We created a Post-Pandemic Digital Marketing Playbook in response to ever-evolving digital marketing trends. Last year, we experienced an unforeseen shift in the market because of the pandemic. COVID-19 created the new normal, increasing the pressure for digital marketers to engage with existing clients, identify new markets, and protect their company’s brand image.
The global pandemic caused physical and emotional devastation. We can almost touch the frustration and anger emanating from people. Experts say that a third of Americans are showing signs of clinical anxiety and depression.
Let our playbook guide you as you adjust your digital marketing strategy for a society that needs empathy.
Communication Strategies
Out: Impersonal Corporate Messaging
In: Humanized Brands
A recent report from communications firm Edelman shows that 71% of 12,000 people in several countries claim that if they perceive a brand as putting profit over people during such a difficult time, they will lose trust in that brand forever.
While you shouldn’t stop your marketing efforts, you should be careful about the content you publish. Don’t spread misinformation about the virus, and don’t make your customers feel that you care more about profits than them.
Here’s an example of a simple ad from Ikea that stays consistent with their branding but conveys a caring message.
On the other hand, here’s an ad from KFC UK that got over 150 complaints. KFC quickly realized the potential PR issues with their “finger-licking good” slogan and paused such ads.
When creating communication strategies now that there’s an ongoing pandemic, keep these things in mind:
- Show empathy. Show your clients that you know how they feel and that you are there for them.
- State facts. Strive for sincerity and transparency in your communications.
- Ease up on urgency. “Call now” buttons are acceptable, but scarcity-driven words like “Don’t miss out!” or “Grab yours now before it’s too late!” are not.
You can still make your presence felt during the pandemic, but adjust your tone and try to resonate with how your audience feels.
Digital Presence
Out: Limited Availability in One or Two Channels
In: Presence in Relevant Channels
Advanced digital marketing tools have revealed that the average American now spends a staggering 16 hours online per day, including overlapping activities. The duration is a substantial growth from the pre-pandemic average of over 12 hours.
Now more than ever, you have to strengthen your digital media marketing efforts. You can’t put chunks of your marketing budget on sampling activities, sponsoring events, or outdoor advertising. Focus instead on your digital presence.
The key to your digital success lies heavily in knowing where your target market is in the digital world. Take a look at these 2020 statistics on American adults’ top social media sites.
The narrative is different for teenagers. According to Statista, Snapchat and Tik-Tok are the top two social media sites for American teenagers.
Find out which sites your target market frequents, and you can build your presence accordingly. You can also find out where they shop, get their news, and which influencers they follow. Having this kind of information can help you create an effective digital marketing campaign.
Website Experience
Out: Unoptimized Static Sites
In: Mobile-Friendly, Easy-to-Use Websites
As a digital marketing company, we often get asked about the importance of a user-friendly website. And the answer is: it’s crucial to your digital marketing success.
Forty-seven percent of site visitors expect websites to load in two seconds. Thirty-eight percent will leave if they find your site unattractive. And sixty-four percent of your customers will not return if they had a poor shopping experience.
Here are factors users consider in rating their website experience:
- Easy navigation
- Attractive layout and colors
- Easy-to-read text
- Relevance to search
- Functional links
- Mobile-friendliness
Being mobile-friendly is the last but not the least consideration. The USA currently has almost 289 million internet users, and 95% of them have accessed a website using a mobile phone in the past. You lose the opportunity to connect with potential clients if you don’t optimize your site for mobile users. Additionally, Google considers a site’s mobile-friendliness when determining search engine rankings.
Google Mobile-Friendly Test is a free tool that can help determine your site’s mobile-friendliness. Copy the link to your website, and Google will run a one-minute test. You will get a prompt like the one pictured below if your site is mobile-friendly.
Otherwise, you will receive feedback on which aspects of your website need improvement.
Digital Ads Targeting
Out: Generic Targeting
In: Laser-Focused Targeting
The best thing about practicing laser-focused targeting is that you can use a variety of ads for clients in different parts of your sales funnel.
Apart from the usual age, gender, location, and interest targeting options, you can use Facebook Custom Audiences to target different types of clients.
Here are some of the techniques you can apply to your digital marketing strategy:
- Target potential customers who engage with you on your page.
- Target clients who recently visited your website.
- Target shoppers who abandoned their carts.
- Cross-sell or upsell to your existing clients.
Laser-focused targeting allows you to create custom content for different clients, which can spark interest and lead to more revenue.
If you practice generic targeting, you might be showing the wrong types of ads to your clients, which could be costly on your part.
Content Marketing
Out: Always Posting About Products and Services
In: Creating Valuable Online Materials
The last part of our Digital Marketing Playbook is not the least important by any means. Content marketing is a technique that focuses on creating valuable content for clients, such as blogs and videos.
The average American is exposed to 4,000–10,000 ads daily. Practicing content marketing will help set you apart from thousands of other brands vying for your clients’ attention.
Press Health Foods & Juice Cleanses makes perfect use of content marketing. Press is a London-based company that sells cold-pressed juices and juice cleanses, so the company considers health and wellness a top priority.
Instead of repeatedly posting about their products and services, the company created an online publication called The Squeeze Magazine. It contains articles and videos about every aspect of healthy living, such as travel, nutrition, fitness, and mindfulness. It also contains a wide variety of healthy recipes.
The online publication attracts readers to the site, and it builds a sense of community for its existing clientele. The blog has well-researched, relevant content that you can get lost in for hours.
They don’t make wild promises or run sensational articles. They provide clients with interesting, valuable information on health and wellness, and their customers appreciate them for it.
Press London is a relatively young company; it started its operations in 2014. Today, the brand is an online delivery service and works with over 700 investors all over the UK. It has a large following on Instagram with almost 50,000 followers. Press London is proof that great content can power a brand’s success.
Digital Marketing Services
To summarize our digital marketing playbook: you have to build your post-pandemic online presence, but you have to be careful in creating content for your target audience.
Now more than ever, companies should observe consumer-centric practices, even in the digital world. Putting your customers on top of your priority list in every aspect of your operations is the best way to achieve your business goals.
