UK Internet Usage During COVID-19

Living in such a digitally-driven world, it was always inevitable that the rate of internet usage in the UK would spike during COVID-19. The entire nation has spent the vast majority of the last three months in lockdown, meaning more time has been spent at home than ever before.
This also means that more time has been spent online than ever before. Virgin Media reported that the UK’s Coronavirus lockdown has roughly doubled the UK’s internet usage during the day. And it’s not hard to see why - in a world where almost everything is accessible in just a few clicks, you can order your weekly grocery shop, learn a new skill and dial into your Monday morning meeting from the comfort of your own sofa. So as a business, how can YOU take this data and use it as a driving force to adapt and re-launch your brand post-COVID-19? Let’s take a look…
 

Analyse The Data

As a business owner, your decisions should never be made on guess-work alone. Real results thrive on data-driven decision making. As we previously mentioned in our article “Why COVID-19 Means Digital Marketing Is More Important Than Ever”, your ability to measure and track results is a real asset, especially during such uncertain times. 
While we are beginning to see the economy rebuild itself (albeit slowly), it’s important not to forget that COVID-19 has brought with it many changes. From customer behaviour to a shift in consumer habits, don’t just assume that your customer will bounce right back. Take the time to measure the metrics and re-learn what could be a new shape sales funnel and learn where it is worth targeting your efforts online. You can do this in a number of ways:

  • What time are your audience most active?
  • What mediums are they using?
  • What is your audience searching for the most? 

 

Be Aware Of Your Digital Mediums

With many people having so much more time on their hands over the last three months, their online habits may have switched, some through choice and others through demand. For instance, for someone who would have preferred the physical in-store shopping experience has had to get used to a predominant online experience due to the high-street being temporarily closed. As for the recent rise in social media platform TikTok, it welcomed 278,000 UK users on mobile the week before the Prime Minister announced the lockdown. 
By using this information that you gather when analysing your data, you can signify exactly what mediums are performing well and what others may need to take a slightly different approach. 
 

Focus On UX (User Experience) 

User Experience is always important within digital marketing, however right now, with the number of online activity continuing to rise, it is even more so under the spotlight. A positive User Experience fulfills your user’s needs and aims to keep them coming back for more. You can get started on finessing your UX performance with some of the following:

  • Your website must be easy to find 
  • Page-load speed (If your website takes more than five seconds to load, you run the risk of losing up to 40% of users)
  • Display clear call-to-actions 

Consider Trying Something New

Old ways don’t open new doors. This time could provide you with the perfect opportunity to try something new! Whether that be investing into remarketing ads to build your brand awareness, introduce a new feature for content creation to improve how you deliver value and increase reach to your audience (IGTV, Facebook Live, interactive Story Stickers, Instagram Shopping Tags) or simply update your website to ensure it is UX friendly and stands every chance of success.
 

How Can Wriggle Marketing Help?

Making data-driven decisions can be tricky, especially if you lack the resource, time or knowledge. Here at Wriggle Marketing, we are a full-service, in-house digital marketing agency that can help you build an impressionable online presence while providing a strong ROI. Send us an email or pick up the phone and we will help you get started. 
tickleus@wrigglemarketing.co.uk | 0191 285 6128