Do’s and Don’ts of Digital Marketing During Corona Pandemic

We are in unknown territory.

The COVID-19 pandemic has completely taken hold of the news cycle and our attention. People’s priorities have changed drastically over the past six weeks. Events are being cancelled, more and more people are staying home from work, and the economy is seeing a major impact.

For marketers, this is a challenging time to navigate. No one knows how long this will last or what a return to normal will look like.

The good news is that the vast majority of consumers do not think brands need to stop online marketing during the COVID-19 outbreak. A survey of more than 35,000 consumers by Kantar found that 92% believe brands should continue to advertise, and on the other hand, 74% think that companies should not exploit the situation.

Here are a few Dos and Don’ts to comprehend when reassessing your digital marketing strategy amid the Coronavirus.

DO – Discontinue any automated messages that don’t make sense today

This is COVID-19’s world; we are all just living in it. Depending on your business, it might make sense to re-evaluate your creative and copy for sensitivity purposes. Take a look at your existing messaging and ask yourself if your ad placement is right for this moment and in this context. If it isn’t, find ways to adapt that message to our existing environment.

DON’T – Drop all of your paid advertising during this time.

While you re-evaluate your digital marketing strategy, keep in mind that this isn’t the time to eliminate all of your paid advertising. Within any crisis, there are opportunities, and those that pause all of their paid efforts will be left behind once things start rolling again. During this time, people are online more than ever before. Businesses are still running and consumers are still looking for your services. Instead of drawing the brakes on everything, look at your most efficient campaigns, and displace your budget into them. Now is also a great time to get creative. Is there a way that your brand can be relevant and helpful through all the uncertainty?

DO – Increase your presence through owned media

If your business has been affected by COVID-19 and ad spends is a factor, consider refocusing some of your efforts onto your owned media, such as blogs, emails, and organic SEO. Do some keyword research on the top searched terms for your industry and its applications and include those keywords into the content you create. Take advantage of the fact that people are at home and online by delivering engaging content through email campaigns. If you don’t already have one, now is a great opportunity to create a robust content marketing plan.

DON’T – Neglect your social media because of the crisis

While most of our newsfeeds are overwhelmed with news about COVID-19, that doesn’t mean that you need to stop your social posts. Find ways to break through the news cycle with timely and relevant posts about your brand. As our options for social contact dwindle, more people are turning to social media sites to connect with others. This could be a great opportunity for brands looking to expand their audience through these channels.