If you’re one of the many firms that have been affected by COVID-19, these digital marketing tips will help you keep your customers engaged and your sales up.
COVID-19 has halted most business activity, with many being advised to maintain social distances. Governments are either limiting business hours or enforcing complete lockdowns. As the goods and services sector takes a hit for the worst, buying power is slowly and steadily dwindling.
But it’s not all bad news.
Brands have realised that they must be flexible enough to adapt instantly to new challenges if they want to survive. More importantly, they need to recognise that there is an opportunity awaiting at every hurdle. This positivity is the backbone that is the striving force of success.
Since e-commerce was on the rise even before the outbreak, many businesses already had a robust digital presence. With the help of effective digital marketing strategies, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Even though desperate times call for desperate measures, businesses can find creative ways to get ahead and survive the pandemic.
The important question here is, are you one of them?
If you’ve just been struck with the realisation that your business is not faring well, now is not the time to get into a full-blown panic attack.
Even the best of companies go through rough moments. What you need to do is to realign your marketing practices with the demands of customers during the corona crisis.
Here are some fantastic digital marketing tips to help you survive COVID-19.
Evaluate and adjust current marketing strategies
Businesses need to identify ways to connect with an entirely new set of target audiences. Remember that you are interacting with worried people, facing many uncertainties.
So, focus your efforts on those people who are bored, stuck at home, and unable to shop elsewhere. Appropriate branding and marketing campaigns can attract and engage these consumers, even if they are not purchasing anything at the moment.
Investing time and resources to identify what they need and resolving their problems are easy ways to capture leads and boost sales.
Review keywords
Changing market trends and economic conditions have influenced search terms. According to Google, search interest for the word ‘coronavirus’ spiked by 260% (no surprise there).
Other search items have seen a shift as well. For instance, there has been a drop in ‘near me’ searches for restaurants, while ‘grocery delivery’, ‘stores open near me’, and ‘opening hours’ have increased in volume.
You need to research and survey keywords and ROI from specific search terms. It will give you a good insight into what your customers need from you right now.
Keep posting on social media
Arming yourself with a foolproof plan on how to thrive during this crisis is essential. Social media is a great place to begin. Since many people are stuck indoors, maintaining a vibrant and regular online presence is crucial, especially to inform consumers that your brand is very much alive and breathing.
Simple posts such as opening hours and availability of home delivery options help consumers find information about your business quickly.
Moreover, announcing contributions to the local community or support for frontline fighters is a great way to promote the empathetic appeal of your brand.
Be considerate in your posts, and your content should depict that you are aware of the distress people are facing. For example, see how Leather Skin Shop, an online leather jacket store, used its social media channels to express concern and solidarity with the frontline workers.
Not only do these kinds of posts garner online attention, but they also allow businesses to present themselves as a concerned brand that values its customers.
Up your channels of communication
Today, more people are online than ever before. They are searching for information or ways to stay entertained. They also have questions about the brand or products, timings, orders, product refunds, and much more.
A brand that doesn’t connect with potential shoppers or remains quiet during these times is at risk of losing customers.
While social media messaging works fine, consumers are more impatient now than ever, demanding answers right away. So some businesses may find investing in AI-powered website chatbots beneficial in enhancing communications with their customers.
Revamp your marketing approach
Before the pandemic, you must have been working diligently on SEO and email marketing to drive results, but maybe it’s time to add something new to your digital marketing campaign?
You should find ways to interact with a broader target audience, possibly those who would never have considered your brand before the pandemic.
Think about posting new content to boost brand awareness and recognition. More importantly, give consumers a reason to connect with your brand on a deeper level.
BN3TH, an online underwear brand, is making the most of this opportunity. It helps consumers remain positive during COVID-19 by offering upbeat music to listen to as well as links to YouTube videos for working out at home.
Depending upon your budget, other options to expand your digital footprint include:
• Adding videos to your site
• Starting a podcast
• Create a high-quality newsletter
• Collaborating with influencers on social media
• Guest writing
• Offer discounts to frontline workers
• Support a local charity or organisation that’s helping those affected by the coronavirus
Optimise your business image
People are looking for information, but it’s not just any information. They want it from reliable, trustworthy sources. Thus, it is no surprise that reputable news websites saw a massive surge in their traffic during the pandemic.
Your job is to provide information that people need in a way they want to consume. By improving every aspect of the user experience online, viewers will be happy to keep coming back to your site.
To do that, you should have the basics covered, such as eliminating broken links or slow loading pages, etc. While you’re at it, don’t forget to update your Google My Business page with the latest information about your services, such as a change in timings, take-out/to-go orders, home deliveries, etc.
Wrapping up
During this time of distress, when people are worried, you need to come off as a brand that cares. It is your chance to build a reputation and develop a bond with potential customers.
By showing that you understand the difficulties people are going through and offering advice on overcoming hurdles, you are actively engaging with consumers. It will open up dozens of avenues for post-COVID business opportunities.
Remember that you are not alone. Every business owner is just as scared, confused, and uncertain as you. So it’s okay to ask for help, or even make mistakes. After a setback, stand up again, brush your clothes off, and start with another fresh idea.
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