Most businesses have been disrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak, however there are some simple digital marketing tasks that will keep your customers in the loop.
The coronavirus pandemic has forced countless businesses to cut opening hours or close their doors in order to wait out the crisis.
Others have adapted their products and services in response to the outbreak, like cafes that have shifted to takeaway-only menus and professional services that now hold meetings online.
Whatever business changes you plan to make, don’t forget to clearly communicate those changes to your customers and strike the right tone for these difficult times.
With so much already happening, the last thing you want to do is create confusion around whether you’re still open or run a tone-deaf ad that makes customers question your values.
Digital marketing checklist for businesses affected by COVID-19:
- Review all of your automated marketing, including:
- Scheduled social media posts and other activity
- Scheduled marketing emails
- Automated response emails.
- Review all pre-booked advertising and any other planned marketing activities
- Update trading information, including opening hours or new services, across online platforms such as:
- Your website
- Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram
- Directory listings.
- Keep your customers updated as your trading conditions change
- Review your digital marketing strategy:
- Take stock and review your marketing plan and calendar, in particular update your SWOT analysis to address the changed marketplace
- Review and revise your content marketing strategy
- Pay close attention to your reporting metrics and data to inform your next moves.
If you want some advice on implementing the checklist, we’ve broken down each point below with tips and ideas to consider:
Review your automated marketing
The first thing you want to do is review your automated marketing, including scheduled social media content and automated email marketing, to make sure it’s appropriate amidst the COVID-19 crisis.
You want to check that what your business is saying is still current, and consider the tone of your words in light of the disruptions that everyone is facing together.
For example, you should look out for mentions of ‘visit our store’ in case your store is no longer physically open. Another one is ‘perfect for your next event’ since we’re unlikely to have group events for some time.
Oversights like these could damage your brand and make your business appear out of touch.
Update your online presence
If you have made changes to your business like altering opening hours, don’t just put a sign up in the window.
Make sure all of your online profiles reflect your new trading conditions, so customers know how and when to best reach your business.
Update your website with new information first. Any business changes should be visible on the home page of your site or at least point to a page where people can find more information.
You then want to update your Google My Business listing, as well as your Facebook and other social media pages with any new information.
Keep your customers informed
Don’t take your customers for granted — let them know about any changes to your business.
Create a message that can be shared across your various social media platforms with key information and provide a link back to your website for further information.
If you have an email database, you should definitely produce a similar message for your email subscribers.
Try to create a sense of camaraderie with your audience and don’t be afraid to let people know that local businesses need support right now to get through these challenging times.
Call in the digital marketing experts
With so many people forced to stay home at the moment, there are advantages to investing in digital marketing and boosting your online presence.
Assemblo is a full-service marketing agency based in Melbourne, and can support your business with high-level strategic marketing during the COVID-19 crisis.
For more information, give us a call on (03) 9079 2555 or drop us a note via the contact form below.