Boost Your Digital Marketing Strategy During and After COVID

COVID-19 dramatically altered everyday life for people worldwide, and in some cases, the shutdowns had catastrophic effects on businesses. Although some sectors, such as online retail, saw huge growth, other businesses saw a dramatic drop in sales due to people staying home.

A lot is still unknown about vaccination rates and the overall long-term effectiveness of the vaccines. Because of this, the exact trajectory of the economic recovery and return to normal is unclear. Various industries and regions will likely have very different economic changes in the next few months and years.

However, COVID and quarantine measures have changed how people shop and spend their time, and these habits are unlikely to return to normal quickly. With this in mind, it’s important that you partner with a digital marketing companythat stays proactive and gives you the edge you need to stay competitive in your industry sector. Here’s what you need to know about digital marketing during and after COVID.

Focus on the Customers You Already Have

Even though your customers’ routines are changing, most of their core needs and wants are not. Focus on bringing back and reconnecting with existing customers, and take the opportunity to learn about any new needs they have that you can meet. 

Also, make sure to keep them in the loop about new product offerings, sales, events, and other big company news. New products or sales provide an eye-catching opportunity for email outreach. Even a small addition to your product line or improving an existing product could provide exactly what some of your customers have been waiting for.

Move Everything Online

Public transit ads, radio ads, and other traditional forms of advertising are receiving weaker results of late because people aren’t going out as much. Even newspaper ads may not get as many results as people are checking the news online more as part of their daily work-from-home routine.

This means that your digital marketing company needs to work with you to move your advertising strategy online immediately. Although some things will return to normal post-COVID, people are typically slow to move away from habits that became cemented into place during quarantines and lockdowns.

Some events are likely to remain online until a much larger portion of the population is vaccinated and cases significantly decrease. The exact trends may vary depending on your region, and your digital marketing agency can help you identify new opportunities for marketing at online events.

Invest in Facebook Ads

Social media remains a stellar way to advertise to a wide demographic. However, some goods and services are overlooked on social media platforms that are less popular with working professionals. This is especially true if you’re a B2B company that needs to reach decision-makers.

Facebook remains an excellent option for advertising due to the huge variety of audiences it can target. Facebook ads offer highly customizable targeting options and links and calls-to-action built directly into the ad.

Run Exclusive Deals and Offers

Online sales remain a key part of motivating first-time customers. Your product or service may be one of the best around, but people are more likely to take the plunge and trust you with their money if you give them a good deal.

An exclusive offer helps your advertising stand out in a crowded field. It’s easy for people to scroll through and ignore ads or promotional emails, but a good eye-catching sale will make them stop and read. Making the deal time-sensitive ensures that the customer will stop what they’re doing to take advantage of it as soon as possible.

Give Your Communication Strategy an Overhaul

The COVID-19 pandemic made people slow down and stay indoors and may have changed their outlook on the world and the future. Your message may need tweaks for relevancy and sensitivity depending on exactly what services and products you sell and your target audience.

Many advertisers created advertising that subtly or explicitly highlighted the struggles posed by the pandemic. Depending on what happens next and who your target audience is, you may need to avoid such messaging and use a strategy that focuses on the return to normal, emphasizing hope.

Focus on a Few Main Paid Advertising Channels

You don’t need to advertise across a massive range of channels. The key is to know which channels your target audience uses and hone in on them so that each potential customer sees your message repeatedly. You’ll need multiple ads to make sure your advertising doesn’t get repetitive, but your digital marketing agency can diversify your messaging while staying true to your core values and goals.

The Funnel is Key

Remember that everything you do needs to push customers toward action instead of just making them aware of your brand. It takes multiple marketing touchpoints to make a lead conversion. All advertising should be part of a 3-step funnel that pushes qualified leads toward your brand.

1. Awareness: Building brand power, meaningfulness, and value for money is an essential part of your performance strategies.
2. Consideration: You need innovative performance tactics generating interest. It is especially important to connect with the consumer using new hooks and early in the consumer journey if you wish to maximize your Return on Advertising Speed (ROAS.)
3. Conversion: Your performance marketing must be conversion-focused; however, innovative and personalized campaigns are necessary and relevant, but they must be based on Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) best practices.

Follow a Methodology

If your tactics vary too much between ad campaigns and individual posts, it becomes much more difficult to measure what’s working. This could have detrimental effects on your ability to create successful ad campaigns in the future that replicate your success.

It’s okay to experiment a little in your campaigns, but make sure you have a methodology for designing what each ad looks like and assessing what’s working. For example, any A/B tests run to compare two sets of messaging should be fully controlled for other factors. You’ll also need a plan for acting on the new information you gather from the analytics since time is of the essence when responding to the changes of the post-COVID world.

Choose the Best Tools

Not all digital marketing tools and platforms are created equal. Although some appear easy and intuitive at first glance, they may be hiding serious limits to their analytics. The right tool for the business next door to yours might not be the best option for you if they’re in a different industry or simply have a different target demographic. Boosting your digital marketing strategy to the fullest requires a custom-tailored set of tools.

Add Something New to Your Strategy

The best way to boost your digital marketing in these tumultuous times is to bring in a fresh set of minds to help. Your web content and advertising need to be responsive to the changing world around us, and an expert team that understands these trends is your best new asset for the future.

Rezolutions Design is a leading marketing strategy firm that provides custom-tailored solutions to small businesses. We understand that COVID-19 was a challenging time for companies of all sizes, but small businesses, in particular, faced unique hurdles. We learned from our clients’ experiences during the pandemic and are ready to help you face new possibilities with the advertising you need.

Asking “Don’t I need marketing agencies near me?” is only natural, but the best part of digital marketing is that you can consult with experts from anywhere. We can coordinate with you in a hassle-free way that keeps you in control while providing the services you need. Contact Rezolutions today for a digital marketing consultation to learn more about how we can help you grow your business.