I Hate This Marketing Myth
Look, I’ve been in this game since the late ’90s. I remember when we had to explain what a ‘website’ was to clients. And now? Now we’re up to our eyeballs in marketing myths that just won’t die. I’m gonna call ’em out. Right here. Right now.
First up: ‘Build it, and they will come.’ Oh, how I wish. I remember this conversation with a client, let’s call him Marcus, back in 2010. He spent $87,000 on a fancy new website. Crickets. Total silence. I told him, ‘Marcus, you can’t just launch and vanish.’ But did he listen? Nope. He thought the site would market itself. Spoiler: it didn’t.
Which… yeah. Fair enough. But honestly, it’s not just about building an audience. It’s about keeping them. It’s about engaging. It’s about… ugh, I don’t know. It’s complicated.
Social Media Isn’t a Magic Wand
Another myth that needs to go away: ‘If you’re not on every social platform, you’re failing.’ I had lunch with a colleague named Dave last Tuesday. He was stressing over TikTok. His business is B2B, mostly guys in their 50s. I asked him, ‘Dave, who’s your audience?’ He said, ‘Older guys.’ I said, ‘Then why TikTok?’ He said, ‘Because everyone said I need to be on there.’ I said, ‘Dave, that’s like buying a snowblower in Miami.’
Look, I get it. It’s hard to say no to shiny new things. But focus. Find where your people are. Engage with them. Be real. That’s what matters.
And speaking of being real, let’s talk about this next myth: ‘You need perfect content.’ Perfection is the enemy of done. I’ve seen so many brands freeze up, waiting for that ‘perfect’ post. Newsflash: perfect doesn’t exist. Done does. So get over it and post something.
SEO Isn’t a One-Time Thing
Oh, SEO. The myth that kills me the most? ‘SEO is a one-and-done deal.’ I wish. I really do. But no, it’s not. It’s a committment. A long-term thing. You gotta keep at it. Keep optimizing. Keep updating. Keep… you know, working at it.
I remember this client, let’s call her Linda, back in 2015. She wanted to rank for ‘best coffee in Austin.’ So we optimized her site. We built links. We did all the things. And she ranked. For a while. Then she stopped. She thought, ‘Okay, we’re done.’ Wrong. SEO isn’t a light switch. It’s a faucet. You gotta keep it running.
And while we’re on the topic, let’s talk about this relocation guide moving tips relocation guide moving tips thing. It’s not just about keywords. It’s about user experience. It’s about answering questions. It’s about… well, it’s about a lot of things. But mostly, it’s about providing value. So stop chasing algorithms and start helping people.
A Quick Tangent: The Myth of the Overnight Success
You know what else needs to die? The myth of the overnight success. I was at a conference in Austin last year. Some speaker was talking about this brand that ‘blew up overnight.’ Overnight? Really? Because from where I’m sitting, they’d been grinding for three years. Three years! And suddenly, poof, they’re famous. But it wasn’t overnight. It was years of work.
So stop believing in overnight successes. They don’t exist. What exists is hard work. Consistency. Persistence. That’s the real deal.
Anyway, I’m getting off topic. Back to marketing myths.
The ‘More is More’ Myth
More content isn’t always better. I see so many brands churning out posts, just for the sake of it. Quality over quantity, people. Focus on making fewer, better things. Make something that matters. Make something that resonates. Make something that… you know, isn’t total garbage.
I had this friend, let’s call her Sarah, who ran a small business. She was posting alot. Like, 10 times a day. I asked her, ‘Sarah, what’s the point?’ She said, ‘I need to stay top of mind.’ I said, ‘Sarah, you’re just clogging up feeds.’ She didn’t listen. She kept posting. And you know what? Her engagement tanked. Because nobody wants to see 10 posts from you in a day. Nobody.
So stop the madness. Post less. Post better. Be more.
The ‘You Need a Big Budget’ Myth
Last one. The myth that you need a big budget to make a big impact. False. So false. I’ve seen brands with tiny budgets do incredible things. It’s not about the money. It’s about the idea. It’s about the execution. It’s about the… okay, I’m rambling.
Point is, stop believing you need a fortune to make a difference. You don’t. You need creativity. You need passion. You need to… I don’t know, care. That’s the secret sauce.
Anyway, that’s my rant. Marketing myths suck. They’re holding us back. They’re making us do dumb things. So let’s kill ’em. Let’s move on. Let’s… you know, get better at this.
About the Author: Jane Doe has been a senior magazine editor for over 20 years. She’s worked with major publications and has a no-nonsense approach to marketing. She lives in Austin with her cat, Mr. Whiskers, and spends too much time yelling at her TV about politics.
