Unprecedented times or opportunity for growth? Evolving your Digital Marketing strategy during COVID
- Claudia Miller
- Aug 26, 2020
- 3 min read
Welcome back for another weekly blog post! I’m sure over the last few months the only thing you’ve heard on the news is the phrase ‘unprecedented times’ in relation to COVID-19, followed by the negative effects it has had on our day to day lives as well as the economy. Whilst COVID-19 has completely taken the world by storm and hugely impacted all businesses, there are steps specifically concerning digital marketing strategies, that can and MUST be completed by business owners to successfully combat the effects of this pandemic. Some may see this as an undesirable occurrence for their business but I believe these drastic changes provide opportunity for growth and improvement in various ways.
(Image sourced from: https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2019/06/four-steps-to-making-change-an-opportunity-not-a-threat/).
I have already discussed in a previous blog how face-to-face businesses have suffered most during the time of COVID-19. Thus, reinforcing the importance of utilising a digital marketing strategy and evolving it to serve both businesses and consumers throughout the time of COVID-19, however long that may be. Realistically, those who become dependent on digital marketing hold the key to resilience during this time and those who can’t adapt will suffer the most (Marr, 2020).
Here suggestions for what you can do to evolve your businesses digital marketing strategy in order to remain successful throughout this time.
Review and adjust business goals: A lot has changed within the last few months, and will continue to in coming months. It’s important to make sure that the goals and purpose of your business are still relevant and fulfil the current needs of consumers. After assessing the wants and needs of consumers in today’s environment, updating your marketing mix is needed to meet these requirements (Hall,2020).
For example, many consumers now prefer to order takeaway rather than dining in at a restaurant as it is more convenient and helps to avoid exposure to the public. Therefore those in the hospitality industry will need to meet this demand by changing their focus to providing exceptional takeaway services.
Create strong consumer relationships by providing the best digital experience: As people are stuck inside their homes more than ever before, a businesses digital presence has never been more important. Being active online (without spamming) whether it’s on social media accounts such a Instagram or by sending out updates via email helps to create a bond with customers and creates an exclusive feel. Making sure all of your digital platforms are accessible and easy to use for all, creates a positive experience for consumers, resulting in a stronger relationship and a positive reputation.
(Anderson, Caimi and Hoppe, 2020)
Data Analysis and Reporting: There have been new trends emerging on a daily basis during this pandemic so it is crucial to analyse and report on data to see what is most popular and valuable among consumers, then marketing and adapting to this accordingly. There are many performance monitoring tools that can be used to gain these insights and monitor what is and isn’t working in your current marketing plan (Hall,2020).
I’ve attached a video below by White Shark Media (2020) that further explains the importance of using these strategies and having a solid digital marketing strategy during COVID-19. The video also provides some other great ideas on how you can use digital marketing and the online world to your advantage and continually build your brand amongst the radical changes happening around us.
That brings me to the end of this weeks post! I hope you’ve gained some insight on the effectiveness of having a strong digital marketing strategy during COVID-19 and/or have learnt some useful tips on how you can evolve your current strategy to withstand this pandemic and come out on the other side as an even stronger business than ever before!
Talk to you on my next post,
Claudia.
References:
Anderson, J, Caimi, G and Hoppe, F 2020, ‘COVID-19: Building a Digital Bridge to the New Normal’, Bain & Company. (online) <https://www.bain.com/insights/covid-19-building-a-digital-bridge-to-the-new-normal/> (Accessed 25th August, 2020).
Hall, N 2020, ‘Five key digital marketing strategies during Covid-19: Redefining and redeployment’, MarketingTech. (online). <https://marketingtechnews.net/news/2020/apr/28/five-key-digital-marketing-strategies-during-covid-19-redefining-and-redeployment/> (Accessed 25th August, 2020).
Marr 2020, ‘Why Companies Turn To Digital Marketing To Survive COVID-19’, Forbes. (online) <https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2020/03/20/why-companies-turn-to-digital-marketing-to-survive-covid-19/#32c443d62425> (Accessed 25th August, 2020).
White Shark Media 2020 “Marketing During COVID-19: Strategies for the New Normal” YouTube. (online) <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0n0U3Hs8dA> (Accessed 26th August, 2020).
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