The pandemic affects every aspect of our lives, from seeing our loved ones, working conditions, and travel plans. Nothing looks like it did one year ago. We see changes to our economy and financial health too. When you are in digital marketing, working from home may not be much of a difference. Many of us in this field will know the perks as well as the pitfalls of remote working.
Given the tumultuous year, we’ve compiled some ways in which digital marketing during coronavirus is changing. These will help you to prepare for the tough, upcoming months and leave you in a steady-state, ready for the hopefully soon bounce back to ‘normality.’
Advertising Spendings Have Been Shifting
When the stock markets suffered their massive crash early in the pandemic, advertising was one of the first things thrown overboard. Such a considerable reduction sent shivers down the spines of traditional sources. These cuts could be the death-knell for many working in this way.
However, as the pandemic swept us all online, social, paid search, and digital spending all went up. Strategy changes took place quickly. Given the nature of the pandemic, that is very close up and personal, more people began searching for local media and hyperlocal news. The pause also hit education, affecting college paper writing service providers who could no longer market their services, as there was no work needing to be done.
Consumer Spending is Booming
Scenes of shelves stripped bare were common early in the pandemic, as people stocked up on essential goods to survive various levels of lockdown. Once everyone was inside, it is no surprise that online consumer spending took off.
A survey conducted by Bazaarvoice found that in several key markets people are buying more online now than ever before. In the United States, 62% of consumers said they were shopping more, 59% said the same in Canada, and 58% in the United Kingdom.
Behind the growth in these figures, the global average shows 49% more shoppers are doing more online shopping than before the pandemic. We can see from this that the pandemic has not affected everyone equally, with some facing a tightening of the purse strings, rather than a chance to splurge away boredom.
A Look at the Truth
Digital marketing is a broad church. Everything and anything gets sold through similar channels – social media, on-site adverts, email newsletters. What has become paramount during the COVID crisis is the need for truth.
Before the pandemic, fake news was already a massive point of contention, and adding in a deadly virus has made the problem all more serious. In May 2020, Facebook placed restrictions on what could be bought and sold using its Marketplace feature. These changes were in response to some horrific and misleading selling of dangerous products.
As digital marketers, there is a responsibility to our customers to promote and provide access and exposure to quality products. The whole pandemic demonstrates the impact digital networks have on how we respond to authority and how we look for answers.
Factoring in the Science
Similar to the previous point, many businesses and clients we represent have had to adapt their plans. Making processes COVID-secure is often expensive, and the marketing side which helps businesses to grow must be able to communicate how companies can operate safely in dire times effectively.
What we’ve seen is that marketers are now communicating vital science regarding safety. Being able to read and digest complex guidelines and medical advice is not something every digital marketer is used to performing for clients. Still, if they want to continue operating successfully in the coming months and years, it will become essential.
That’s not to say everyone must study for a degree in biology, but the ability to parse important information and relay it is the aim. In some cases, this communication may be directed at our clients, not the target audience, as they may be unaware of the nuances themselves. Consider this consultation ability another arrow in your quiver.
Keeping Calm and Carrying On
Hopefully, these points have enabled an understanding of how marketing has changed during the pandemic. Marketing has always been about finding an edge, interpreting the new data, and seeing how the clients you represent fit into the ever-changing world.
The original version of this article was first published on V3Broadsuite.
- 5 Ways The Pandemic Has Changed Digital Marketing - November 12, 2020
