Angela Ash August 19, 2020 It has been a couple of months since the pandemic caught us unawares, with many people still struggling to come to terms with this new reality. Obviously, the crisis is coupled with a number of global consequences, with certain industries coming to the brink of extinction. This is a two-way road; with multiple companies going under by the minute, more and more people are losing their jobs.
We have seen viewpoints shift, too. The other side of the coin is that certain industries are actually blossoming. The gig economy, for example, has witnessed a sudden boom, and so has remote work. Experts are already discussing long-term changes that are likely to be adopted when all this passes.
Be that as it may, it is always difficult to think of future benefits when one’s immediate existence is endangered. People don’t think about exotic destinations when they can’t be sure whether they’ll lose their job tomorrow.
It sounds like a disaster scenario, but is it really so?
Well, no. We were unprepared because we were so certain that the modern society would be able to cope with any kind of medical emergency. Science is backed up by superb technology, so what could possibly go wrong?
There have been recessions and recessions, and this pandemic may not be any different than any other preceding it. Large businesses have survived and indeed outlived all these challenges. Take Coca-Cola as an example. The giant survived the Great Depression, emerging stronger than ever. So, the right question to ask here would be – why wouldn’t smaller companies follow suit?
Let’s see what “following suit” exactly portends.
Digital Marketing in Focus
If you think it was easy for Coca-Cola to survive the Great Depression, think again. On numerous occasions, the company was underperforming, but still managed to navigate the crisis. It did this by creating an extremely successful marketing strategy, so successful in fact that it is still remembered nearly a century later.
We’re talking about the famous Saint Nick who still makes an occasional appearance. The strategy took its sweet time, but eventually, it became iconic and helped Coca-Cola to outlive the Great Depression.
Just like back then, marketing remains in focus. Or rather, it is more in focus than ever. With the development of digital technologies, your audience is even more reachable. The only thing that remains is to find your own Saint Nick and market it via all available channels.
The internet is just the greatest ally you have. There’s no better time than this to increase your brand’s visibility and reach out to your customer base.
Utilize SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the center of each successful marketing strategy. As mentioned above, digital marketing has a great potential, but you need to increase your brand’s visibility first. That’s where SEO steps in.
SEO is certainly a long-term marketing strategy. What you invest now will keep coming back in years to come. Therefore, make sure to cover all of the following:
- Keywords (written- and visual content)
- Blog posts
- Organic rankings
- Backlinks
- Internal links
On top of SEO, it is also important to optimize your website and your email marketing campaigns for mobile devices. Namely, the majority of CTRs happen on mobile devices.
Types of Content
Content strategies should be made keeping long-term prospects in mind. As mentioned above, your SEO strategy will keep paying off in the future, so it is important to choose your content wisely (it’s a continual effort).
To maximize your brand’s visibility and potential, consider using a combination of some of the following content types:
- Blog posts
- Infographics
- Social Media Posts
- Videos
- Podcasts
- Ebooks
Blog Posts
Blog posts are usually the first content type brands start developing. In order for them to be successful, they need to be:
- Published regularly
- Feature insightful content
- Feature social media share buttons
- Be evergreen (consider updating older posts)
- Be reputable, well researched and literate
- Be in line with your brand’s message
In addition, keep an eye on Google’s policies as they tend to change all the time. While there is no general rule to the ideal length of blog posts, some estimates stand at between 1k and 2k words.
Infographics
Research shows that people just love infographics. Not only are they a useful visualization tool, but they are also recommended when dealing with statistics.
Whenever a lot of information is involved, infographics should be utilized.
Social Media Posts
Sharing content on your social media profiles is the fastest way to reaching wider audiences. People hang out online all the time, but during the pandemic there has been a sharp peak in virtual activities, including virtual meetups, birthday parties and the like.
Content should be shared cleverly, utilizing the benefits of each social media channel. For example, LinkedIn is best for sharing company updates, Instagram for images, Twitter for discussions, etc.
The most popular social networks include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat and YouTube.
Videos
Visual content is very popular among varied audiences. Remember the mobile device users? Well, many of them watch videos while commuting. On top of that, video material saves precious time for busy employees. Reading takes more time than watching or listening, after all.
It goes without saying that videos take more time to make than other content types, but the effort is worth your time in the long run. HubSpot states that videos are 40 times more likely to get shared on social platforms than any other content type.
Podcasts
Podcasts are also a great way to connect with your audiences on a deeper level, but they are not for everyone. Normally, it is useful when content would be too lengthy in the written form, but it has its other benefits, like guest interviews, e.g.
Stats show that one-third of Americans listen to podcasts regularly.
Ebooks
Ebooks are great for advertising your business and also as a stimulus for attracting new subscribers. For example, you can offer a free ebook to every new subscriber to build a larger mailing list. This is a common strategy for many companies, so why not use it?
Note that all ebooks you distribute should feature your brand’s contact info.
Surviving the Pandemic
Your business can survive the pandemic. If you utilize digital marketing to its full potential, you can find new ways to keep in touch with people and adjust your offer to keep you going. Some industries are having more difficult times than others, but even tourist agencies can come up with certain benefits to be used at a later time.
Finally, remember that this is a challenging time for many people. Show empathy. Deepen communication. Be there for your customers and, in return, they’ll be there to support you.
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