COVID – 19 May Boost Digital Marketing in the Coming Months
Major events that affect whole populations turn lives in many ways. Apart from leaving an effect during the event, it also acts as a catalyst for big changes after. It was first observed in the 20th century when the First World War took place and the world experienced social changes and universal sufferings. Such situations rose more than once after that too. At present, most people suspect that Covid-19 is also going to leave a similar effect over lifestyles, social attitudes, and how people work and purchase things.
How Is Working Online Keeping Firms Going?
The main problem in most countries during this situation is an inevitable recession. The government needs to take necessary steps while the economy is suspended. However, with time, people can return to their jobs while farms start to recover. Now, there are some firms that are able to resume working – such as firms with staffs who can work from home.
Benefits of Remote Working During Covid 19 Crisis
- It allows firms to maintain business continuity when work premises cannot be accessed.
- It ensures that any staff with any sort of illness can work in isolation. So, he/she will not pass his/her illness to the colleagues.
- It provides staff with the flexibility of being at home all day. So, they can have an appointment or wait for a delivery.
- It also offers environmental benefits by ensuring less travelling.
However, remote working requires the staff to be IT-literate, and some of them must be a lot more efficient with using IT and the web.
How Acting Online Is Affecting Lives As A Whole
- As people are ordering everyday shopping online, they do not have to go outside and endure long queues at crowded markets.
- Every non-essential good and service can be purchased online, which is making eCommerce firms busy.
- When other sources of entertainment are not available, the internet can prove to be one.
- The internet, as well as social media, is a useful tool that can help people to be in touch with family and friends who they cannot visit in person.
How Do Digital Marketers Respond to Covid 19 In the Short Term?
It is the best time for digital marketing to come to the front. The billboards that are usually seen by millions of people are now left beside empty streets. Moreover, no events are being held and fewer people are going out to collect newspapers. However, people are online for longer periods now more than ever, and their chances of interacting with content marketing blogs and seeing advertisements on social media are higher. So, there are some obvious targets for digital marketers to focus on while many goods are in greater demand right now –
- Social media because it will forever be important to maintain links
- Websites with sport-related content because the live sport is absent
- Firms acting ethically in retaining staff and paying suppliers or supporting food banks
The Aftermath
When the current restrictions will be lifted, the initial reaction will be the same for many people. They will want to go offline and do things that were not possible for many days, like visiting family and friends, visiting theatres, museums, restaurants, sports grounds, gyms, libraries, and more. However, digital marketers should know that many economists are expecting that the recovery will be gradual instead of a strong rebound. It also means that the marketing strategies useful in this crisis will become obsolete gradually.
However, it is possible that using the internet more for shopping, gaming and more will become a habit for many people. Moreover, consumers can develop some very different attitude, priorities, and values from this crisis and all of it will impact eh way they will spend their time and money.
This is why it is essential for digital marketers to research changes in consumer habits. The use of the internet and the growth of eCommerce is already a major feature of life and economics, but the crisis of Covid 19 has accelerated this growth.