With little warning, the pandemic forced businesses to streamline and automate operations to connect with clients and consumers through technology. The world seemed to change in an instant. If they wanted to stay afloat during quarantine, they had to rely on technology more than ever. Businesses around the globe had to step up improvements to their digital marketing operations. Covid19 launched several digital marketing trends. Some of these trends have become a staple and the new norm customers have come to expect. If companies wish to stay competitive, the ability to adapt to constant changes in technology is essential. Marketing trends aren’t just powerful, they’re also predictable. The days of quarantine may be behind us, but these five Post-Pandemic Marketing Trends are expected to stay and become a staple of digital marketing:
Mobile-Friendly Websites
The web became a key part of day-to-day life during COVID. While stuck at home, especially in the early days of lockdown and quarantine, people found themselves relying on the web as virtual office space for work in addition to a source of socialization with friends. A global survey revealed about 70 percent of internet users were using their smartphones or mobile phones more as a direct result of lockdown. Smartphone use increased more than tablets, laptops, and desktops. The increase was likely because of the ability to do so much on a single small device – from texting to video chatting to browsing the web. With more people on their phones and a global increase in overall time spent online, it’s crucial for companies to ensure their websites are mobile-friendly. Being able to access the website from a smartphone’s browser just isn’t enough. The website needs to be fully mobile-compatible, with all features working efficiently and all images appearing correct and not distorted.
Reputation Management
Brand reputation is everything in business. In a post-Covid economy, consumers are doing their research before spending. They’re looking for feedback and reviews all over the internet. They want to understand the brand, who they are – what they stand for, etc. Is the company honest? Reliable? Trustworthy?
Even when businesses do their best, they still can receive a negative review. This does not have to damage the good reputation of a company. There are best practices for dealing with negative reviews and even appropriate steps to have them removed.
A solid reputation naturally provides more opportunities. Reputation management helps proactively build your brand or company’s name and serves as a line of defense against negative content that could arise. Reputation management promotes positive content, such as online reviews and social media posts, to improve your online reputation. It’s more than just good feedback and reviews. Reputation management utilizes a variety of services to influence positive consumer perception of the company overall.
Transactional Features
It’s no secret e-commerce sales rose tremendously during the pandemic. After all, many people had no choice but to shop online. However, even as most of the mandates and restrictions have been lifted, shoppers still continue to shop online. Covid elevated convenience – and that’s here to stay. Consumers have grown accustomed to getting exactly what they want when they want it. This makes it incredibly important for business owners to ensure their sites can handle transactions. In addition to wanting the convenience of being able to pay for goods or services online, customers want more payment options and flexibility (such as Klarna, Afterpay, or similar installment options).
SEO
You’ve likely heard hundreds of times the importance of SEO (search engine optimization) in digital marketing. But why is it so important post-Covid? When businesses were shut down and unable to operate, many took the time to focus on building their websites and growing their online presence. SEO is the process of getting your site seen by consumers. More traffic to your site means more opportunities to convert visitors to customers. SEO helps you outrank the competition and get to the top of the search results when a consumer is browsing online. It’s more than just finding the right keywords. Google algorithm only partially uses keywords as a means of determining page rankings. SEO is a complex process that requires combining a large number of tools and techniques.
Social Media Presence
Social media grew at its fastest rate in three years. Digital marketing trends for this new era are marked by the growth of social networks for entertainment. Businesses face new challenges to increase their reach on these platforms, attract more users and make a name for their companies on these networks. You don’t just want followers or likes, you want meaningful engagement. The same goes for your potential audience. People don’t just want to follow a brand. They want to delve deeper, see more, communicate, etc. With numerous platforms, keeping up with socials is often a major task in itself, but one that should not be ignored.
It’s easy to default to old habits, but it’s times of crisis in which new approaches are most valuable. The goal isn’t just to survive, it’s to thrive in the post-covid world.
How is your business adjusting to the post-pandemic market? Schedule a meeting with Ron for a free, no-obligation 30-minute consultation to discuss marketing options available to you.