As communities around the globe adapt to the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, businesses are facing their own unique struggles to survive. Even so, there is hope. Much like community members are banding together, brands have similar opportunities to unite in a show of support for one another. Everyone, from individuals to businesses, needs understanding, along with the more tangible factors like resources and education.
For businesses, like yours, this means adapting your digital PR with unique strategies during the coronavirus pandemic to ensure your company’s future.
Be Positive
First of all, you need to stay positive. No doubt, nearly everyone has felt some sense of hopelessness or dread, wondering when this will all end, but the truth is it will end and there is hope for your business in the midst of it all.
As countries around the world begin lifting travel restrictions, everyone can see it will get better. Stay at home, shelter in place orders will be lifted, meaning only a temporary interruption for your business. Knowing that, it is important to continue to move forward and focus on positioning your company for a strong comeback when the COVID-19 outbreak is over. This means progressive digital marketing strategies, so you don’t lose your foothold in the marketplace.
In general, businesses who maintain an ongoing market presence during downturns emerged strong, outperforming the competition when the downturn ends. Companies with a progressive focus during economic downturns traditionally pull ahead of the competition when the economy improves.
Let’s explore how you can adapt your digital PR strategy during the current downturn, and be poised for success once the coronavirus has passed and the economy recovers.
Keep Your Business Visible Online
Virtually, everyone is online right now, which means your business needs to be easily accessible online as well. Search traffic is at an all-time high in light of the shelter in place orders. It seems everyone is continually looking for coronavirus updates, along with entertainment and shopping opportunities. Having your business online and utilizing SEO (Search Engine Optimization) strategies can propel you to the top of Google’s SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages), thus keeping your business in the public eye!
Bond with Customers
Now is the ideal time to bond with your customers and strengthen your relationships via social media. While the whole world works through the “new normal” of the coronavirus pandemic, everyone finds themselves at home, dealing with the effects, taking precautions, and unable to go out to visit friends, eat at favorite restaurants, or shop in preferred stores.
Through your company’s online presence, you can show empathy as well as sensitivity, and join in community efforts to help others (donating to food pantries, supporting frontline healthcare workers, and more), thus showcasing your brand and allowing your business to stand out and above the competition.
Develop Special Offers
Uncertainty abounds in the current circumstances, but you can use that develop special offers for your customers and create opportunities to keep your cash flow positive. Knowing your target audience allows you to identify areas in which a unique offer or special discount can engage your customers during this time. Not only will you create positive exposure for your brand, but you will also keep revenue flowing with special offerings pushed through social media and PPC (pay-per-click). Plus, these new strategies will help you company bounce back along with the economy when the pandemic subsides.
Using PPC Marketing to Your Advantage
As mentioned, everyone is home right now logging lots of screen time, making it the perfect opportunity to leverage your PPC Advertising. Generally, cost-per-clicks (CPCs) are down, which means you can continue advertising, while saving money in your digital marketing budget. As some of your competitors go offline during this time, your business has the opportunity to capture that market share while maintaining the desire exposure for your company.
The Importance of SEO has NOT Diminished
During the coronavirus outbreak, the significance of SEO remains, increasing organic traffic to your site and giving you a jump on the competition. Now is not the time to put your SEO strategy on hold. If you do, both your leads and subsequent revenue will decline. Instead, press on, rising to the top of the list of the Google SERPs and gaining crucial exposure for your business. While you won’t go to the top in a single day, with strategic daily optimization of your site and your content plus a little time, you see a steady rise above the competition.
Plan for the Future
The current circumstances are fluid. Your business should be fluid as well. Engaging and connecting with your customers requires ongoing communication to help your business stay relevant. Communicate with your customers what you are doing to help them while they are under stay at home orders. It could be explaining how your business is following CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) protocols to keep both employees and customers safe or how you are making it convenient for them to access your products including parking lot pickup, as well as curbside and at-home delivery.
If your business is service oriented, consider what services you can offer online or what benefits you can provide free of charge. Every opportunity to reach your customers, from delivery to online offerings will only serve to boost your business now and into the future. Keep your customers informed regarding new procedures, as well as how to connect with your business, and keep your digital PR strategies focused on what the positive ways you are responding the pandemic and most importantly, their needs.
As you look toward the future, and the better times to come following the end of the COVID-19 outbreak, your customers spending habits will return to normal as the world does. Right now, you should be prepping your business and developing your digital PR strategies for that time. Remember, marketing is a long-term plan, and what you do in the present will affect your future, so plan accordingly.
And should you need guidance now and in the days ahead, DigitalPR powered by Exults can help you leverage your digital PR strategies for success. Contact us today to learn more!