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Covid-19 has affected millions of people across the globe with many businesses forced to close or resort to new work arrangements. There is no doubt that there certainly will be economic impacts but in these times, businesses should reconsider their marketing strategy to minimise losses. The question is how then should your business market itself during these times?
We see different brands adopting different techniques when it comes to marketing. The obvious trend is to shift your attention towards online and digital marketing. But what else can your business do? In this article, we’ll look at what your business can do to optimise your business to market around Covid-19.
Make use of your platform and help spread public service announcements by your government. Using your business’s platform through social media to help amplify their messages will improve your customer’s base perception of your brand. You can do this by putting out content based around proper etiquettes to observe during the pandemic, helping raise awareness about charities and beneficiaries that could use monetary donations and if your business can afford to, pledging donations under your business’s name.
Some notable examples of large corporations using their platform for good are Nike and Apple. Nike launched a campaign encouraging millions around the world to “Play Inside” in light of social-distancing measures. The sports brand also pledged over $15 Million USD to fight the coronavirus with donations being split between food banks, medical research organizations and more. Apple, the tech giant has also donated over 50 million yuan into the recovery effort in China, the epicentre of the outbreak. They also had an initial donation of 20 million yuan that went to aiding 6 hospitals in the Hubei province.
Giving back pays off in the long run. A company is socially accountable to itself, its stakeholders, and the public. Doing good can help build a stronger relationship with your customer base and also create a lasting impression. In fact, the majority of consumers have a better outlook on and prefer businesses and brands that support a charity they care about. Consumers remain loyal to a brand they positively associate with and this can be good for the future as this increases your consumer confidence. Marketing your business this way can ensure help in building a good reputation.
Right now it’s more vital than ever to look through the creative ads that your business wishes to push out. It’s good to have a sense check of the visuals and copywriting before it goes out and if needed, adopt a more sensitive, positive and helpful tone for your advertisements. Remember, your business won’t look good when trying to capitalise on the Covid-19 pandemic. What you can do instead is to consider what messaging your business wishes to prioritise in these times. Refrain from using marketing language that describes close interaction, for example, phrases like “get in touch” or “work hand in hand”. As much as these phrases appear harmless, it’s always good to be safe and avoid the risk. Hold off on ads that work on slapstick humour as the genre of content right now may not be the most suitable tone to adopt right now.
As for visuals, if your ad has photos of humans in close interaction or touching, swap them out for something that can convey a similar meaning, but is mindful of social distancing practices. What you put out in these times matter a lot as people can look to your business as a role model if you encourage safe practices. In short, make sure your ad is mindful of the current situation and not ignorant.
With more people at home and online more than ever, take the time to improve your search engine optimization audit whether it be for your website, blog pages and more. More people are going online to search for things or using the internet in general as we stay at home. It would prove to be beneficial for your business to get your website to the top of the search engine results page by optimising your content. Update all your old information, relook your marketing strategies and adjust the keywords you use. Does your site need a redesign? What about changing up the look? It’s good to adjust things for relevancy if needed and stay ahead of the competition.
You can also use this as an opportunity to connect with your audience online through social media. This can be done by using your platform to inform your audience on the latest news, encouraging positive social behaviour or by promoting the good deeds (if any) that your business is taking to help others through this period.
Consider trying a new approach to market your business better in these times but also having empathy for your customers. Remember, in this period of uncertainty, we should stay united and help out wherever we can. Together, we can flatten the curve if we just stay home.
If you would like to find out more about how you can optimise your digital media platforms – reach out to our team using the form below!
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