Few things have fundamentally altered all of our lives in ways that the COVID-19 health crisis has. The pandemic has managed to bring the entire planet to a standstill seemingly overnight, and few major industries have emerged from it unscathed. Even now, numerous businesses are operating in crisis mode: those that are able have transitioned a majority of their employees to remote work, while others have simply shuttered their doors-indefinitely.
There’s uncertainty on several fronts, putting many companies on edge. Currently, there’s no telling when things will get back to normal, or if they ever will. Quarantines and shelter-in-place orders are being issued in cities all over the world, and outdoor movement is being limited to mitigate the spread of the disease. It’s been a sobering time for everyone, and people are less likely to be receptive to marketing, or even spending money on non-necessities in the first place.
It’s on advertisers to keep brands relevant during these trying times, but they’ll have to drastically change the way they reach out to their intended audiences. Below are a few pointers on how to advertise and market successfully in the time of corona:
Leverage Non-Traditional Ways to Maintain Engagement
It’s safe to say that at this point, advertisers will have to shelve some of their more traditional marketing tactics. There’s not much point in running huge billboards or wall-to-wall subway ads when no one is around to see them. The fight for consumer attention is now being waged in the digital space instead. Most people are confined to their homes and are racking up an unprecedented amount of screen time, consuming online content and staying in touch through social media.
The internet has become a window to the outside world for a majority of the population, and everyone is looking through it. That is why the importance of your website cannot be overstated. Your website is often the first point of contact between your brand and potential customers. It’s your digital storefront, and just like a well-designed physical store can attract foot traffic, an appealing and user-friendly website design can capture online visitors’ attention and keep them engaged. In this regard, you can think of building a website for your business. But if you don’t have a skilled team to help you build that, you can partner with a professional Website Design agency to ensure that your online presence is optimized for better engagement. They can also assist with search engine optimization (SEO) strategies to improve your website’s visibility in search results, ultimately driving more organic traffic to your site.
Advertisers can cut themselves a piece of that screen time pie in various ways. Sponsored digital content hosted on platforms like YouTube or the Bigo app can be very effective at keeping brands and products fresh in the minds of viewers. Companies can also make use of ads, specifically in-video ads and pop-up content.
Considering that future lockdowns may be a result of a pandemic or outbreak of a disease, the demand for medicines and medical equipment would rise according to the severity of the spread of infection. This could be the right time for pharmaceutical companies to seek Healthcare digital marketing services as mobile devices may be the only way to see what is happening in the outside world. This could result in a mutual benefit as consumers can have their demand for medicines met and the company can reach out to many more consumers. In addition, the supply of medicines to the homes of customers may be possible with the help of delivery personnel who can deliver orders placed on an online pharmacy app. These apps could also be marketed via social media channels, thereby increasing the chances of customer purchases as well as consumer awareness.
Another thing that advertisers have started doing is incorporating voiceovers in their video ads, in order to make the advertisements more accessible to people with vision disabilities. Since most ads today are video-based, it can be quite difficult of these people to perceive content in the way it is meant to be. With the help of text-to-speech softwares that have the ability to convert AI text to speech, voiceovers can be included in ads to make it simpler for someone who cannot see to understand the product well. This way not only would they feel more included by the brand, but because they kept vision disabilities in mind while creating an ad, they might develop a sense of loyalty to it as well.
Give Meaning to Your Message
What your brand says and how it conveys its messaging matters more at this time than it ever has before. This health crisis is about the furthest thing imaginable from fun and games. It’s a very serious matter that deserves a certain amount of respect and gravitas.
There’s no cut-and-dry strategy here. How a brand presents itself to its audience will depend entirely on the image that it has projected so far. However, it’s always a better idea for a business to style itself as a force for good rather than evil in these challenging times. At this point, brands should be using their influence and reach to raise awareness in their audience and encourage civic engagement and participation in the community. Any content produced should be factual and verifiable.
The easiest way to appear good is to be good in the first place. There are countless ways that brands and businesses can help out frontline healthcare workers or contribute to grassroots community initiatives. Get creative and be helpful while remaining true to the brand’s image and values!
Invest in Interaction
One of the things that people are missing the most while we’re all under quarantine and practising strict social distancing is interaction. As humans, we all naturally crave connection. Fortunately, it’s possible to connect with audiences without having to be in the same room or even in the same location. Advertisers can play around with different social media and online content platforms to reach out to their audience directly. Brands can make themselves more relatable by tapping personalities to both humanise the experience and promote them. Using games and challenges is also a great way to get a brand’s audience involved and engaged.
Live online content has seen a surge in popularity, and many social media platforms support the feature, including YouTube, Twitch, Instagram, and Facebook. Going live has allowed numerous brands and personalities to inform, entertain, and comfort stressed-out audiences in the thousands-even millions-all over the world. Advertisers can make use of this interactive function as well so that the brand message isn’t only going one way.
Now more than ever, brands should prioritise sensitivity over sales. Going with an aggressive marketing campaign at this time is extremely tone-deaf and will only serve to alienate existing and prospective consumers. Advertisers and marketers should craft their brand messaging thoughtfully but confidently, in a way that feels authentic and offers value to the audience. This way, it will resonate meaningfully and leave a longer-lasting impression.
