How to Successfully Market Your Business During A Pandemic

The novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 has affected businesses across not only the nation but the globe. Companies are being forced to make tough decisions on how to keep their business afloat.

While some CEOs think the first step is to cut out marketing departments, consumers are too invested digitally to stop ALL marketing. You can cut your marketing budget or outsource marketing to a digital marketing agency if you really want to save money, but do not stop interacting with your customers. Now is the time you want your customers to see you - and see you in a gentle and caring way. Focus on your messaging and what you want your customers to think about you - this is your BRAND.

Whether using Google, Facebook or another online platform, you can reach out to current and potential customers with customized branding methods. What is your business doing to help the community? How do you want your customers to think of you during this crisis? What are you doing to make life easier for your customers?

By replacing your branding and messaging from sales-driven to those of general concern and care, you can impact the thoughts consumers have about your company. Reaching the right audience with a branding campaign increases your online exposure, and could make you one of the most known businesses in your industry. An effective branding campaign draws attention, stirs curiosity, and although not immediately, when customers are ready, they later convert.

Interested in developing a branding campaign?  Contact your Alpharetta SEO Agency today at 404-850-8333 .



More About the COVID19

The novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 was first identified in Wuhan, Hubei, China, and has since spread around the globe. Testing kits are becoming more readily available in the United States, and confirmed cases of the viral respiratory illness are popping up around the country. As the Center for Disease Control (CDC) continues to closely monitor the situation, they have issued a set of guidelines to minimize the spread and prevent outbreaks. Among the best practices issued for the public, the CDC advises that social distancing measures be adapted for anyone experiencing symptoms or risk factors like diabetes, respiratory complications, or an otherwise weakened immune system. As the virus spreads over the next few months, and if the virus reemerges again in the fall, expanded self-quarantine measures could go into place to reduce community outbreaks and relieve the burden on healthcare facilities. Similar measures have already been implemented in some international communities, and it is believed the strict quarantine requirements in Wuhan, China have contributed greatly to the decrease in fatal cases. If widespread quarantine goes into effect in areas across the United States, will your business survive COVID19?

You can help minimize any economic impact and maintain your market share by planning ahead for a decline in business because of the coronavirus. With a plan in place, you can prevent undue losses with smart digital marketing strategies and whenever possible, pivot to take advantage of new markets, platforms, and technologies. 

During a pandemic situation with widespread quarantine recommendations, it’s important to keep your budget trim and reduce any unnecessary overhead expenses. The goal is to get your business through the event and prevent any long-term damage to your brand or your customer base, and that means making strategic marketing decisions. While you may be desperate to save money anywhere you can, it’s important to maintain a coronavirus digital marketing plan tailored to your needs and desired outcome. 

Review current ad campaigns and suspend any that no longer make sense, or make adjustments to your advertising strategy. For example, one business might increase targeted ad spending on social media platforms to highlight a new delivery service or video chat option. But for other businesses, it may be more important to save money by reducing ad spending altogether. After all, if your hours are reduced and customers aren’t coming in the door, there’s no need to blow your advertising budget on campaigns begging people to stop by and shop the coronavirus sale. Instead, it might be a great time to get back to basics with your SEO digital marketing . 

You can boost your site’s organic reach by updating webpage titles, H1 descriptive headers, and meta tags. Refreshing your page content with new information and updated backlinks will help keep your brand at the top of search engine results when your customers naturally come searching for your products or services. Building your organic search traffic can have huge benefits to your business. It’s a cost effective way to establish brand credibility and solidify your online presence, and it can effectively block your competition from even appearing on the same page of results. After all, while your competitors are drawing back and experiencing similar effects of coronavirus on business, it’s a great opportunity to go after their market share. 

Spend some time researching your competition. It’s not just good advice for businesses during a coronavirus outbreak - it’s good advice year-round. And during sales slumps, it’s essential. Find out what your competitors are lacking, and what they’re offering that customers are searching for. If you can identify their market audience, you can take advantage of that information and use it for competitive ad retargeting . By creating a target audience similar to those who visit your competitor’s site, you can take advantage of web tools like cookies to put your brand in front of your competitor’s customers. When someone visits your rival’s page, your ads could start appearing on other websites they visit. It’s a low-cost marketing tactic that routinely sees a big ROI.  We decided to reinvent SEO by now offer LIVE SEO for our clients in workshops to work with them directly in schedule sessions. This has become really popular with our clients. Their SEO improves while we learn more about their business and likewise they learn more about  SEO.

Some businesses will thrive during a pandemic. Food delivery apps like Doordash, meal kit companies like Hello Fresh, and e-commerce sites will have the most to offer during a pandemic. After all, today’s instant gratification consumption culture means people are accustomed to getting what they want, and they’re used to getting it fast. In normal circumstances, everything from groceries to personal care items, medications, and meals can be at your front door in under an hour. Companies that are able to capitalize on the high demand for online shopping and deliver convenient service will see exponential growth, especially during a viral outbreak when people are stuck inside. 

If you begin to experience the economic impacts of COVID-19 on your business, it could be a great time to pivot. Stay in touch with your clients and let them know about any changes or precautions you’re taking. Plus, remind them that any temporary setbacks will end and business will eventually resume as usual. If you’re able to jump into rapid delivery or online shopping options, use this as an opportunity to capitalize on the increased need for e-commerce and porch-side service. Utilizing video calls for conferences and sales pitches? Let your audience know you’re being proactive and working hard to provide the products and services they rely on, all while protecting the health of employees and customers alike. 

Current COVID-19 recommendations suggest people with non-urgent symptoms self-isolate at home for 14 days, so anything that makes quarantine more bearable will be in high demand. Gaming companies, streaming platforms like Netflix, and cable providers will likely see a bump in sales and subscription services. Meanwhile, content creators on YouTube and TikTok, as well as podcast producers, will have more viewers at home eager to consume new media. Spend some time brainstorming how your company can create new content for new platforms you haven’t reached yet. Informative or entertaining video clips, articles or blogs, and photos for social media stories can all help boost your organic reach and in some cases, even monetize your digital marketing efforts. By creating engaging content, you’ll stay fresh in the minds of an audience actively seeking out new media. 

You can lower your content creation expenses and save money by outsourcing your writing projects. With an SEO Marketing Agency like ClickReady Marketing, you can make the most of your budget by bundling content and SEO services. You’ll get high-quality branded content that’s optimized for your business and strategically targeted to expand your customer base. From link-building to keyword optimization, it’s a chance to get in front of your customers even while they’re stuck at home and solidify relationships that will last far longer than any pandemic. 

During a viral outbreak like the coronavirus, people will be spending more time at home, which means fewer customers walking in your door. Leverage e-commerce technology to meet the demand for digital sales, and get strategic with your advertising budget to minimize the economic impacts on your business. Utilize SEO techniques that keep your brand in customer feeds and build organic reach with fresh content. Your clients will be looking for shopping and entertainment outlets online, so think creatively about providing new media like blogs or videos, and offer new services whenever possible to meet the needs of those stuck in quarantine. It could be the perfect opportunity to boost your online marketing tactics and refine your targeted audiences with your online advertising budget. After all, the businesses that cut back on digital marketing during this time will suffer the most from the coronavirus outbreak, and maybe even go under.

Consult with ClickReady Marketing, your award winning Georgia SEO Marketing company to learn more about how digital marketing can help your business survive the coronavirus outbreak! With custom solutions for your industry that are tailored to achieve your goals, ClickReady Marketing can help you hold onto your market share, expand your reach, and minimize the negative impacts of COVID19. With the right strategies, and the right team, your business can continue to grow and thrive, even while your competitors are struggling. Call (404) 923-0015 today and make sure your business is ClickReady!