Is Now the Best Time to use Online Advertising?

It’s no secret that with the UK on lockdown, people are spending a lot more time online. Streaming platforms like YouTube and TikTok are becoming more popular across all generations, and Facebook has reported that across all of its apps, messaging has increased by more than 50%.  Despite this, in a recent survey taken by Influencer Marketing Hub, only 22% of brands said they were spending more on online ads and only 1 in 4 companies said that they would increase marketing activities. It’s understandable that with a lot of uncertainty in the business world, people will be hesitant to invest in advertising their products and services. But, at Wriggle, we think this could be a mistake. With online activity and search at a real high, reminders to your target audience that you’re still active is a great way to ensure that they keep your business in mind when things are back up and running.  Here are some top tips from us to ensure you get it right:

BE RELEVANT 

Particularly with advertising on social media, don’t be too quick to jump on the bandwagon of any viral trends. The most important thing is that the content you’re putting out is relevant to your brand and messaging. For more advice on this, check out our blog post on managing your social media during COVID-19. 

BE SENSITIVE

Last week, Facebook announced that it was banning any adverts for face masks or hand sanitiser as part of their efforts to prevent exploitative tactics. It’s important to remember that the current crisis demands a lot of sensitivity and consideration in how business is conducted at the moment. One small mistake could have long-term consequences.

  • Try to avoid using insensitive words - no ‘killer deals’ or ‘viral content’.
  • Serious doesn’t mean somber - there’s a right way to look at the bright side of a situation through positive messaging; being uplifting rather than dismissive. 

CONVERSION THROUGH CONVERSATION

If the product/service that your business provides is considered ‘non-essential’ and therefore in danger of taking a back-seat at the moment, then look to be creating industry-leading content and focus on remarketing tactics. 

By focussing on educating and being consistent in your messaging, you’ll be able to establish some credibility in your field. Once consumers are more inclined to make a purchase, you’ll be at the forefront of their mind. 

KEEP UP WITH THE DATA

As priorities are changing, consumer behaviour is changing with it. Whilst some sectors will be seeing an increase in search (e.g. health & fitness, food), others like the hospitality industry will be seeing considerable decline. Using tools like Google Trends more consistently at the moment will help keep you in the loop of any newly peaked interests that have materialised due to COVID-19. This will in turn help to inform any new advertising or messaging.  Now is the time to invest in long-term success for your business. It may be all too tempting to put a pause on your marketing activities, in order to ‘see what happens’, but being proactive during these times will ensure you remain relevant and connected to your customers. 

HOW CAN WRIGGLE MARKETING HELP?

If you’ve got any questions on the above or are keen to kickstart some online advertising, whether that be paid search or social media ads, get in touch and we’d be happy to help.