Post-COVID Advertising: Will Your Business Be Ready?

Over the past few months, most of the world has been brought to a standstill as government agencies and health departments do all that’s necessary to combat the spread of the Coronavirus. Strict lockdowns and social distancing rules are forcing many businesses to close and/or severely reduce their operational capacity. Leading to a time of unprecedented uncertainty, the echoing sound of an upcoming recession is audible. 

However, all these measures seem to be working! With case numbers reducing day by day, the possibility of lockdowns being lifted sooner rather than later looks more promising than ever before. This now begs the question: Is your business ready?

Consumer Activity Online at an All-Time High 

The pandemic has pushed almost all consumer activity online. As consumers ourselves, we can definitely attest to this behaviour change. In many ways, this shift was an eye-opener for many businesses who were not fully equipped for servicing customers online, with many pausing campaigns to buffer for the slow down.

However, this may have not been the best idea, since your audience is now at home, online, and looking for something to do or something to distract them and to create a sense of normalcy. This is the perfect opportunity to get your brand in front of them! As consumers become restless in lockdown, social, display and retargeting campaigns should be a core part of your businesses marketing strategy.

This “new normal” affects how your business should operate both during and after lockdown. GlobalWebIndex (GWI) has surveyed some of its users and found that over 40% of respondents claim that they will shop online more frequently after the lockdown, with 8 out of 10 people stating that they have delayed making big purchases. 27% are spending more time browsing online before visiting stores.

So, are your campaigns ready to capture and re-engage your audience? 

Advertising Factors to Consider:

1. Messaging & Promotions.
   33% of users are now waiting for products to be on sale before making a purchase. With so much choice online, it’s only natural that they consider pricing carefully. Be sure to have a captivating promotion or campaign message to engage your audience. Why should they choose you? Remember your clients will also be running their own promotions. Consumers may be wary of spending, as 80% are leaning more towards brands that offer flexible payment plans. 
2. Campaign Types & Optimisation
   Push your brand and products via multiple channels, i.e. Ad Words, SEO, Display, & Social. Track and learn which campaigns are performing best and optimise quickly. This is the best time to get a digital marketing agency involved. Use their tools and knowledge to take all the guesswork out of the process. 
3. Re-Market, Re-target & Re-word
   Never let a website visit be ‘wasted’. Create remarketing campaigns to try new campaign messaging and promotions. Your audience knows what they want, you just have to find to tell them that you are it. 

With a lot of uncertainty still circling around government decisions and when businesses will be allowed to open fully again. It is hard to say what may happen next. However, we can be confident that online is where people will go to spend their money, so let’s make sure your business is ready. 

Ready to work with a digital marketing agency that wants to see you succeed? Get in touch with our teams in New Zealand and Australia for tailored, transparent campaigns to help boost your business bottomline!