A Digital Marketing Strategy After COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has shut down much of the global economy and changed life as we know it. Business owners are suddenly faced with unimaginable challenges, and, chances are, only those who figure out how to adapt will survive.

One of the most common questions everyone is asking right now is “How do I stay connected with my customers during this crisis?” The answer, in part, relies on revamping your digital strategy and doubling down your efforts. These new times require an updated approach. Start with these five tips.

Spend More Time Online – This may seem a bit obvious, but the number one thing you need to do right now is to focus your efforts on maintaining an online presence. If possible, pivot your business offerings to fit into the digital space. This may mean adopting streaming or VR technology, offering chat and text communication options, or converting your brick-and-mortar store into an online shop.

You also need to up your efforts on social media. People are spending more time than ever online, so that’s where you’ll need to connect. Make sure that you’re posting consistently, providing value, and interacting with your followers.

Offer Reassurance – Everyone is feeling uncertain right now. Your message should be one of reassurance and strength. Let your customers know that you understand their concerns and give them information about what your company is doing in response to this crisis.

As businesses look towards reopening or expanding their offerings, you’ll want to make sure you provide plenty of information about what you’re doing to make things as safe as possible for your employees and your customers.

Incorporate this into your digital strategy by posting updates, photos, and videos that help you share this information in a way that’s strong, positive, and embracing.

Avoid the Hard Sell – Now is definitely not the time to push a hard sell. Instead, approach everything you do with empathy and make sure your primary focus is on building and strengthening your relationship with your customers. Think about new, relevant ways to connect with your customers and incorporate these ideas into your digital strategy.

This is also a good time to rethink your overall message — is it still relevant in today’s marketplace? Will it continue to be so in the near future?

You’ll also want to make sure that your digital marketing takes a long-term outlook and reaffirms your commitment to continuing to serve your clients through thick and thin.

Revisit Your SEO and Ad Strategy – People are spending their time online more now than ever. This is a great time to take another look at your search engine optimization (SEO) to ensure that you’re ranking for terms your audience is looking for.

This is also a good time to revisit your paid ad strategy. Facebook, Instagram, PPC, and other paid ad strategies are all less expensive right now as many small businesses have cut back their advertising budgets.

While conversions are down in some industries, they’re not down as much as the cost of the ads themselves. Done right, increasing your use of paid advertising right now could result in a significantly higher return on investment.

Produce More Interactive Content – While posting great updates, photos, and videos will go a long way, these are all passive marketing efforts. If you really want to engage your customers right now, you’ll also want to include interactive content in your digital strategy. This includes things like quizzes, polls, and shoppable posts.

Now is also a great time to encourage user-generated content. For example, try asking followers to post photos of them using your products and include a branded hashtag. To make it even more powerful, turn it into a contest and give away some cool prizes.

This increases engagement, encourages brand loyalty, and helps viewers make a more personal connection with your brand.

Start Revisiting Your Digital Strategy Today!

The worst thing businesses can do right now is to stick their heads in the sand and wait for the crisis to go away. If you want to not only survive but thrive during this difficult time, you’ll need to be proactive. Start revisiting your digital strategy today, and, if you’re looking for some help, please contact us!