How to Get Through COVID-19 using Digital Marketing Channels

Over the next few months, businesses will need to prioritise their digital strategy more than ever. With events, conferences, and non-essential stores being closed or put on hold, digital channels will be the only way to engage with your audience and keep business flowing. So, how can you get through COVID-19 using your Digital Marketing Channels?

RESEARCH

We know that consumers are spending more time online, but what are they looking for? And what do they value? Any good marketing strategy involves a good understanding of your target audience, but it’s also recognising that the behaviours and opinions of your audience can change. Keeping in touch with how consumer behaviours are changing will keep you ahead of the curve. 
 

INTERACT

Social Media Today ranked interactive content as the number one marketing trend for 2020, with 93% of marketers rating it as more effective in educating customers than static content. This could be anything from a quick poll on your social media, or a YouTube series. A huge amount of people are relying on uplifting and entertaining content to brighten their days right now. In fact, just last month, YouTube was forced to reduce the quality of their videos from high to standard definition due to the increase in usage! If you can establish yourself as a source of uplifting or informative content, then you can build brand trust and increase traffic to your digital channels. 
Some examples of interactive content:

  • Videos
  • Quizzes
  • Polls
  • Webinars
  • Calculators and tools

NURTURE

Who’s to say that relationships can’t be nurtured via online platforms? If you were once reliant on face-to-face meetings in order to establish yourself and build trust, it’s worth thinking about how you can communicate that online. Not only this, but often events-based marketing can dominate a marketing department’s budget. Why not consider the benefits of finding a new way to spend the money? Neil Patel recommends doubling down on your marketing efforts whilst there is less competition as it will be easier to get results. You could:

  • Create an email campaign - use email to let your customers know you’re still contactable and in business. You could set up a weekly series of top tips or must haves. 
  • Prioritise social media - It’s clear that people are currently a lot more active on social media. With isolation and social distancing making it harder to feel connected to our loved ones, it’s no surprise that Facebook is reporting significant increase in usage across all of it’s apps. With more people online, and for longer, take the time to reach out to your followers. You could learn something new that is beneficial to your marketing. 
  • Send personalised messages - if you’ve got regular or loyal customers, make sure you’re taking the time to touch base with them and see if you can do anything to help. You’ll also be able to directly educate them on any changes you may be making. 

 
Most importantly, becoming more digitally focussed doesn’t need to be a ‘for now’ exercise. It’s safe to say that this current crisis will evoke change in ways we haven’t predicted yet; including how people run their businesses. In this digital era, you don’t want to be left behind.