No one thought that the start of 2020 would lock us down at home, with a massive worldwide pandemic! The COVID-19 started with patients getting infected and dying and now has begun to affect the global economy. Browse through any news portal, and the updates are all about the virus, death, the slim recoveries, and the business shutdowns or temporary lockdowns. With social distancing and lockdown being the only way to survive this pandemic, brands were in a dilemma to promote their business during this phase. For progressive and established companies, staying put and shutting down operations is not a remedy.
An alternative solution is the need of the hour. And with so many people locked up in their houses, people are browsing the internet and counting on online resources. It is here where you have your answer hidden. The solution to keeping your business and brand active during this pandemic is social media marketing.
What is social media marketing the smart option?
Social media marketing is a part of digital marketing, which has always been useful to promote brands, their services/products, and increase sales. Some of the reasons for shifting your marketing to social media tools and channels are:
- The demand for online content has increased
People sitting at home want to spend time doing productive things! They want to say calm by reading the correct online resources and seeking solace with online content. According to a Facebook report, there was a 70% increase in the average time than a user spends browsing.
- Partnering with social media influencers can be cost-effective
The social media influencers mostly have all that it needs to rule social media. They have a steady follower base, correct know-how, and expertise on their given topic and the resources necessary to curate important content. Also, they know how digital marketing works and make the most of the same.
And, even these influencers have got affected by the pandemic side-effects in the world economy. And hence, they can negotiate and accept the deals which otherwise they might not.
- Minimal efforts and maximum results
When you think and assess carefully, online marketing doesn’t always require huge efforts! You always don’t need to invest a large amount of money and get hold of several resources. What is essential for you to do is to know the need of the hour! Only when you are aware of that, you can generate content that the audience needs and are happy to read and share with others. You can add slight wit and humor as well, which will make your informative content a delightful read.
Make the most of social media marketing during the pandemic
Now that you know that it’s a smart call to up all your digital marketing and social media marketing initiatives, you should have a plan! The following guidelines can help:
- Concentrate on increasing accounts instead of conversions
Today, customer spending has restricted to a great extent! People are only focusing on the essentials. Hence, if you expect that all your online marketing activities will yield massive profits, you are wrong. It is not the time to make increases sales and profiles. However, it’s a great time to reach out to your customers and strengthening the customer-and-brand bond. So, share the best content on your social media profiles and engage your followers.
Since work from home is the current reality, you might want to share tips to make working from home more enjoyable. You can also share positive and light-hearted content, but don’t be insensitive. That might act against you. The idea is to engage the audience instead of repulsing them away.
- Join hands with influencers
The social media personalities can impact your customer’s purchasing decision! And that can happen in such a crisis as well. You might want to reach out to these influencers with a compelling online promotion strategy that will benefit them as well.
- Explore various tools to use in social media marketing
Did you always want to up your online marketing on Instagram? If yes, then the time is now. You can search and decide on the smart ways of using Instagram stories to your benefit and promote your business and brand. Try out the different content types to determine the one that works best for you on Instagram. If you wanted to add another social media channel other than Instagram, you could choose between Twitter or Facebook. Take time to decide which one will act in your favor.
Are you searching for exciting ways to experiment with social media content and ideas? If yes, refer to the ones listed below:
- Try out video content
People right now have more time to pause, wait, and watch a video intently! So, go ahead with video content. You can shoot straightforward content from home and make sure you address the audience query. It will help you maximize the customer and follower base in your social media profile. You can also share Infographics on Facebook about a new product or sanity protocols to avoid the virus, in smart ways.
- Social media engagement tools
Social media profiles provide multiple engagement tools like polls and online discussions. Facebook Live is a smart option, as well. Leverage these features to enhance your brand’s online presence.
- Listen to what your customers’ say
It’s time to listen to your audience through the responses and comments they share online. Using this information, you can create the best marketing strategies later when the situation improves.
- User-generated content for engaging users
Create an online competition and ask your customers/followers to send pictures with your products. To make it interesting, you encourage videos and a small write up from users as well. It will increase user engagement and, ultimately, your brand presence and recall.
Brands and business houses are having many thoughts in mind to leverage their social media profiles! It’s time to search for brand new opportunities and try out new marketing tactics. It might not result in immediate revenue or follower increase, but it will help you to stand out from the crowd. And once your audience sees you in a positive, progressive light, they will want to purchase your products once the economic situation improves.