How to Reach Prospects in the New Normal of Remote Working

Since the rise of digital marketing, there hasn’t been an event as significant as COVID-19. Not only has the pandemic dramatically impacted countless lives around the world, but it’s also sent a shockwave through the global economy that won’t stop reverberating for some time yet.

As most customers are working remotely and the new normal has resulted in a major drop across in-store shopping, businesses of all shapes and sizes need to adjust their digital marketing strategy to reflect these broad societal changes. While modern technology has improved to such a point where many everyday tasks have been relatively uninterrupted, companies looking to attract prospects can’t rely on the old way of doing things.

By shifting your outreach and lead nurturing approach, you can ensure your business safely navigates these uncertain times and grows into the future. Here, we delve into some areas that could deliver great results for your business.

Activate Your Blog and Social Media Presence

With more people spending time both at home and on their devices, there’s never been a better time to power up your blog and social media presence than during the pandemic. Many businesses have already taken notice, with social media marketers Socialbakers reporting that worldwide social ad spend rose 26.2% in Q2 of 2020.

However, you’re going to want to be extra careful about your messaging because appearing to cash in on the crisis will undoubtedly be a bad look for your business. According to the latest research, approximately 50% of consumers approve of advertising that’s unrelated to COVID-19.

Although this figure doesn’t suggest halting your advertising efforts, it highlights how carefully considered your content creation must be. In this sense, always lead with messages that express compassion and understanding around the current global situation. Customers will be quick to post negative feedback if you get the tone all wrong, so be sure to stay on top of your social media presence during campaigns.

If you don’t want to directly advertise your products throughout this complicated time, you can still use your blog and social media pages to attract prospects. For instance, you can generate content that provides helpful tips on dealing with the crisis. This approach is particularly supported by consumers, with 89% approving of brands that post practical coronavirus-related information.

Another approach that many companies have found successful is the promotion of important community initiatives. This is a smart way to spread positive brand awareness and enhance your reputation, while also doing some good for the broader community. In fact, there’s been a 42% rise in mission-based marketing campaigns since the beginning of the pandemic.

Revamp Your Marketing Strategy

Alongside your blog and social media profiles, your business should be pivoting its marketing strategy into areas that make sense for consumers. For example, hosting fascinating seminars or networking events simply isn’t possible in most parts of the world right now. But that doesn’t mean all is lost.

It’s possible to keep your target market engaged by coming up with some creative adaptations to your current marketing strategy. By making the most of live streaming, video conferencing and instant messaging, you might even benefit your business in the long run.

Considering the above example, webinars are the perfect replacement for in-person events. By developing an intriguing format that encourages people to take part and interact with each other online, you can build a dedicated community and increase your following. Webinars are also the perfect reason to keep consumers up-to-date about your company through regular email campaigns.

Imaginative companies are also creating eBooks, educational courses and in-depth guides to keep customers thinking about their brands. These relatively cheap forms of content marketing encourage customers to learn more about your business and improve name recognition.

While many consumers remain concerned about their futures, providing accessible information about moving into your sector has also proved successful. By offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse into your industry, your business showcases its transparent and welcoming attitude.

Focus on SEO

SEO has long been one of the core tenets of digital marketing. But the onset of COVID-19 has only made the strategy even more powerful for businesses looking to reach new customers. As brick-and-mortar stores around the globe remain closed or are suffering from heavily reduced footfall, customers have rapidly turned their attention to online shopping.

Where some people previously ordered the occasional item online, now consumers are actively using eCommerce to avoid the crowds and acquire everything from leisure goods to essential supplies. This immense shift is reflected in the data, with almost 1 in 2 consumers increasing their online shopping during the pandemic.

These changes to the market mean climbing the search engine results page is more important than ever. But to stand out against the competition online, your business is likely going to need a cohesive SEO plan backed by compelling content marketing, website performance and in-depth customer analytics.

However, there are some easily implemented changes to immediately improve your digital presence. If you operate a business with regular working hours, prominently display these times across your website and social media profiles to keep customers in the loop. Don’t forget to also update your Google My Business page with the latest information.

Throughout the pandemic, consumers are going to have genuine worries about how your business is functioning. Create a comprehensive FAQ to alleviate common concerns about shipping, stock levels and other difficulties. Customers will value the clarity, plus you won’t be inundated with the same questions over and over again.

Undertaking a robust international SEO strategy is a great way to ensure your business reaches customers with an appropriate marketing campaign. Meanwhile, Google has also released new ways for companies to keep their customers informed within search results, including special COVID-19 announcements and extra details about cancelled, postponed or virtual events.

With large parts of the workforce bound to be operating remotely for the foreseeable future, ensuring your SEO strategy is running at peak performance is going to give your business an advantage. Choose a top-notch team to lead your campaign and reach high-quality prospects.

Responsive Paid Media Campaigns

In our current uncertain circumstances, many businesses have already or are considering cutting their investment into paid media. But if your business is still producing revenue, there are a variety of ways to ensure your marketing becomes even more impactful.

As COVID-19 regulations change depending on where your target market is based, you should ensure your paid media is relevant to your target market’s specific situation. As some countries reopen offices and brick-and-mortar storefronts, people from other regions could be based at home for months to come. Keep this in mind when targeting a new campaign.

It’s also become a hugely important time to reflect on your strategy and decide whether it makes sense for customers to receive. Conduct a thorough review of your ad copy and ensure the message and tone is suitable. Sending out a poorly worded advertisement at a time like this could prove devastating to your reputation.

You’ll also want to review your analytics on how customers are using their devices. It’s no secret mobile searches have outpaced their desktop counterparts for some years now. But if your customers aren’t commuting and now take lunch breaks at home, are they still using their smartphones to search and shop? Assess your analytics and decide if you need to change your tactics. Also, using the best remote working tools will help you to organize better in your company. It can be a huge factor for communicating better and reach the best prospects at the right time.

COVID-19 has caused virtually every business cause for concern, but a strategic digital marketing campaign that responds to the current global landscape ensures you’ll continue to reach customers. Contact the professionals at First Page Digital and secure your company.