The pandemic has affected almost all life as we know it. Marketing is very definitely included in that. Businesses are still adapting to new market methods in order to survive. Some businesses may have been engaged in digital marketing for years, but others have failed to make the most out of it. Every business could benefit from better understanding digital marketing in the current climate. Let’s start by looking at why this is the case through the lens of digital marketing channels vs. traditional marketing channels.
Traditional marketing channels have something in common – they’re able to communicate their brand message to a broad audience. This kind of marketing includes the following channels:
- Trade shows
- Printed media
- Billboards
Digital marketing is more interactive. By using it, you can get feedback instantly in the form of views, likes, clicks, comments, retweets, and conversions. With traditional marketing, brand messages are communicated to wider audiences with only a small amount of options to narrow the target. With digital marketing, a business can select a specific audience and show them messages that will most likely resonate and encourage them to perform an action. This level of customization provides better results.
With Traditional Marketing Channels Frozen, Digital Marketing Comes to the Rescue
Digital marketing is no longer the new kid on the block. And it’s gained in popularity due to its unique benefits. Until recently, however, many businesses relied on traditional marketing alone.
Digital Marketing and the Pandemic
People the world over have been stuck at home in a bid to avoid contact or spreading the virus. Some countries imposed strict guidelines and only allowed their citizens to leave their homes when necessary. As was predictable, many people turned to the Internet, with web usage stats reflecting this. As COVID started to spread, traffic to popular websites spiked, as did mobile data usage.
Social media became the best way for people to communicate and connect with others while being stuck at home. Almost every social media platform reported sizeable increase in inactivity. Some businesses quickly saw an opportunity to provide meaningful engagement to digital users during the pandemic.
And experts in digital marketing reported a significant rise in the number of businesses wanting to create or update websites, launch new e-commerce channels, create targeted social campaigns for remote workers, and focus on influencers and SEO to tap into new audiences.
This is a better time than ever to use the power of digital marketing. Once you’ve reallocated part of your budget to it, you’ll find that getting started was easier than you thought. And the results are pretty much instantaneous.
Digital Marketing and the Future
We’re still facing the reality of the effects of the pandemic. So businesses that previously relied on nothing more than traditional marketings need to accept this new reality and jump on the digital marketing train before all their competitors do and they’re left trailing behind. Those companies that make the best out of digital marketing will have a better chance to survive the pandemic era than those that put it off into the future.
A Word on Content Marketing
When people mostly stay at home, content marketing could be one way to effectively communicate with your customers and increase pipeline generation. If you use the appropriate content marketing strategies, you can constantly engage and communicate with your customers, regardless of the pandemic. While trade shows were canceled, digital lead generation became the next best thing. Some marketers might make the argument that digital marketing can be inconsistent when it comes to increasing lead value. However, that claim could also be made about exhibitions and trade shows. If the leads are carefully vetted, content marketing can be effective in pipeline generation.
Content Marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
A massive 93 percent of online experiences begin with a search engine. A business can improve its search engine rankings and increase visibility by applying SEO. The aim of content marketing is to attract and retain a specific audience by providing them with informative, helpful, and valuable content. SEO is at its best when performed in conjunction with content marketing.
Develop Your Digital Marketing Strategy
The year 2020 will be remembered as one that changed the world. To many businesses, it will be the year they saw less success from their traditional marketing efforts, forcing them to make the transition to digital marketing and position their business to succeed in “the new normal.”