Coronavirus has delt a huge blow to many people and businesses around the world. However, it has also created new opportunities to raise awareness for your brand. Digital marketing is giving some businesses more visibility than ever, and making good decisions now will pay off big when life returns to normal.
With stores closed or seeing fewer customers in person, many businesses are finding that their lack of an online presence is contributing to a steep revenue drop. If you invest in a robust online presence, you can get a leg up on the competition.
More Consumers Are on Social Media Than Ever
You know how it goes. You realize you’ve been cycling between Facebook, Instagram, and your news app of choice for an hour. After weeks of social distancing, you’re getting bored and desperate for any connection you can find. Luckily for you, your potential customers are doing the same thing.
Even as more consumers are engaged online, there is less competition for that larger-than-ever social media audience. Many of your competitors have responded to the economic crisis by cutting back their social media efforts. Taken all together, this is a great time to invest what you can in your social presence.
Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of social media:
- Take time to engage with users. People will be far more interested in your business if you respond to their comments and questions.
- Create content that lifts people up. Make sure your content comes from a place of service rather than adding to the fear.
- Check over your scheduled posts more often to ensure they still work after any changes in the coronavirus situation. Keep in mind that government protocols and cultural sentiment are continuing to change every day as we learn more about the coronavirus.
Many businesses who have continued with their social media efforts have noticed a distinct uptick in views, likes, and comments. If you’ve been diligently building up a following for a while, this is the time to ramp up your engagement.
Content Marketing Will Make Your Business More Visible
Content marketing is an effective way to attract leads and keep customers engaged. If done carefully, content will boost your SEO and make you more visible — both to customers who want to purchase now and to customers who may purchase once quarantine ends.
Now that so many of us are stuck at home, people are even more likely to check out (and share!) helpful blog posts, videos, graphics, and other forms of online content. For content ideas, think about what your customer base is most likely to care about at this time:
- Healthcare and finance customers may want to know about new resources and advice for maintaining their wellbeing.
- Students and teachers may be looking for resources to facilitate online education.
- Parents with young children may be looking for ideas to keep their children occupied, especially if they are working remotely without their usual childcare.
- Customers who purchase from businesses that have temporarily shut down or changed their business models may want to hear what those businesses are doing in the meantime.
- Many people are looking for lighthearted entertainment and ideas for how to occupy their time during quarantine.
You can also use content marketing to put yourself in a better position for when quarantine ends. Take the opportunity to do some keyword research and produce SEO-optimized content. If you rank well for the right keywords and tailor your content to voice searches, you will reap the rewards when consumers begin searching for your services again.
In addition to expanding your current content marketing plan, you may want to use the global lockdown as a chance to experiment with new content strategies. If you haven’t already, consider adding video to your content strategy. You could also try out interactive approaches to content, like quizzes, polls, or videos.
Up-to-Date Websites Help You Attract More Customers
If you suddenly find yourself with fewer customers to work with and more time on your hands, you may want to invest some hours (and maybe dollars) into your website. With in-person interactions cut down to a minimum, consumers are increasingly looking for information online.
An outdated website could be costing you clients and job candidates. Overly flashy colors and banners or hard-to-navigate menus might frustrate potential clients and cause them to click away. Consumers need to be able to find what they’re looking for without too many clicks, or they may just give up on you.
Keep in mind that over half of all web traffic comes from mobile devices, and the number is growing. If your website is hard to see on a small screen, many of your would-be customers will tap away before they even see what you have to offer. A mobile-friendly website is no longer optional.
Online Reviews Are Your Best Bet for Word-of-Mouth Marketing
During social distancing, consumers are less likely to recommend companies and products to each other through in-person conversations. However, that doesn’t mean word-of-mouth marketing is dead. A BrightLocal survey found that 76% of consumers trust online reviews as much as recommendations from family and friends.
Online reviews also help with local SEO. When customers write reviews, they often discuss your products and services in ways that improve your ranking for popular keywords. Recent reviews tell search engines your business hasn’t permanently closed. And when your high ratings and growing review base bring in more clicks, you will be rewarded with a higher search engine ranking and even more clicks.
Google My Business has temporarily suspended publishing online reviews during the coronavirus shutdown. However, other online review sites like Yelp are still allowing new reviews that could benefit your business. If you go the extra mile to be a comforting presence for customers during these times, you are likely to get glowing reviews in return.
Are you looking for a low-cost tool to boost your online reputation? Kudo helps you get more positive reviews, mitigate damage from negative reviews, and incentivize repeat purchases in just a few seconds per day. Sign up for our free online review generation tool and get more reviews today.
