COVID-19 has continued to cause anxiety and unease amongst the global population for the other half of the year. With the seismic shift being observed in lifestyle choices, it is safe to say that businesses are left in a moment of floundering confusion due to the uncertainty.
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Industries have been forced to adapt to the changed consumer behaviors to avoid shut down while trying to operate remotely or even modifying the business model. The pandemic has led to the cancellation of countless events like conferences and concerts, which has led to businesses losing dollars by the millisecond.
The dramatic changes have urged marketers to navigate through an unchartered territory in the new millennium of digitized investments and assets. It is only natural to assume that businesses must feel the need for downgrading their marketing strategy due to the trimming in budgets. But is it really the right time to cut off your marketing efforts?
The pandemic’s first wave may be over in some parts of the world; however, it is obvious that the second wave is already on the rise. It is predicted that this phase’s results shall last longer than any projections put forward by scholars and researchers. This is the time to be progressive in our marketing approach by utilizing the digital forum for business.
Marketing during the pandemic
The most significant factor of succeeding in today’s tumultuous waters is to ensure that your current brand has sufficient presence to survive the storm. This entails frequent communication with your clientele and community to make sure that you don’t fade away in the crowd of other brands striving to maintain their identity.
There is no denial in the fact that a large chunk of businesses is floating in the hot waters of financial instability due to the pandemic. The chaotic circumstances have made it necessary for each company to come to terms with the new normal. With changes still happening like quicksilver, there are times when a business may communicate the wrong message, which could have negative impacts on the target audience and propagate fake news. The key here is to stay aware and truthful to breed confidence in your marketing efforts.
You must be mindful of the fact that your customers and prospect consumers may no longer be in the same position. But this does not translate into curtailing your marketing efforts. It implies that the swamp may be treacherous, but you can still tread through it with responsibility. You need to add value to your existing wares and subtly offer assistance to your audience.
Is digital advertising your saviour?
Agencies around the globe have experienced depreciation in their costs per click since January 2020. It seems like a welcome change where CPC and paid collaborations have collectively fallen in the right bracket where, alas, the buyers define the market.
Pairing this with the fact that impression shares have been on an all-time-high seems like the perfect cherry on top of a decadent cake. Despite the situation’s sensitivity, it is an ideal time to modify your marketing strategy to boost site traffic and conversions without additional burden on the marketing budget. All you need to do is sprinkle empathy on every corner of your homepage and bestselling pages, and you are pretty much all good to go!
The lockdowns are expected to go back in action; this seems like the best time to localize your search engine optimization to bag the bigger sales while your customers stay at home. We believe that most businesses would find it necessary to split campaigns on local premises, depending on the phase of quarantine and restrictions.
The key takeaway is to run ads at the most efficient times. Click here to find out more about the subject.
But before we go ahead, here is a quick recap on how consumer behaviors have changed during COVID-19.
Immediate effects of the pandemic on consumer choices and behavior.
User consumption anchors space and time to continue with the purchases they have planned. While traditionally, most of the consumers dependent on physical shopping were restricted by the working hours, the pandemic has changed the perception of shopping for all.
The consumer today is no longer physically limited and has all routines centered on the house. This indicates that consumer improvisation is a trade where spontaneity is the need of the hour.
How to start a digital campaign at the tail end of the COVID-19 outbreak?
Here is a short guide for starting an efficient marketing strategy today to capture sizeable results.
Say hello to your existing leads and customer base
In a period where the bottom line is enough of a threat to restrict the generation of new leads, the first step in your plan of the action revolves around appreciating the audience that you have readily available. Communicate with them in a tone that resonates with their current position. Offer benefits such as free shipping or BOGO on substantial purchases to keep the customer base intact.
Revamp your content strategy
This extra time at hand must be used to revamp your content strategy. You can refresh your blog and add the latest pieces that are relevant to the current time. You can also review and repurpose an old campaign to adapt to the new circumstances. Evaluate your current KPIs and the objectives that were previously set to ensure online sales continue to thrive. You can also develop new digital assets like e-books and guide videos to help your audience and establish authority.
Stay strong on social media
More time is being spent on the black mirror in your hand, which makes today the right time to strengthen your social media presence. Remember what is visible will sell; the invisible can remain unseen.
Invest in SEO
If you let your search engine optimization slide to the corner, you technically lose the biggest growth opportunity. The pandemic has given you ample time to revive your optimization, especially in the local context. So buckle up and rise up the ranks today!
Final Thoughts
In these challenging times, the performance of your campaign may be the last thing on your mind. But it is indeed a matter that is critical to the survival of your business. This advantageous downtime can be used to develop better content and implement efficient strategies to ensure that you survive the throes of the pandemic.