COVID-19 hit the world like a ton of bricks this year and, as a result, we are all experiencing stress, terror and absolute uncertainty. Wherever you are in the world, we've had rules and regulations put in place requiring social distancing, forcing small and medium businesses to close(which is a huge financial burden for the owners), and making every employed person fear for the future of their careers.
Of course, you'll be worried about your wider community and how it's coping. However, you should know that it's equally as important to understand what you, as an individual, can do to allow everyone to efficiently overcome this virus.
We have all heard the saying "every cloud has a silver lining", right? So, let's try and do that for a second. We're not saying it will be easy — newspapers have made sure to circulate all the scary news. But, now is a great time to work together, appreciate others and do everything we can so that businesses, people and life can return to normal.
As we said earlier, businesses have been put under unprecedented stress thanks to social distancing and the all-important"stay at home" rule. The retail and hospitality industries have been the ones to suffer most since in-store sales cannot happen, and traffic flow has been reduced. With all this in mind, it will come as no surprise that they have stopped any marketing campaigns to ensure they retain as much money as possible. The question is: should they be doing this? What can they do to survive this pandemic when they can't see the finish line? Should they focus their marketing strategies elsewhere? The answer to both businesses and their optimal marketing strategies during this time can be found below.
There are zero reasons why stopping SEO efforts is a good idea during COVID-19. This strategy can produce cash, allow you to determine searches quickly, get in on the online shopping craze and much more.
For this one, you need to think long term. Periods of recession (like the one we're in now thanks to COVID-19) actually give businesses and marketers a brilliant chance to increase brand awareness.
It will seem scary doing this in uncertain times, but, studies have shown that those who do will see increased sales both during and beyond the recession period.
The best marketers have allowed people to actually shop on their social media pages instead of providing links to their website. Since people are scrolling down their feeds more (there's nothing else to do, right?)they are more likely to buy if it's easier for them to do so.
A few ways to make use of this technique are:
When your business' income has taken a hit, you will undoubtedly feel these effects. But, this doesn't mean you should struggle. The government has a plethora of financial aids put in place to help you during these times, including:
This is vital since you want people to come back after this is all over.
Firstly, make sure everyone you deal with knows about washing their hands with soap for 20 seconds and all the hygiene routines they should have in place to stay safe.
Then, ensure all your customers know the status of your business (i.e. whether you're offering contact-free deliveries, click and collects, completely closed, etc.).
There you have it! While this is not an exhaustive list by any means, these handy tips and tricks will certainly get you and your business through the COVID-19 pandemic.
