Who would have thought 3 short months ago that we’d all be sitting at home, working on our laptops and tuning in to daily Zoom meetings while wearing pyjama bottoms we hope no-one notices? To say 2020 has been a shocker is a slight understatement, and it’s likely been a shock to your business operations too. You’ve likely had to tighten your purse strings, make some tough decisions and cut back on what may seem like frivolous expenses. And though we know this can’t have been easy, we hope there’s one expense that you still have faith in – your digital marketing. As we discuss in this post, a well thought out digital marketing strategy could well be the business function that gives you the upper hand over your competitors when this all blows over and helps your business see greater success sooner rather than later.

Why Should I Continue To Invest In Digital Marketing?

It’s a good question. Search engine optimisation (SEO) relates to how well you rank in Google and other search engines for key business terms, as well as local terms and phrases. For example, if you own a Manchester-based business that sells electronics, you may want to rank on page 1 for terms and phrases such as ‘Manchester headphones’, ‘laptops in Manchester’ and ‘latest game console release Manchester’. The thing about SEO though, and a successful SEO campaign, is consistency, and continuity. Every month you’re not searching for new keywords, optimising your website pages with them and adding a fresh injection of content to boot, is another month where your rankings will decrease, as your website becomes less relevant and credible. When you consider that 75% of online traffic will not venture past page 1 of the search results, a strong SEO campaign is always necessary – especially when it comes to outdoing your competitors.

Other key ranking factors include positive reviews, online citations and your backline profile.

What About Social Media Marketing?

Social media usage has grown as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown, as more users go online to stay connected with family, friends and colleagues. WhatsApp has seen a 40% increase in usage. TikTok has seen an 18% increase in downloads. Facebook usage has increased by 37%, not to mention sizable increases on Twitter, Instagram Stories, various podcast platforms and Zoom. This presents businesses with an opportunity to communicate more effectively with their audience, building brand trust, credibility and paving the way for future conversions. 

You could also try and think of innovative ways that your audience could use your products and services while at home, and you may find this opens up a whole new demographic.

Digital Marketing Results Don’t Just Happen Overnight

Perfecting the art and science of digital marketing takes time, and the more time you spend really delving into your SEO, content and social media campaigns, the greater the return. Leave your digital marketing by the wayside and the return will not be so great. In fact, while your competitors continue to improve their SERP results and create beneficial content that inspires and engages, you’re losing online visibility, reducing website traffic and ultimately website conversions and sales. Can you afford to lose business post COVID-19?

We know times are tough, but times may prove tougher for those who don’t at least engage with their audience online. Create that sense of community. Build strong relationships with your audience, and ensure you’re staying safe and well while you do so. 

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