All businesses around the globe had to restructure their structures after the pandemic. It was difficult enough to have to close down buildings and offices, and then move to remote working models. However, the economic downturn also saw a sharp drop in revenue for many. In a reopened America gas prices are high, and the pay wage is the same in most states. How can one market in difficult times?
Businesses responded by cutting back on expenditures whenever possible to counter this threat. Marketing budgets are often the first to be frozen. They are considered "unnecessary", especially in uncertain economic times.
But not all brands are afraid. Although it is normal to have to adjust budgets and manage numbers, some businesses invest in strengthening their brand positioning in anticipation of more prosperous times.
According to the Digital Marketing Institute:
No matter what type of digital marketing you do, you will need great content. Great content doesn't involve plugging your products endlessly. It offers real value to people, and, most importantly, serves a purpose ."
This is true even in crisis. Your purpose must adapt to the content that people require right now.
Content marketing, even if you have limited sales and production capabilities, can provide a return on investment in any market. It will set your business up to succeed.
Here's a short video from Harvard Business School about how we promoted during the pandemic.
Quick Takeaways
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Businesses should allocate time and budget for content marketing during difficult times.
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Content marketing can help you win loyalty from your audience and make them customers.
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Don't be self-serving. Always strive to give as much value as you can.
It's natural to want to keep what you have and not spend it. However, cutting your marketing budget may not be the best decision.
Your customers will be there even if the crisis is over. But will they still remember you? But, more importantly, how will they remember you and your company's actions during that time?
Pushy advertising is not a good time to be in crisis. No one likes to be sold to, especially not during a global crisis or economic crash.
Conferences and trade shows are not appropriate at this time. Advertisement on billboards or around public transport won't be noticed. Online news via social media platforms has replaced physical newspapers.
LOL, no one will ever see your billboards if you spend money on them
A post shared by chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) on
Mar 24, 2020, 3:06 PM PDT
All over the globe, marketing teams are learning to pivot and find new ways to attract customers and achieve their goals in times of crisis.
Content marketing has been an effective and affordable way to market businesses of any size and across all industries. It's even more important when stuff is hot.
Millions of people were housebound during COVID. Many were unable or unwilling to work, and many had extra time. This resulted in more content being consumed than ever before.
News publishers saw an increase in pageviews of around 30%. It's normal that people consume more news at the moment, but other content flourished as well.
Social media was buzzing. YouTube views were up. People were looking for content that would comfort, uplift, give important information about their health, finances, or to learn something new.
Crises are a great time to increase your content marketing efforts to reach new customers or strengthen existing relationships.
Ideas for Content in Economic Uncertainty
While you may be concerned about your business' future, now is not the right time to indulge in self-serving content. Companies that aggressively lay off employees, force them to work in unsafe conditions or profiteer from the COVID-19 crisis are rightly criticised. People who create poor quality clickbait content and poorly-written sales messages will be subject to the same criticisms. They're unlikely to be forgotten quickly.
This is your chance to truly serve your audience in every way possible. This will depend on the industry and who your audience is. There is almost always an opportunity to create valuable content.
Customers' Concerns
Nearly every business has been negatively affected by the current environment. It makes sense to tell your customers what changes have taken place and how they can be protected.
This could include explaining your policy on distance work or protecting employees, such as providing hand sanitizer and masks to employees during a pandemic.
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You can temporarily shut down your operations by explaining it to your customers. They will be reassured that you'll get back up and running as soon and safely as possible.
Showing Generosity
Many brands responded to the crisis with good deeds such as providing subscriptions at no cost or donating medical equipment to hospitals.
Non-medical grade, washable masks are being made from scraps of our production line. You can either purchase a pack or donate to NY's COVID-19 Respond Fund. We will match all donations and purchases. To learn more, scroll through and click the link in my bio. #caraacares
A post shared on by caraa (@caraasport).
April 7, 2020 at 10 :05 AM PDT
If your company is able to do the same, it will not only help you to make a positive contribution but it will also ensure that people remember your brand because they did good.
These activities do not have to be 100% altruistic. It's better for everyone if your business and others benefit. A company that offers a 2-month free service subscription to assist remote workers in their businesses may find that many people choose to pay the full price after the two-month period ends.
Do not forget to tell everyone about any good deeds that your company or employees have done during these difficult times. Use your blog, social media and email list to create content that will help improve your brand's reputation and encourage sharing.
Here are some helpful information to help you cope with crisis
For people searching for economic uncertainty, brands in certain industries might be able produce content that directly addresses this issue. This could include:
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Tips for staying healthy in COVID-19
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Tips, advice and tips for managing remote teams
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Tips for parents and new homeschoolers
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Resources for mental health in the area
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Financial advice for businesses in financial trouble
Offer Escapism
All content does not have to be educational or useful. People also want to be entertained and distracted from the real world problems. Do you remember the outbreak of the pandemic in 1918? For a great example, just look at the Netflix documentary Tiger King.
Me: The coronavirus is a constant topic of conversation, thought, and reading for me.
Netflix: Let me introduce you to Joe Exotic & Carole Baskin. #TigerKing pic.twitter.com/1Oamnc2vMF
Mary (@maryyyrosee), March 23, 2020
People are tired of the grim news, and they want more positive content and "good news". To meet this growing demand, even the BBC has created a section on its website that features uplifting stories.
Take a bow
It is not easy to market your business during times of turmoil. These things not only impact you as a person, but also help you to understand what's appropriate. It is important to take a step back and consider what you would like to see on your phone. You're on the right track if you create something people love to read or watch, that keeps them happy, or entertains them.
You want to implement some of the strategies shown on MIG's website but need advice or help? Marketing Insider Group is home to a group of 35+ writers who are ready to create content for your business. Get a consultation or check out our blog content.
Marketing in Difficult Times: A Focus on Content That Reaches and Assures appeared originally on Marketing Insider Group.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there risks involved in digital marketing
Yes, digital marketing comes with risks.
To protect your online reputation, it is important to be cautious with what you post on social networking sites.
You should also make sure that all your content is original.
If you don't monitor your online presence, you could lose control of your brand image.
Last but not least, identity theft may occur if someone uses your personal details without you being present.
How to protect your online reputation
- Be careful about what you share on social networks
- Ensure All Content Is Original And Does Not Infringe On Anyone Else's Intellectual Property Rights
- Monitor your Brand Image
- Use strong passwords
- Avoid Using Personal Details Without Permission
- Notify Us of Any Unauthorized Activity immediately
- Don't Post Photos Of Yourself Or Others In A Disturbing Way
- Never give out your Social Security Number
- Keep up to date with the most recent news
- Stay Away from Scams
- Choose a Secure Password
- Always check for updates
- Don't share too many details
- Don't give out your credit card number without being vigilant
- Do Not Send Money Through E-Mail
- You can check for fake websites
- Remember that bad reviews can cause problems for your business
- Regularly check your credit reports
- You Need to Keep an Eye on Your Privacy Settings
- Ask someone who really knows you before you share something.
What are the four types of marketing?
Marketing can be divided into four types: Direct Mail, Traditional Advertising, Public Relations, Digital Marketing, and Public Relations. Each type of marketing has different purposes and should be used for a specific purpose. This will allow you to combine them and reach your goals.
What is an example of search engine marketing?
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is one of the most essential components of digital marketing. SEM can include paid-per-click ads, sponsored links and display ads, as well as paid inclusion, search engine optimization, social media marketing (SEO), video marketing, mobile advertising, and more.
How does marketing fit into business strategy?
Marketing is an essential part to any business strategy. Marketing is essential to any business strategy. Without it, nobody would be able to know about your company. Marketing without sales would be pointless. Therefore, marketing is crucial to any business strategy.
Not everyone realizes how important marketing is. Marketing is often viewed as just spending money on advertisements. Marketing goes far beyond advertising campaigns. Marketing includes everything you do in order to communicate the company's identity, position and value in the marketplace.
Ask yourself these questions when you think about your company: What image am i trying to portray? How will my customers perceive me? How should my world perceive me?
If you can't answer these questions, then you aren't thinking about marketing.
Statistics
- Today, 81% of brands around the world have affiliate programs. (influencermarketinghub.com)
- Companies that use personalization are seeing revenue increases ranging from 6-10%. (blog.hubspot.com)
- According to statistics, 60% of online shoppers worldwide actively search for coupons before purchasing from a virtual shop. (influencermarketinghub.com)
- In 2017, 34% of marketers cited co-branding as the most effective way to increase the number of email subscribers. (influencermarketinghub.com)
- This allows us to deliver CPCs that are 80% less than average and CTRs 4-5 times higher than average. (marketinginsidergroup.com)
External Links
youtube.com
influencermarketinghub.com
neilpatel.com
moz.com
- SEO Learning Center – Moz
- [Case study] How we ranked #1 in a high-volume keyword in under 3 months – Moz
How To
How do I know whether or not my branding efforts are working?
Asking your customers directly is the best way to gauge your success. Ask them what their opinions are about your brand. What do they most like about your company. What are their biggest complaints? What can you do to improve?
You can also conduct surveys on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. You can simply ask your followers how they rate your brand. Next, analyze the results to find out which aspects of your brand have been most successful.
Review sites are another option. People love to voice their opinions when they're happy or disappointed with a business. These comments will help you understand the opinions of people about your brand.
Here are some tips to help you improve your brand.
- Be consistent. Do not change your marketing materials for every new product. You should keep your message consistent across all channels.
- Multiple channels are a good thing. Use email, websites and social media to promote your brand.
- Make sure that you are giving your customers what it is they want. You should offer free shipping. You could lose customers who expect easy delivery.
- Remember, your brand is more that a logo. Your brand represents everything you have to offer. You should take the time and create a comprehensive image.
- Get feedback from your customers. You will be better off if you respond to customers' feedback sooner.
- Test different messages. You might discover that one message is better than the rest. You might have two messages that are very similar, but one receives more responses. Either way, it's good to keep an eye on your stats to see which message is performing best.
- Look for ways to improve your brand. Do you think there are areas that could use improvement? You could upload more videos to your site. You might also consider adding customer testimonials to your blog posts.
- A plan is essential. Once you've decided on your goals and objectives, you'll need to develop a strategy for achieving those goals. This includes creating a timeline for reaching each objective. This includes setting milestones to track your progress.
- Measuring your results is important. When you reach your goal stop measuring. Instead, establish a system to track your progress over time. This will help you to know if your progress is steady towards your ultimate goal.
- Repeat! Now that you've established a solid foundation for your brand, you'll want to continue to build upon it. You might consider hiring someone to assist you if you have trouble keeping up with current marketing efforts.
- Remain positive. Negative feedback should not be ignored. However, it is important to not dwell on it. Instead, you should focus on how this information can be used to improve your brand.
- Utilize technology. Technology has provided many tools that we never imagined before. You can use these tools to your advantage. You could, for example, create a mobile application for your brand.
- Be creative. Nothing wrong with trying something completely new. It's okay to try something new, but don't forget to think first.
- Have fun. Marketing isn’t meant to be stressful. It is sometimes called “funmarketing”. Enjoy your work.
- Know when to quit. When you feel like your efforts have been in vain, it's OK to give up. However, don't lose heart too soon. Sometimes you have to stick with it until you achieve the desired outcome.
- You must not forget about consistency. Consistency will be your key to success. You should spend some time developing a schedule that will work for your brand.
- Be patient. Building a successful brand takes time. It won't happen overnight.
- Keep learning. Marketing is ever-changing. Keep up-to-date by reading blogs and attending webinars.
- Never stop learning. Even after you achieve your goal, you can still learn new skills.
- Enjoy the journey. Marketing can be fun. Marketing is fun.
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By: Michael Brenner
Title: Marketing in Difficult Times: Focus on Content that Reaches and Assures
Sourced From: marketinginsidergroup.com/content-marketing/marketing-in-difficult-times-content-marketing/
Published Date: Wed, 28 Sep 2022 14:00:54 +0000