Digital Marketing Success Strategies for Pandemic Recovery
Digital Marketing Success Strategies for Pandemic Recovery
Businesses are eager to return to pre-pandemic numbers, but it’s anything but business as usual right now. Customer behaviors and expectations have changed drastically as a result of COVID-19. In order to reach customers where they’re at, brands need to adapt their post-pandemic marketing strategy to these emerging customer trends.
If you’re a business owner rebounding from the pandemic, that probably leaves you with a lot of questions, like: “What’s the best way to reach customers after COVID-19?” and, “How can I afford to invest in marketing right now?”
When you need answers to your most pressing marketing questions, IsoWebTech is here to help. This is what you need to know as you build a post-pandemic marketing strategy.
How did COVID-19 shape consumer behavior?
What do customers want from businesses after COVID-19? These are the trends defining consumer behavior in the post-pandemic economy.
Accelerated digital adoption
Ecommerce and social commerce, or selling through platforms like Facebook and Instagram, were already growing before the pandemic. COVID-19 accelerated this shift, rapidly growing the number of people shopping online and the products and services being purchased.
At-home entertainment
These trends reflect the increased time consumers are spending at home. Dubbed the “homebody economy,” consumers are spending more money working, learning, and amusing themselves at home. The result is a significant jump in demand for at-home entertainment.
Sense of community
Travel restrictions kept families closer to home during the pandemic, giving rise to a renewed interest in localized experiences and supporting the community.
Socially conscious values
Consumers’ interests don’t stop at the local. Today’s buyers also display a strong preference for socially responsible brands with a purpose, whether that’s the environment, fair labor, or social justice.
What to spend on a marketing budget
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to how big a marketing budget should be. However, the importance of marketing your grand reopening can’t be overstated. You need to generate buzz to let loyal customers know you’re back in business and capture the attention of new buyers.
This is challenging at a time when many businesses face budget shortfalls. How can businesses afford a revamped marketing campaign in this environment? The answer is allocating resources to the projects and processes that deliver the most value. Instead of basing future spending on past performance, this approach to budgeting, known as zero-based budgeting, ensures a business’s limited funds are spent supporting its priorities rather than on bloat.
Where to reduce business expenses
Discretionary spending, business travel, non-critical capital expenditures, and space and equipment leases are the first to slash when adopting a zero-based budget. Next, examine cost creep in the back office. Can you use automation technology to streamline back-office processes and save money?
Modern payroll tools, for example, eliminate the need to hire a bookkeeper, an accountant, and an HR advisor to stay compliant. Instead, you can automatically run payroll, manage deductions, file taxes, and pay employees all from a single platform. Similar technology exists for finance and accounting, inventory management, recruitment and onboarding, and other back-office responsibilities.
Why should I invest in digital marketing?
Even after cutting costs, many companies are working with a lean marketing budget due to COVID-19. So it’s not surprising that business owners are turning to digital marketing in 2021. Digital marketing is much cheaper than traditional advertising methods like billboards, print ads, and in-store advertising.
Cost savings aren’t the only reason to invest in digital marketing. Digital ads reach today’s customers exactly where they’re at online. Furthermore, digital marketing lets businesses segment and target audiences for improved personalization and relevance. That ensures every marketing dollar delivers maximum value.
What are the best digital marketing strategies?
Which digital marketing strategies will drive results for your business after COVID-19?
Search engine optimization (SEO)
Businesses will need to update websites after the pandemic with current information about hours, products, and services. While you’re there, optimize your website for search to help customers find your business. Remember that modern SEO emphasizes user intent. Focusing on keywords that reflect what consumers are searching for is the best way to improve rankings.
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising
PPC ads boost SEO efforts by placing ads at the top of search engine results. It’s a great way to increase visibility and reach new leads as you build organic traffic. When just getting started with PPC marketing, use competitor research to understand the keywords, copy, and ad formats competitors are using.
Email marketing
Email marketing is one of the oldest forms of digital marketing, and it remains among the most effective. These days, businesses are refining their email marketing approach using audience segmentation and automation to deliver highly relevant content to customers.
Content marketing
Online consumers have an appetite for content. However, it’s not enough to push out any old blog posts. Building connection through content requires informing, inspiring, and entertaining your audience. Beyond choosing the right platform for content, make sure you understand why you’re making content. Do you want to build brand awareness, grow revenue, or drive loyalty through purpose-driven content?
Social media marketing
Social media marketing remains an incredibly effective channel for businesses. Brands aren’t limiting themselves to their own social media profiles either. Influencers and content creators play a growing role in social media strategy as brands seek to establish authenticity and trust with audiences. Instagram reels are another social media trend brands are using to connect with followers.
Localized marketing
Some businesses are partnering with local niche influencers to connect with new audiences. Partnering with local influencers and brands enables brands to engage local audiences without the language and cultural barriers that complicate localized marketing.
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered new consumer behaviors and accelerated old trends. This adds yet another challenge for brands rebuilding after the pandemic: learning how to market in a new environment.
Whatever you do, don’t let marketing be an afterthought in your grand reopening. Businesses need strong digital marketing strategies now more than ever. By making marketing a priority in your company’s recovery, you can jumpstart your business and start growing once again.