As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact almost every aspect of our day to day lives, businesses must find a new normal in order to survive, or even thrive in these unprecedented times.

At the time of writing, the UK lockdown is still ongoing, the true economic impact of the pandemic is relatively unknown, and the situation is set to permanently change consumer buying behaviour across the globe.

Regardless of your sector or the market you serve, this situation will have presented its own unique challenges to your business – how you adapt to these challenges and turn them into opportunities is what will set you apart from the competition.

If your current marketing strategy does not include a ‘steps to take in a global pandemic’ section, take a look at 3 considerations for adapting your business marketing strategy for COVID-19.

Communicate with Customers

In these challenging times, communicating with customers is key to retaining loyalty when normal life resumes. Email and social media have emerged as the most effective platforms to keep in touch.

Customers should be made aware of any changes to service delivery, what you are doing to protect staff and of any support you are offering to customers and the wider community.

In addition to this, content that offers a personal snapshot of your brand can strike the right tone with customers and make them feel more connected to your business, this could include good news stories, customer spotlights, thanking suppliers or stories from your team.

It is, however, important to remember that customers are receiving more emails than usual from all businesses, so avoid making a sales pitch, keep your tone empathetic, your message clear and concise and your unsubscribe button accessible.

Consider New Marketing Channels 

At All Things Web®, we continue to help our  clients adopt new channels to maintain a strong online presence and tap into markets in a different way. This has meant utilising a range of different channels including:

  • Social Media – Even if it has not previously been a route to business for you, with consumers increasing their time on social media due to coronavirus, it can be an effective alternative to traditional marketing channels.
  • eCommerce – If your business sells products at a fixed location, setting up or adding eCommerce functionality on your website should be a priority. Even after the lockdown, it’s expected that many consumers will continue to practice social distancing and may be hesitant to rush back to the ‘bricks and mortar’ of shops.
  • Pay Per Click (‘PPC’) – As many businesses scale back on their PPC spend, those who can continue to provide their service will likely find lower CPCs due to decreased competition.
  • Live Chat – If you have the resources, adding a live chat functionality to your website enables customers to connect with you instantly.
  • Video – 80% of mobile content consumption is now video, the many online pubs, quizzes, workout sessions, consultations, ceremonies and more are a testament to how engaging this medium is.
  • PR – With doom and gloom dominating the media, now is a great time to get in touch with journalists with positive news stories about your business and customers.
  • SEO – If you are unable to deliver your service in any form for the time being, now is the optimal time to plan and begin to execute a longer term SEO strategy to benefit your business further down the line.

Make Sure Your Website Performs

With most non-essential business premises across the UK closed, your website is now, without doubt, the new shopfront for your business.

Even if you cannot sell online, using this period of downturn to address issues with your website will benefit your business in the long run.

No matter what technical expertise you may have, it is possible to put yourself in the shoes of your target audience and identify issues with your website that might be a barrier to conversion. These can then be passed on to an expert to rectify.

Here are a few questions you should be asking when using your business website:

  • How quickly does your website load? (PageSpeed Insights)
  • How does your website look on mobile? (Mobile Friendly Test)
  • How are users interacting with your site? (Google Analytics)
  • Are Calls To Action present on key service pages?
  • Are your contact details easily accessible?
  • Does the website provide an accurate overview of your offering?
  • Is your business information up to date?
  • Is the navigation easy to use?
  • Does your website appear in Google for search phrases relevant to your business?
  • Are you getting enquiries from your website?

More Help and Information  

Throughout this challenging period, we have been working hard to support all our clients as best we can, helping them to adapt to the situation and come out even stronger. If you need some friendly advice about adapting your marketing, get in touch with us and find out more about how we can help.