The novel coronavirus pandemic has brought with it tremendous disruptions in the digital marketing ecosystem. Marketers are scrambling to navigate this unprecedented crisis. Do you cut your marketing budgets, increase your marketing spend, or keep going as you were?
While there are no easy answers to these questions, the solution that seems to be the most effective in this situation is switching from advertising mode to organic mode. This means that, instead of being overly promotional, you need to focus your marketing efforts on achieving relevancy.
Your audience is scared, anxious, economically unstable, likely facing a host of challenges, and, thus, looking for answers. Similarly, brands have changed their business models and are now in unchartered territory. As a result, people—possibly your target audience—are researching new solutions.
You can leverage this opportunity to modify your content creation and marketing strategy by seeing it through a COVID-19 prism. This means evolving your strategy to connect with your audience on an emotional level, reassuring them that we’ll get through the crisis and move forward together.
During a time of crisis, your customers seek out content that inspires, entertains, informs, and educates, so make sure your content creation and marketing plan does these things.
Let’s further discuss how you can adapt your content marketing strategy to make the most during a time of crisis.
It’s time to evaluate what’s working and what’s not. After all, most businesses are dealing with fewer resources, and it’s time to make tough decisions.
Are the Facebook ads you’re investing in getting the results you want, or are they simply eating into your marketing spend? What are the risks involved if you leave things the way they are? How long do you have to show success?
On the other hand, businesses that offer food delivery or cleaning services should probably increase their social media spend and leverage social platforms to build and engage the community. These services, after all, are spiking in demand, and increasing budget to grab market share makes sense.
No matter what industry you’re in, your content marketing strategy should focus on a single message: “We’re all in this together” or “We’re here to help.” It all depends on how you present this message in accordance with your services, products, goals, and values.
To directly address consumer concerns, McDonald’s, for instance, outlined new safety precautions and focused its message on showing continued commitment to food quality, service, and cleanliness.
Ford, on the other hand, pivoted toward a solution by manufacturing medical equipment in short supply and created “Built for Right Now” and “Built to Lend a Hand” campaigns, leaning into the company’s commitment to its consumers and mission.
The phrase “content is king” has stood the test of time. Content creation, mainly blogging, gives you the opportunity to present well-researched information to your audience and resonate with them.
Leverage actionable guides and inspirational content to breathe much-needed positivity into your audience’s lives during these trying times.
Plus, since your audience is looking for meaningful material to help pass the time, capitalize on their requirements, and deliver to their expectations with content that builds trust, authority, and credibility.
If you’re looking for a branding and marketing agency that offers content creation and marketing services and can help you plot a course for brand growth, look no further.
The brand experts at OAK Interactive, a full-service marketing firm in Houston, Texas, specialize in providing a wide range of services, from search engine optimization, local search marketing, and pay-per-click campaigns to content writing and website development.
Find out more about how you can improve the chances of your business’s survival during the economic recovery by getting in touch with us at (832) 321-3196.
