The Covid-19 pandemic caused numerous changes in how businesses operate. One of the biggest impacts was how marketing departments operate. The role of digital marketing shifted from just pushing out content to engaging with customers on social media and through emails.
The strategy and approach behind your digital marketing campaign will change as society and the industry change. This article will outline what your online marketing strategy should be aiming for, given the current climate and what role your digital marketing department plays inside your business.
Boosting Demand
The first and perhaps most important change is how you approach demand generation. During the pandemic, consumers had to rely on retailers to provide them with essential items like food and toilet paper. So when the demand for these items decreased, businesses saw a drop off in sales. While supermarkets and shopping malls are slowly opening their doors again, it’s still difficult for consumers to get back to their pre-pandemic ways.
If your target audience doesn’t have the internet or access to social media, then your strategy will need to change. You’ll want to work hard to provide quality content that attracts and retains customers.
Generating Buzz
Buzz is one of the best indicators of success for a digital marketing campaign. The more buzz you generate, the more likely you are to succeed. During the pandemic, consumers had to rely on word of mouth to find out about new products and services. So if you’re keen to generate buzz, you’ll need to think about the types of content you should be creating and where you should be sharing it.
Social media provided a platform for businesses to share news and announcements. The key is to make sure you’re presenting your content in a way that draws attention and encourages people to share the content.
Encouraging Word Of Mouth
Word of mouth is still one of the best tools for marketing. It’s free, it’s accessible to everyone, and it’s a simple way for consumers to share their opinions and discoveries about products and services with their friends and followers.
During the pandemic, people had to change the ways they did business and socialized with one another. They started to learn to be more cautious about who they share their opinions and favorite products with. This changed the way people interact on social media and the importance business owners place on a good reputation.
If you want to encourage word of mouth, you’ll need to take the time to build a reputation for trustworthiness and fairness. Create high-quality content that provides value and answers questions. Give something back to your audience by answering their queries quickly and accurately. When someone feels they’re getting something valuable in return for their investment of time, they’re more likely to engage with you and your content.
Attracting New Audiences
If you’re looking to expand your customer base, consider creating content for different demographics. During the pandemic, certain demographics were hit hard by the lack of activity on social media. People in these groups often have fewer connections online and may even be barred from certain platforms for being too isolated.
If you’re keen to attract this type of audience, consider creating content for print magazines or newspapers. The more engaged you can make these groups, the more likely you are to grow your customer base and retain them for the long term.
Measuring Performance
Now that you’ve got your strategy in place, it’s time to measure the success of your campaign. The most effective way to do this is through analytics. Use tools like Google Analytics to track the success of your campaign by measuring key performance indicators (KPIs) that you’ve set out in advance. By closely monitoring these KPIs, you can determine whether or not your strategy is bearing fruit.
The pandemic threw a spanner in the works for many businesses. But, as always, the good guys came out on top and businesses that took the time to adapt and change managed to survive and thrive.