The 7 biggest marketing myths holding your business back

Marketing advice is everywhere—but not all of it is good. In fact, some of the most commonly repeated “truths” about marketing are actually myths that could be holding your business back.

Are you unknowingly falling for one of these 7 marketing myths? Let’s set the record straight.

1. "More Followers = More Sales"

The Myth: If you have thousands of followers, you’ll automatically make more money.

The Truth: A small, engaged audience is far more valuable than a huge following that doesn’t interact. 10,000 random followers mean nothing if only 10 of them care about your business.

What to Do Instead: Focus on engagement, trust, and relationships—not just numbers.

2. "Email Marketing Is Dead"

The Myth: No one opens emails anymore—email marketing doesn’t work.

The Truth: Email marketing has the highest ROI of any digital marketing channel—$42 return for every $1 spent. If your emails aren’t working, the problem is the strategy, not the medium.

What to Do Instead: Improve your subject lines, segment your audience, and provide value.

3. "Posting Every Day on Social Media Will Grow Your Business"

The Myth: More content = more success. If you’re not posting every day, you’re falling behind.

The Truth: Quality > Quantity. Posting high-quality, strategic content a few times a week is better than spamming daily posts that don’t provide value.

What to Do Instead: Focus on creating meaningful content that resonates with your audience.

4. "If You Build It, They Will Come"

The Myth: A great website or amazing product is enough—people will naturally find you.

The Truth: Even the best products and services won’t sell themselves without the right marketing strategy.

What to Do Instead: Actively drive traffic, engagement, and conversions through SEO, email marketing, and social media.

5. "SEO Is a One-Time Thing"

The Myth: Once you optimise your website for SEO, you’re done forever.

The Truth: SEO is constantly changing—Google updates its algorithm regularly, and stagnant websites lose rankings.

What to Do Instead: Keep your content fresh, update keywords, and monitor SEO performance ongoing.

6. "Paid Ads Work Instantly"

The Myth: Running Facebook or Google Ads will instantly bring in tons of customers.

The Truth: Paid ads require testing, optimisation, and time to see real results. A bad ad strategy can waste thousands.

What to Do Instead: Start small, test different audiences, and refine your targeting.

7. "Marketing Is Just About Getting New Customers"

The Myth: Marketing is all about attracting new leads and customers.

The Truth: Retaining existing customers is cheaper and more profitable than constantly finding new ones.

What to Do Instead: Focus on customer retention, loyalty programs, and follow-up marketing to keep your customers coming back.

Are These Myths Holding You Back?

If you’ve been believing any of these marketing myths, now’s the time to shift your strategy. Marketing success isn’t about following outdated advice—it’s about what actually works today.