It would be fair to say 2020 was a year like none other. As the novel coronavirus spread fear and terror across the world and nations went into lockdown, people turned like never before to the internet for everything from shopping to socializing.
Indeed, many psychologists believe the global psyche has changed – perhaps irreversibly – through the trials of isolation and distancing.
The world became a very different place as a result of COVID-19 – a world where marketing and branding took on more importance than ever for companies. With little in the way of real-world interaction, a firm’s online persona became its primary selling tool. Pretty much without exception, the companies that weathered the COVID-19 storm the best were those that had already invested heavily in their branding.
Key marketing and branding ideas for a new era
Despite the global vaccine rollout, most scientists agree that we will likely face another tough year ahead – perhaps with continued sporadic lockdowns but almost certainly with distancing remaining a requirement. With a changing world comes the need for a changing focus in terms of how your firm markets itself. While some of these may seem familiar concepts, if you don’t already engage in them, now is the time. COVID-19 restrictions will most probably be with us for some time yet so there’s no time to lose:
Take a cold, hard, impartial look at your website: If your site is over five years old, it will likely be dated, clunky and in need of a redesign. Design and coding standards have changed immeasurably in recent years and, given how important your website is in this non-contact world, you really can’t afford to take the chance of alienating users before you’ve even ‘met’ them. Even if your site is newer than that, it would still be a good idea to sit with an expert company and let them perform an impartial audit on your web pages and content. Marketing companies like Flyrise have vast experience of working with firms just like yours and can advise of potential design, navigation or layout issues as well as possible bottlenecks that might be impeding site usage.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO): It’s estimated that around 71% of all consumer journeys begin with a search – most on Google which, in February of 2021, accounted for a massive 86.6% of all search-engine-generated traffic. SEO is a highly detailed and involved process that aims to promote websites higher up in search engine results, with a view to increasing traffic.
Place an increased emphasis on customer retention: Desperate times often result in desperate measures and the consumer environment is more cu-throat now than ever. In an uncertain and rapidly-evolving world, the best thing you can do is to ensure you have high customer retention rates – so value your existing clients and look to fostering stronger relationships. In these troubled times, keeping clients is far easier than finding new ones.
Invest in your social media presence – and even drive sales: The world of retail is particularly competitive just now as established shops jostle for space among particularly proactive, socially- and web-aware start-ups. If you’re looking for a competitive edge as a retailer, you could perhaps think about setting up a social commerce shop on Facebook or Instagram, to enable you to sell directly, in-app.
