The current COVID-19 pandemic is not the first pandemic the world has seen and it is unlikely to be the last. Of course, the pandemic has altered the way people live and businesses operate. Although lockdowns are relaxing and a semblance of normality is returning, it is doubtful that everything will simply return to the way it was.
Lessons have been learned and it is even possible to adjust your marketing trends to improve sales!
Recognize The Change
The most obvious change with COVID-19 is the absence of personal visits. Businesses no longer expect to have walk-in trade. Unfortunately, for many businesses, this remains the key income generated. Losing passing traffic and regular customers have a huge impact on the success of your business.
You need to make sure your business is still visible and accessible:
Website building
You should already have a website, if not get building! The key to a successful website is getting it known. Check your site runs smoothly and is easy to navigate. You should also promote it on social media channels, and any other avenues open to you during the pandemic.
Don’t forget, you need high-quality content, easy to read landing pages, and your customers need to know what you’re offering and how they can get it, with as little fuss as possible.
Google remains one of the biggest and most popular search engines, you need to make sure your website is listed with them. Ideally, you will appear on the first page of results as few people make it to the second or third pages.
It’s essential to check the listing you have with Google to confirm the details are correct. This is particularly relevant regarding opening hours, how to contact you, and how to shop during the pandemic.
Photos can be extremely useful here to advertise the fact you are still open.
Social Media
Social media sites have enjoyed a boost in popularity during the pandemic. For many people, there are limited opportunities to stay in contact with others.
Your business social media account can connect with others, remind them of the importance and benefits of your products, and even direct them to your site, helping them to purchase the things they need and help keep you in business.
The more active you are on social media, the more likely it is that potential customers will be aware of you, and use you. It’s more than just a presence, it’s a reassurance of normality to other people. That encourages them to spend with you and for your business to thrive, even during a pandemic.
Don’t forget, you need to focus on creating links, such as this link, to ensure people can get directly to your site and the item they wish to purchase.
eCommerce
If you haven’t already got an eCommerce website then you need to get one fast! eCommerce allows your customers to purchase directly through your site. This is important at any time but even more so during a pandemic when traditional purchasing routes are not available.
The greater the range of options open to your customers the easier it will be to convince them to use your services. That will help you to stay in business.
Online Promotion
As well as boosting your social media profile you need to start looking at other places online that offer you an opportunity to promote your business.
Obvious places include forums. But, this is one tie when you should start investing in Pay Per Click advertising and paid ads. Google ads, Facebook, and even Microsoft ads all require you to pay a small amount for the customers that are directed toward your site.
But, in a marketplace with limited exposure possibilities, it is important to seize any opportunity available. Paying for ads will ensure your business is at the top of the search results, encouraging people to check you out and hopefully purchase from you.
Of course, you still need great landing pages to convert the visitor from a potential customer into an actual customer.
Add in COVID-19
You won’t be surprised to find that COVID-19 is featuring in a huge amount of search results. You can capitalize on this by creating articles that have COVID-19 in them. However, the article must remain relevant to your business and industry.
People looking for the latest COVID-19 info will not stay on your page long if you are titling a page ‘COVID-19: The Facts,” but offering a sales link.
At the same time, you should verify the negative words and phrases. The emphasis on the pandemic will result in a lot of irrelevant searches, you need to be sure people aren’t visiting your site erroneously.
Monitor Mobiles
Mobile device access to the internet has increased dramatically over the last few years. However, with the pandemic forcing people to stay at home, it is surprising to find that mobile traffic is reducing. Google estimates it has dropped by as much as 25%.
Despite the internet offering access to the entire globe, the pandemic has made people less mobile, reducing their inclination to look further afield when online!
New Opportunities
Although mobile traffic is down, the use of the internet has risen. After all, people stuck at home have more free time on their hands.
Of course, the increase in usage is focused on entertainment areas, such as YouTube and social media. That’s why it’s important to advertise your presence across as many channels as possible.
Try combining Google search and Microsoft ads to increase your exposure.
You should also consider the options available to talk to old customers and how feasible it is to win them back or offer them something new. You never know where a good opportunity may be. A pandemic doesn’t stop their being opportunities, you simply need to look in different places to find them and make the most of them.
It’s impossible to say how long the pandemic will last or the long-term effect on businesses. But, it is possible to react to how digital marketing trends are changing today and stay at the top of your industry.
