By: Jessica Sims

Now that most people are working from home, let’s discuss the practical solutions to utilizing your digital marketing strategy during this time of quarantine.

Do not stop interacting with your customers. Now is the time you really want your customers to see you. How a business treats marketing can make or break them. The answer in these times is to not stop marketing. However, for many businesses it may be a good idea to re-assign the existing marketing budget (like the budget for events or billboards) to different digital channels.

The Power Of Social Media During Quarantine

Whether using Google, Facebook, or another online platform, you can reach out to your current and potential customers with customized content. Since people are staying at home right now, they are more likely to engage with your social media content. Spend some time brainstorming how your company can create new content for all your digital platforms.

  • What is your business doing to help the community? 
  • How do you want your customers to think of you during this crisis? 
  • What are you doing to make life easier for your customers?

By replacing your branding and messaging from sales-driven to general concern and care, you can impact the thoughts consumers have about your company. For example, if your brand is focused on recreation, you can develop content ideas on how to help your clients have more fun.

Informative or entertaining video clips, articles or blogs, and photos for social media stories can all help boost your organic reach. By creating engaging content, you’ll stay fresh in the minds of an audience actively seeking out new media. 

bring business online with an ecommerce storeBring Your Business Online

Even today you can find companies that are not utilizing the opportunities the internet provides. If you are one of those business owners, use this time to change that.

As COVID-19 shuts down more businesses, we expect people to turn to Google to ensure if businesses are open during these uncertain times. By creating a FREE Google My Business account, you can display your business hours, address, posts, photos, and even reviews.

If you’re already running Google My Business for your business, be sure to update your hours, phone number, and posting any notice about any changes your customers should know about.

You can also use this time to revamp your social media accounts and develop content to be regularly posted. Social media is a great way to establish your brand identity and allow your customers to stay up to date with your company. 

Adjust Existing Advertising Strategy

If your hours are reduced and customers aren’t coming in the door, there’s no need to blow your advertising budget on campaigns begging people to stop by and shop the current sale. Instead, it might be a great time to get back to basics with your SEO organic marketing.

Not every company will utilize their website in the same way. It is important to present your information in a way to organically reach your target audience. Utilize SEO techniques that keep your brand in customer feeds and build organic reach with fresh content. Consider examining your industry for:

  • Topics important to your customer
  • Keywords based on important topics
  • Build a blog that is regularly maintained

Research Your Competitionresearch competition

Spend some time researching your competition. It’s not just good advice for businesses during a Coronavirus outbreak – it’s good advice year-round. So conduct a detailed analysis of how your competitors are developing a digital marketing strategy and how they are successfully performing it.

  • Analysis of the social media campaigns that your competitors are currently running
  • What your competitors are lacking
  • What they’re offering that customers are searching for
  • Identify their target audience

Building your organic search traffic can have huge benefits to your business. It’s a cost effective way to establish brand credibility and solidify your online presence, and it can effectively block your competition from even appearing on the same page of results. After all, while your competitors are drawing back and experiencing similar effects of Coronavirus on business, it’s a great opportunity to go after their market share.

Prepare for the Long Term

Focusing on the future and what we can do to prepare for recovery matters. If you are a local business, you’re going to have to think long term. Is it possible to shift a portion of your business online or change your business model? Can you shift in-store experiences to virtual or in-store shopping to delivery?

If you’re able to jump into rapid delivery or online shopping options, use this as an opportunity to capitalize on the increased need for e-commerce and drop off services.

If you begin to experience the economic impacts of COVID-19 on your business, it could be a great time to pivot from your traditional advertising strategies. Focus away from getting people in store and connect on a more personal level. Stay in touch with your clients and let them know about any changes or precautions you’re taking. Plus, remind them that any temporary setbacks will end and business will eventually resume as usual.

When the quarantine ends, the world will return to some form of normal. People will come out of their houses, and the retail market will boom. If you develop a strong digital marketing strategy right now, you could see a boom in your business too.

Home delivery during Coronavirus quarantineTake Advantage Of Home Delivery

Now is the time for all of us to be leaders. We need to create short-term solutions and future-oriented strategies for our businesses and our clients. We need to be creative with our products, services and communications. Especially if you have any products that are ‘rotting in storage’, now is the time to take them out and see if they can be sold at a reasonable discount.

It is a bit surprising that we are telling you to place special offers when no one can go out to buy anything. But people are getting things delivered to home. These offers will allow the customers to try your products while they are sitting safely at home. This will enable them to remember your products in the long run and want to  try them again in the future. Here are some great examples of special offers to run right now:

  • Gift Card offers: Incentive to purchase NOW
  • Referral bonuses 
  • Share an offer or one of the things that makes your business unique 
  • Waive shipping fees

We Are Here To Help

Here at Blue Ridge Media Company, we are available to assist you in your time of need. From website design to paid advertising. Every day, we provide valuable services that turn marketing from a cost to an opportunity. We adapt our practices to best suit the needs of small business owners. Call us today at (216) 233-3009 to get started! We will get through this Coronavirus pandemic together and come out stronger!