By Kelly Ehlers
We’re facing a time like never before — and that’s no exaggeration. The majority of the U.S. workforce has been interrupted, and for the foreseeable future, gatherings and live events have been canceled or postponed. With such drastic changes, innovators must reconsider their digital practices and, although counterintuitive, invest even more heavily into reaching their audiences online.
As an experienced marketer, I know the worst thing brands can do is go dark. Even while we face the challenge of creating appropriate, relevant content in the midst of a worldwide emergency, removing ourselves from the conversation entirely threatens our relationships with customers — one we’ve spent our entire careers developing.
Not to mention that doing so creates an uphill climb of re-establishing reach and engagement after returning online. By implementing a few strategic measures, we can protect and even strengthen this connection to consumers in a now-mysterious digital environment.
Increase (Yes, Increase) Your Digital Visibility
According to a recent Gartner survey, consumers want to hear from brands at this time. The only catch? They want to hear from the companies that are most relevant to their lives in the current situation. Grocery stores, healthcare and pharmaceutical companies, household goods, and food and drink vendors are at the top of the list.
The obvious relationship between these industries is their place in everyday life since COVID-19. If your brand doesn’t fit into this category of “necessities,” establish an alternative metric of relevance, such as a strong community, worthwhile information and engaging entertainment. Doing so can establish your brand’s place in the conversation and permit continued content creation throughout our new normal.
In addition to your regular social media strategy, redistribute time and resources to ensure your brand is found at every stage of the purchasing lifestyle — from exploring to evaluating offerings. One way to do this is to call on your connections to other respected experts. By partnering to introduce your clients in one another’s networks, you can increase visibility within a larger audience pool, as well as leverage the authority of your peers in a cost-effective way.
Dive Into Digital Channels And Leverage Them Strategically
Content creators should be at the forefront of your strategy. As an essential ingredient for tactical marketing campaigns, harness the full potential of content production as a tool to keep in touch with your existing customers.
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Feature Image Credit: Getty
By Kelly Ehlers
Founder and President of Ideas That Evoke, an influencer and social media agency focused on the beauty, lifestyle and luxury markets.