BRANDS CAN’T STAY SILENT

Brands are under the microscope.

As if the pressure on companies weren’t enough - consumers, stuck indoors and using social media more than ever, are paying close attention. They all want to know what companies are doing in response to the crisis.

 

BE TRANSPARENT

Customers want to know how brands are looking out for employees, suppliers, customers and their wider community.

Issue statements across your brand’s channels detailing what you are doing during this time if you haven’t already. Even if your brand is sticking to planned campaigns, your brand still needs to show awareness, acknowledge and act accordingly.

 

HOW BRANDS SHOULD ACT

• LISTEN

Listen to your consumers to find out how they’re reacting. Monitor what people are saying on social media. Listen to what people are saying about your brand, competitors and your market in general. You want to keep abreast of the broader conversations around coronavirus and how people are responding. You’ll not only find out what your customers want and expect from your brand, but you can also uncover opportunities where your company can help.

Monitor hashtags, keywords and any shifts in consumer engagement or behaviour. Also, look out for emerging and current trends.

Anticipate any questions or comments with prepared, pre-approved responses, to questions like, what steps your company is taking to protect employees, about employees who may have contracted the virus, or product availability or service delivery concerns.

 

TRENDS:

Social media and content consumption have skyrocketed. Social distancing means more people are spending more time online and consuming content to take a break from the non-stop coronavirus coverage. 

 

HUMOUR IS THE BEST MEDICINE

What has become apparent since the start of the crisis, people are turning to humour to help them cope. More than ever, there is an abundance of viral content intended to make people laugh. We’ve all seen hilarious viral videos circulating of people trying to entertain themselves while being stuck at home.

 

COMMUNITY MATTERS MORE THAN EVER

Messages of solidarity and of hope and comfort are being expressed from every corner of the globe. Social distancing means more and more people are creating ways for people to come together online. 

Artist and musicians have streamed performances, publications and content websites have made all their previous paid content available to everyone for free. 

On a more personal level, groups of friends are joining each other online to play board games or entertain neighbours with impromptu jam sessions from their balconies. Already establish online communities, like online gaming and forums, are winning back and gaining new members in droves.

• BE HUMAN

We strive to make brands more personal, more human and more relatable. This is where brands can show it. Be empathetic to your audiences experiences and meet them where they are emotional.

• BE TRANSPARENT

Consumer demand transparency from the brands they support. Communicate truthfully about how your company is dealing with the changes. Act in the best interest of people, not profits. 

Don’t hide general comments about the coronavirus on your social media channels. However, any false or misleading information should be. Especially content that contradicts official health and safety guidelines or contributes to feelings of fear or anxiety.

• ADAPT

Most if not all regular campaigns planned for 2020 are out the window. Consumer behaviour has changed drastically due to social distancing and working from home. Companies should be monitoring and anticipating any changes in consumer behaviour and be ready to pause campaigns, reassign spending and possibly revise any creative messaging. Adapt your strategy and plans.

• HELP WHERE YOU CAN

The brands that use their digital channels to make a positive impact will keep their brands top-of-mind after the crises. It’s an opportunity to build real affinity with consumers. Brands that give consumers comfort, hope or reassurance will have earned their loyalty. Find ways you can offer help, support or comfort your audience in these times. 

During these challenges brands who live their True North will demonstrate their core values and strengthen their perceptions, they have created for themselves.

Consider carefully if your brand can contribute in meaningful ways. Even if your brand isn’t in a position to help, there may be a way to use your companies expertise, resources or platforms to contribute to solutions to issues people are facing or using your platforms to share useful helpful information. 

 

WHAT BRANDS SHOULD SAY

Communicate how your company is looking after employees health and welfare as well as what you’re doing to adapt to your customers’ needs. If the current global crisis is disrupting normal operation you can manage customers’ expectations. Timing is also important. Inform customers through social media and on your website especially if your brand has a retail website.

Brands that links themself to the crisis, should have a genuine association with it and play an active role in helping. The slightest hint of insensitivity, opportunism, or worse, profiteering, will be dealt with swiftly in the public court of social media. The damage to your brand could be irreparable.

How do we continue to communicate effectively and achieve meaningful customer engagement? Here are some guidelines to evaluate your contents messaging:

• Are you in danger of being accused of profiting off the crisis?
• Will your content cause fear or anxiety?
• Does it depict or make light of advised social distancing?
• Is it insensitive to people under different or worse circumstances?
• Will you damage the image of any brand partners, like influencers or another agency?
• Is the tone appropriate for the context?
• Is the content valuable?
• How can the brand contribute in a meaningful way?

 

References:

Navigating your campaigns through COVID-19

Silence isn’t always golden

A running list of stories about how brands are responding to coronavirus

 

KEEP YOUR BEST SEO FOOT FORWARD

SEO can be one of the most cost-effective forms of advertising when done successfully. It requires lower investment when compared to other media, while the positive results gain over the long-term. And not as soon as the budget runs out.

Search engine marketing produces sales and leads precisely because the consumer is connected with your brand when they are searching for your product or service

Even if overall sales of your product or service go down because of the economy or the pandemic, you can offset some of your losses by investing in a comprehensive search engine marketing program that puts you in front of those that are still in a buying frame of mind.

Analyse your website’s data on Google Analytics and Search Console. You may find new audiences you never have anticipated. Then investigate, target, strategise and begin engaging them with new content formulated to reach and engage them with the aim of creating a new online community. 

 

Steps To Improve Your SEO Efforts During COVID-19

• FIX WEBSITE ISSUES

When online is the only place you can reach your audience, if your website is slow, unintuitive or lacks meta-descriptions, you’ll be underperforming and losing ranking and consumers.

• HAVE A DEDICATED PAGE

Many people are wondering how the brands they support are managing this, ‘new normal’. Implementing a dedicated COVID-19 webpage covering your company’s steps and measures is not only good for the brand but also improve your search engine ranking as more people search for this type of information. 

• MONITOR YOUR SITE TO SEE ANY CHANGES IN CUSTOMER BEHAVIOUR

Monitor your site to understand how your customers are engaging with you. Uncovering these trends and changes can help you bolster your marketing strategies and ensure that your digital campaigns remain strong throughout the crisis.

• MONITOR KEYWORD SHIFTS

Staying on top of the recent and relevant search trends can help you create a targeted content strategy that will interest your users. The keywords people are using now can help you create content that will be useful to customers. Writing and creating content around these keywords will help maintain your search rankings during the crisis and after. Just be sure the keywords make sense for your business, brand, and industry.

• PRIORITIES TOP-FUNNEL CONTENT

Consumer behaviour and interests are changing dramatically. Create content and campaigns that allow you to capitalize on these changing interests. Expand your funnel to engage new prospects and build interest in your brand by creating more than your typical top-of-funnel content.

• FOCUS ON EDUCATIONAL CONTENT

With more people consuming more content not just for entertainment but also to learn. Does your brand have an opportunity to inform, build trust and win customers by sharing helpful educational content? Studies have shown after reading a brand’s educational content, customers are 48% more likely to buy from that brand.

Referral Links:

• Best SEO Tips for Marketing During the Pandemic Plus 9 Top SEO Platforms
• Importance of SEO During COVID-19 Pandemic
• 7 reasons to boost your SEO during the Coronavirus Pandemic
• 10 Ways SEO Could be Helpful During the Pandemic COVID-19
• 5 Completely Sane Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Stop SEO Efforts During COVID-19
• Why You Should Continue SEO During The Coronavirus Pandemic
• How To Adapt Your SEO Strategy For Covid-19
• 4 Tips to Build a Strong SEO Program During COVID-19

PPC STRATEGIES DURING CORONAVIRUS

Search behaviour reflects users’ priorities. It’s become increasingly clear that peoples’ focus is on the essentials and preparing for the worst as social distancing measures look like they’re here to stay for months to come.

These are unprecedented times for businesses of all types. It’s uncertain how long the current situation will last and if this is in fact out new normal. Businesses will need to adapt to their customers’ new needs and find solutions for them.

Here are our tips to start realigning your all-important budget in these challenging times.

• DATA-INFORMED MESSAGING

Use Google Trends to monitor the shifting search interests.

• INVEST IN BRAND BUILDING

Switch your messaging from hard-sell to brand building. Connect with consumers, capture their data to remarket to them later. You’ll then be able to stay top-of-mind when consumers are more inclined to buy.

• COMFORT & EMPATHIZE WITH CUSTOMERS

Be sure your ad copy reflects how your company is responding to this new environment.

• REDIRECT SPENDING

Shift your budgets to products or services that have more relevance during this time.

• FOCUS ON VISUAL CONTENT

People might not be buying right now but, staying top of mind is even more important now. Best way to do this through PPC is with visual content. Users remember images that make an impression far easier than headlines or copy.

• FOLLOW SEARCH TRENDS

To keep relevant during short-term SEO and PPC campaigns, be aware of what’s being searched, for now, we suggest Google Trends.

• CREATE TIMELY RELEVANT CONTENT

Take this opportunity to communicate and give unique brand insights into the situation. Make sure you have a good mix of content that’s both “business as usual” and relevant to the crisis so that you don’t appear insensitive or tone-deaf.

• Ramp Up Digital Content

If your business involves a lot of in-person consulting or training, now is the time to explore online training.

• Shift Online & Adapt

If you are a local business or retailer, you’re going to have to think long-term. Is it possible to shift a portion of your business online or change your business model? Can you shift in-store experiences to virtual or in-store purchases to delivery?

• Optimize Your Content

If you are creating content about the coronavirus or any trending topic, you want to ramp up your optimization efforts so it stands a chance of coming up in search results.

• Use Search Marketing for Branding & Crisis Communications

If you’re incapable of making sales like many brands, you can use search engine marketing for brand building.

Ford pulls national vehicle ads, replacing them with a coronavirus-response campaign

• Stay Ahead of Your Competition

If you pause your search marketing campaigns, and your competition doesn’t, who will be set up for success when this whole thing passes? Which brands will people follow through all of this — those that stay in contact, or those that shut down?

 

Additional PPC Resources:

• Paid search ad copy strategies during coronavirus
• 5 Tips for Managing PPC During the Coronavirus Outbreak
• Don’t Quarantine Your Marketing
• Desktop search is rising amid the work-from-home surge
• How B2B companies can be proactive about managing paid media during COVID-19
• PPCChat | Impact on PPC Industry Due to Coronavirus Outbreak | 17th March 2020

 

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