Let’s begin by taking into account everything that we have experienced in the last six months, shall we? In just a small period of time, we have witnessed popular brands go bankrupt, we have noticed millions of people around the world lose their jobs; we have seen the worst as well as the best that humanity has to offer in times of crisis.
Needless to say, the COVID-19 crisis has changed people’s outlook on life. There is no facet of our life that has not been affected by the pandemic. Whether it is our personal or professional life, one thing is for certain, life as we knew it is gone.
Speaking of professional life, the pandemic has also had an impact on the dynamics within multiple industries. The changes might not be apparent in some cases, but one industry where they are obvious is Digital marketing.
Digital Marketing during Pandemics
Since the beginning of the pandemic, businesses have been forced into coming up with solutions that allow them to get around the restrictions placed upon them because of the lockdown.
Since customers could no longer travel all the way to the store, brands had to find ways in which they could get to customers. This is where digital marketing came into the picture. Even brands and companies that previously had no digital presence were ready to jump on board the digital bandwagon because well that is where the audience was.
The sudden changes in the business world also had an impact on the world of digital marketing. Let’s now take a look at how this shift has changed in just a span of a couple of months:
1. The Change in Customer Journey
Just take a look at some of the most popular B2B companies like Salesforce and IBM. Previously, all of these companies relied upon the field to field meetings and trade shows.
All of that has changed in the last few years and now both of these companies (along with several others) have started investing in websites. The goal of these companies is to post content on a website that engages customers in the same way as their offline activities did.
In addition to that, companies are also putting in efforts to create mechanisms that allow visitors to interact and engage with content on a website. Doing so helps convert those visitors into customers and generate higher sales.
Interactivity is especially important in the case of online retail shops because they need to provide customers with details such as takeout menus and seating charts during the lockdown. During the pandemic, customers are more careful so companies also communicate their COVID policies via their digital channels like websites and social media.
In addition to that, some of the steps that all companies have taken with regards to their digital presence include:
1. Website Maintenance
The optimizing website allows a business to ensure that a site continues to run properly without any lags. It also helps ensure that a site is up to standard. Optimization also includes refining the landing page, it ensures that you make the most out of your PPC marketing campaigns.
2. Google My Business
Google My Business feature allows a company to list down all details of its business on Google. Google My Business feature also helps businesses display customer reviews, posts, and photos related to a business. It allows potential customers to get an idea regarding how a business operates.
3. Social Media
Social media is a business’s primary source of communication with customers. Active use of this channel enables a business to continue to reach out to new customers and continue to engage in business activities.
4. Online promotion
PPC marketing has experienced a dip in popularity during the pandemic because most companies have been forced to slash down their budgets but it still remains an effective marketing tool. Some of the options you have for PPC marketing include:
- Facebook Ads
- Google Ads
- Microsoft Ads
Online Searches Are More Common Than Ever
The customer’s online behavior has changed quite significantly during the pandemic and it reflects in their search behavior. Details regarding the Coronavirus are dominating the internet so companies need to readjust their paid strategy and implement the following solutions:
1. Search Query Reports
Search query reports allow marketers to assess the performance of specific search words and get an idea regarding the kind of traffic that the business is getting so that it can adjust its paid strategy accordingly.
2. Negative keywords
Search query reports also give you an idea regarding any negative keywords you might have added to your campaign. With the increase in online traffic, there are also an increased likelihood of irrelevant terms in queries. Details like negative keywords allow businesses to ensure their budgets are not being spent in the wrong direction.
3. Keep Track of Latest Trends
With tools such as Google trends to dissect and understand what people are searching for on the internet. Using these tools, marketers can prioritize search results and filter keywords to make the most out of keyword results.
The decline in Mobile Traffic
Before the pandemic hit, mobile searches were dominating search results. Surprisingly that has changed during the pandemic. Seems that since people didn’t have the chance to go out of their houses, they were making the most out of internet services and connecting with their computer instead. And it only makes sense given the ability of high-speed internet services such as Windstream services, it has become easier to connect multiple devices without experiencing any lags.
Marketers can around such challenges through solutions such as device bid adjustments and smart bids. The former involves making changes to campaigns based on the data available while the latter involves adjusting bids according to campaign performance to minimize losses.
Keeping an Open Mind
The pandemic has changed the way we consume the internet and the rapidly changing trends can be daunting for marketers. The good news is that in the new normal, internet use has increased considerably, so there are plenty of opportunities for marketers to succeed in the digital landscape.
The trick is to keep an open mind and track your campaign performance regularly to ensure you reach the right audiences at the right time.