If you’re confused about the whole homepage vs. landing page distinction, don’t worry; you’re far from the only one. It’s something people get confused about often. So, let’s nip that in the bud and clear it up. Amongst all the ups and downs 2020 has thrown us, is it too much to ask for maybe 1 or 2 silver linings to round out the year? Well, one great thing that has come out recently is a study showing us that it’s possible for brands to increase their ROI by a whopping 50% by taking advantage of recent increases in media consumption at home. Yep.. you read that right.

 

This study tells us the two MVP’s of performing media throughout the pandemic has been TV and Digital channels. And look, we’re not overly surprised considering we’ve spent the last 6 months of weekends on the couch either in front of the telly or scrolling on our phone (sometimes... maybe all the time both). So it’s no wonder that mobile streaming has been up by 46% and Youtube watch time is up 65%. Overall? The pandemic has seen us spending 70% more time on our smartphones each day.

 

In addition to this, our friends over at Hootsuite show us that more than half the world’s population now uses social media. In fact, users across the 7 seas have surged by more than 10% over the past 12 months.

So what does this all mean...  Well, it obviously means people bloody love the gram! But it also means that just because the world is in a pandemic, you shouldn’t have to accept a reduced ROI. In fact, reducing or ceasing marketing during this time will take you twice as long to recover. BUT- It’s constant innovation and adaptability that will continue to be both the biggest challenge and opportunity for businesses moving forward. It’s important to note that we need to be adapting our strategy constantly in order to survive. We’re talking about digging into your data and swivelling and pivoting depending on what works and analysing which channels are giving YOU the impact you want.

So our advice? A bloody bangin’ digital marketing strategy to keep you in the playing field amongst all the turbulence 2020 has thrown at us.

 

Want to become a Digital Marketing guru? Check out this guide!

 

6 tips for post-pandemic digital marketing:

1. Empathy was always important, but now more than ever

Obviously, things are a little whack at the moment and probably will be for a while to come. Everyone has a lot going on and feelings of vulnerability are not uncommon. In addition to this, the stats above show us we are all using the internet more than ever, which means more exposure to brand content and more time to share, comment and throw around our opinions on the internet and social media. We know that consumers are 2x as likely to be satisfied with a business that has demonstrated brand humanity through thoughtful messaging and 1.7x more likely to recommend that brand to others. Remember that all your messaging is subject to judgement and being empathetic and aware is important when targeting your audience who might be feeling the wrath of COVID in more ways than one.

2. Mobile is king (even more so now)

By now you should know that the way of the future (now) is mobile. But if the pandemic has proven anything, it's that your smartphone really is the world at your fingertips. If the stats above haven't sold you, did you know that consumers are 10x more likely to make a purchase and 12x more like to make a second purchase than users who came in through other channels. For most of us, our mornings over the past 6 months have consisted of checking COVID headlines, having a quick scroll of social media and then somehow ending up in our emails app, all before we even get out of bed. So if you haven’t already, now is the time to prioritise mobile optimisation. This should be at the top of your strategy because if you’re not engaging with mobile users, well dang, you’re missing out on one big piece of the pie (that is your target audience).

3. Data is queen

In such a volatile time when it feels like you can’t rely on anything, the one thing you can rely on is data. Data is going to help you decipher which parts of your marketing strategy is working and resonating with your audience and which parts are flopping. Data is your best friend in digital marketing. We suggest checking out a CRM which will help you monitor, analyse and manage all aspects of your marketing and customers and all the juicy data that comes with them. We use Hubspot and think it's pretty tiptop if we’re being honest!


4. Staying agile in uncertain times

We are living in unprecedented times (surely that’s the statement of 2020 right?) and so things can change, shift and flip at any moment. When this happens, we all know pivoting is your saving grace. However, knowing when to pivot is tough. A good way to decipher whether its time to pivot is to ask yourself “are we providing value to our customers right now?” or “are we being relevant and helpful to our customers?” This is a very Inbound way of looking at things and we think it's pretty successful, pandemic or not. Inbound marketing is about delivering the right information to your customers and leads at the right time. In other words, it’s the customer’s world, we’re just living in it. If and when you pivot, should revolve around the impact you’re having on your customers.

5. Pay extra attention to your existing customers who’ve stuck with you through COVID

I know we all love spending time on new and shiny things, but taking care of your current customers is super important, especially in a time where people want to feel taken care of and supported. Times are tough! So the ones who have stuck it out despite the current climate- well, they are your ride or die’s. Make sure to be on top of your newsletters and a personal email/phone call here or there wouldn’t go amiss either. This is actually again an integral part of inbound marketing. ‘Delighting’ your leads-turned-customers and encouraging word of mouth promotion from these customers.

6. Maintain transparency

When the past 6 months have been determined by governments, guidelines and a non-visible virus- things that we really don’t have any control over, the last thing people want is to be kept out of the loop. Staying transparent with your audience during this time is key in portraying your brand as honest and authentic. It might be communications about working from home or even the impact COVID is having on your business. A little candidness can help build trust and sincerity in times of such uncertainty.

COVID-19 has been the curveball no one saw coming, but with a clear and conscious digital strategy, your 2021 should see continued ROI instead of projections running dry. If you need a little extra help with your digital marketing or social media strategy, be sure to hit us up for an obligation free consultation and let us help you find, sell and keep your people (pandemic or not).