The emergence of COVID-19 has altered the way we all live and work, and that includes the world of digital marketing. While the pandemic’s full impact is still to be determined, its effects on digital marketing has been profound as people increasingly go online to meet their day-to-day needs. From SEO to the way businesses interact with consumers, the script is being rewritten for better and for worse.
Digital Marketing and the Consumer
- Digital marketing is changing and the effects can be seen in consumer behavior. For lunch or dinner options, instead of searching for restaurants closest to our locations, we are searching for delivery or curbside options. We are more online than ever before. Online appointments are now the norm for many businesses.
- Online meetings and Zoom calls are on the rise while face-to-face interactions are on the decline due to the COVID-19 crisis. Consumers are hopping on websites and communicating through brand’s social media platforms more than ever.
Digital Marketing and Business
- Digital marketing is one of the best and most cost-effective ways for businesses to reach their target audiences. New behavioral practices like social distancing are accelerating consumers’ use of e-commerce options, forcing traditional marketing to take a backseat.
- As interpersonal communication declines, businesses are becoming more reliant on digital tools and other accessories to accomplish their goals, I.e., Facebook Messenger, live chat on websites, text message marketing, etc.
- While working from home is ideal for some people, it has forced digital marketers to communicate via Zoom calls, Google Hangouts, Slack, Skype, etc. Communication is vital and it is up to the Digital Marketing team behind the business to ensure strategies are being executed to the best of their ability.
- Brands investing in SEO may have seen a decline in revenue when the pandemic began but now may be seeing a rise.
The way we combat these changes is to adapt and overcome. Companies are learning that there is a lot of room to improve their digital marketing strategies amidst a pandemic. In a time when everything is communicated through a Zoom call, should all websites now have a video call feature instead of a contact page? We’ll have to wait and find out. While COVID-19’s full impact is still unmeasurable, new and improved methods are being adapted daily and possibly for the long haul.
