When you have a startup, everything is new. One of the most important and urgent issues for you to consider is how to get your brand and product or service in front of as many eyes as possible. Naturally you want to appeal to your target market more than anyone, but there may also be people who fall outside of that market and would still be interested in what you're offering. You need to analyze the Do's and Don'ts for your company and its digital marketing strategy, so you can get the most out of any marketing you do. You're competing with a lot of other messages all the time, so yours needs to stand out.

Do

• Have clear business objectives when you post to any of your marketing channels.
• Produce a consistent message, even when posting on different channels.
• Have a strategy for mobile optimization.
• Follow best practices for the use of SEO.
• Produce great content to get great rewards.
• Pay attention to optimizing your conversion rate.
• Post frequently but not at a level that would spam your followers.
• Engage with your followers when possible.
• Think critically about the message you're sending.
• Find content that is affordable and creative.
• Reach out on your marketing platforms beyond where you would normally go.

Don't

• Spread yourself too thin by trying to post on every site.
• Focus on nothing but pay-per-click ads.
• Make the message about you instead of focusing on your customers' needs.
• Make a big investment in a platform right away.
• Ignore internal pages when it comes to conversion optimization.

Convey The Right Image And Voice

You want to be sure your company is projecting the right voice and image through your social media channels. If your target market is being reached but the message you're sending them isn't appropriate, you may not gain the kind of customer numbers you're hoping for. Your message can fall flat, and you may also find that you're spending a lot of marketing dollars on something that isn't going to give you any benefit. That's wasted money, but there are opportunities for you to change that with the proper image and voice for your company right from the start.

Related: What Should I Share On Social Media?

The Best Platforms For Startups

Among the most important considerations is the platform your startup is using, as well. Choose one that will allow you to do everything you want to do, with some room to expand in the future. Changing platforms at a later date can be very difficult, and can also harm your momentum in the market. If customers come to your site and can't get what they want because you're in the middle of a re-do, they may decide to go elsewhere for their needs. They may also not come back. Today's society is extremely mobile, so make sure you focus your efforts on a mobile platform that your customers will appreciate.

Consumers today use their handheld, mobile devices much more often than their actual laptop or desktop computers, and your startup needs to acknowledge that. If your platform isn't mobile-friendly, you're missing out on a lot of potential sales and interaction with your customers. Look for a platform that works well on regular and mobile devices, so you can be sure that you're reaching the maximum number of consumers who may become your customers. The easier you make it for someone to buy from you, the more likely it is that they'll make that purchase and come back for more at a later date.

Related: What Are Keys To Creating A Successful Marketplace Platform?

SEO And Conversion Rates

Content is king, and part of having good content is two-fold. You need (1) search-engine optimized content that is tailored for humans to read, and (2) content that leads people to do something. You want them to take action, because you need to change them from browsers to buyers. You won't get everyone who reads your marketing content to buy from you, but the higher the conversion rate the more effective your marketing campaigns are. Additionally, if you have a good conversion rate you can save on your advertising dollars, and that money can be better spent on other ways to keep building your business.