It’s no secret that the digital marketing landscape is constantly changing. What worked yesterday may not work today, and what works today may not work tomorrow. 

As a business owner, it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest marketing trends and tactics. Otherwise, you risk falling behind your competition. 

In this blog post, we will discuss 7 marketing tactics that are no longer effective and should be avoided.

Tactic 1: Email List Buying

Unless your industry has a reputable email list selling player, one marketing tactic that no longer works is buying lists of email addresses. 

In the past, businesses would buy lists of email addresses and then send mass emails to these people in the hopes of generating leads. 

However, most people now use spam filters which prevent these types of emails from ever reaching their inbox. Even if you are able to get your email through the spam filter, there’s a good chance that people will just delete it without reading it. 

Additionally, most people now know to be wary of giving their email address to businesses they don’t know. So even if you are able to get someone’s email address, there’s a good chance they won’t engage with your email. 

For these reasons, it’s no longer worth buying lists of email addresses. It’s a much better idea to focus on building your own list of subscribers through opt-ins and lead magnets.

Tactic 2: Ads in Local Newspapers

Another marketing tactic, for most localities, that is no longer effective is exclusively advertising in local newspapers. In the past, businesses would place ads in the newspaper to reach their target market. 

However, most people now get their news online from websites or social media. Very few people still read physical newspapers. 

For this reason, it’s no longer effective to place ads in newspapers. You’re much better off investing your marketing budget in online advertising, such as Google Ads or Facebook Ads. 

Tactic 3: Sponsored Blog Posts

Sponsored blog posts used to be a popular way for businesses to reach their target market. Businesses would pay bloggers to write about their product or service in the hopes that their readers would see the blog post and be interested in what they have to offer. Apart from some PR benefits, which only apply in the case of reputable blogging sites, sponsored blog posts have a limited impact on sales.

However, most people now use ad blockers which prevent sponsored blog posts from being seen. Additionally, even if people do see your sponsored blog post, there’s no guarantee that they’ll be interested in what you have to offer. 

For these reasons, it’s no longer effective to use sponsored blog posts as a marketing tactic. You’re better off investing your time and money in other marketing channels, such as social media or email marketing. 

Tactic 4: Blogging Low-Quality Content

In the past, businesses would create low-quality blog content in order to stuff keywords and rank higher in search engines. However, Google’s algorithms have changed and now penalise websites that engage in this practice. 

Additionally, people are no longer interested in reading low-quality content. If they can tell that you’re just trying to stuff keywords and don’t have anything valuable to say, they’re not going to waste their time reading your blog post. 

For these reasons, it’s no longer effective to write low-quality blog content. You need to make sure that your blog posts are well-written, informative, and engaging if you want people to read them. 

Tactic 5: TV Commercials

TV commercials are another marketing tactic that is no longer effective for most companies, unless you are targeting an audience that still watches regular TV. In the past, businesses would create TV commercials and then air them during prime-time TV in the hopes of reaching their target market. 

However, most people who still watch TV these days, now use DVRs to fast forward through commercials. Additionally, more and more people are cutting the cord and getting rid of their TV subscriptions. 

For these reasons, it’s no longer effective to invest in TV commercials in most cases. You’re better off investing your marketing budget in other channels, such as online advertising or social media. 

Tactic 6: Fixed Response Emails

Another marketing tactic that is no longer effective is using fixed response emails. In the past, businesses would send out mass emails and then have a generic response that would be sent to everyone who replied. 

However, people now expect personalised responses to their inquiries. If you send them a generic response, they’re not going to be impressed. 

For this reason, it’s no longer effective to use fixed response emails. You need to take the time to personalise your responses if you want to make a good impression on your prospects. Be sure to actively engage with people who fill the Call to Action of your website. 

Tactic 7: Link Begging

Backlinks are an important part of SEO, but link begging is not the way to get them. Link begging is when you email someone and ask them to link to your website or blog. This tactic doesn’t work because it’s annoying and it doesn’t provide any value to the person you’re emailing. 

If you want to get backlinks, the best way to do it is to create high-quality content that people will want to link to. You can also reach out to influencers and ask them to share your content. 

Now that you know what marketing tactics not to use, you can focus your time and energy on more effective strategies. By avoiding these outdated tactics, you’ll be able to better connect with your target market and grow your business.