There is your website (#oldschool!), your Google Ads, your Twitter (OK, “X”)… your Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok… Everything needs to work together to “build your brand” and “sell more stuff.” Companies large and small invest significant time and money in platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok, and others, but what is the strategy?
Those colorful posts and eye-catching reels may bring more customers to your websites. Content is KING. Engagement is QUEEN. But sales leads? Those are gold. What is the value of a social media strategy if it doesn’t produce website / e-commerce landings that convert to sales, or at least to “leads.” You’ve gotta make everything together – and the website / SEO / Google Ads – these things remain foundational, if not “sexy” in the way that a cool TikTok makes your 34-year-old marketer feel like he is “hip” again (spoiler alert: he isn’t, and shouldn’t try to be what he isn’t).
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is a key tool for increasing website traffic and improving online visibility. And it’s not just a ‘home page thing,’ subpages should have a message designed to attract customers with a specific interest in the topic. For example, let’s say your business delivers specialty dog supplies to customers. Each page should attract customers with focused interests, such as food, toys, supplements, and informational posts. (If you are new to SEO, check out the Google SEO starter guide for basics (but read it critically!))
Social Media, in contrast, is about buzz, sharing, engagement… the “fun” stuff, but when folks are on Facebook (for example), they are not “searching” they are browsing, enjoying, leaning back… it’s a different environment than the pro-active search landscape of Google Search. Let’s say there’s a special deal for doggy hip and joint supplements for older dogs. The new social media posts feature reels of older dogs in before-and-after moments, showing how the supplements have improved their lives. So, a person clicks on the company page and expects to go right to the supplement page. Instead, they end up on the home page, where they see ads for food and toys. Sure, some won’t give up, but Forbes notes that 70% to 80% leave a website after the first page click. In this sense, your “landing page” experience on your website isn’t separate from your social strategy – rather, just as with SEO, you gotta make it work together. One seamless transition – from “look at our cool brand” > look at our cool stuff > land on our cool website > buy something (or become a lead).
Then, let’s say the viewer finds the supplement page but is searching for a specific supplement, and there’s a long list to filter through. Confusion reigns, and no one buys anything. Business owners to wonder: Why are social media campaigns successful in terms of engagement, but our online sales not so much?
The Disconnect between Digital Marketing Efforts and Website Landing Experience Can Be a Disaster
This is a common and expensive misstep: leaders chase social media trends rather than focus on essential website experience metrics. Instagram may bring attention, but a weak website “landing experience” loses potential customers—resulting in wasted marketing dollars and poor sales. You might explore landing page optimization as one of your marketing to-dos. It’s essential!
SEO, Google Ads, Social Media, and your website must work together. As a top “marketing coach” and “marketing consultant,” I can help your company with these issues.. Let me audit current efforts and results, and give specific recommendations… If your website needs a bit of simplifying to make it more user-friendly for the public, I will explore that with your team. Let’s work together to fix the disconnect between the parts of your digital marketing puzzle.
