In today’s current climate, with nightly press conferences and rolling industry-wide lockdowns seemingly changing the world that we live in, now more than ever we see the need for brands to adapt and move quickly.
While some traditional media like television has struggled to keep up with these changes, digital marketing mediums like social media and Google Ads offer us as brands the ability to have an adapt our messaging to suit the changing conditions we are living in, and have an immediate impact.
Let’s take a look at a few examples of social media content or ads that I’ve seen in my social media feeds and see if they give you any ideas for your business on adapting your marketing efforts during this pandemic:
SOCIAL MEDIA DURING COVID-19
The Isolation Ideas
Many people are currently isolating themselves, in the hope of ‘flattening the curve’. But while people are stuck at home – how can they get their hands on your product or use your service? What special offers can you put together to ‘sweeten’ the deal?
Local winemaker Unico Zelo have cleverly put together an ‘Iso-Vino Care Package’ with a discount, free shipping, and they’re also conducting daily live-streamed tastings with the winemaker!
Selling products, getting them to the people who need them, AND creating a brand experience through their daily (virtual) happy hour too. Three ticks from me!
Another local winemaker, Signature Wines, have not only touched on the fact that people are isolating themselves and missing their mates, but they’re also addressing the new virtual catch-up trend through their ‘Send a mate a mimosa’ deal.
I’ll take a few myself, please!
(I promise this is the last wine-themed example I’ll give… because I know you’re seeing a pattern here!)
The Educational Opportunities
Many are seeing isolation or lockdown periods as an opportunity for continuing their education or learnings in a particular area, while also avoiding boredom!
I’ve seen quite a few different opportunities, but this one from Auslan Online caught my eye:
I’ve also received email marketing from Duo Lingo, encouraging me to pick a new language to learn through their app.
What learning opportunities can you offer people? Can you present a 1-hour webinar to educate people on your industry area? This webinar could be a paid opportunity to help create some income, or you could offer it free of charge and instead see it as a way to build your database of people to communicate with down the track.
The bonus for this is that you’re no longer limited geographically to the people in your local area… you could go national, or global!
NB – If you need help with leveraging the digital technologies available to help connect with people online… you can book into our webinar on 1 April – Book Here. If you missed out, email Tamara and we can book a quick tutorial with you.
Keeping the Kids Busy
With children being kept home from school, and many parents attempting to still continue working full time, albeit remotely – parents are desperate for things to keep the kids busy.
I love this local offer from Adelaide-based mobile dessert and coffee caravan Sugarcoated. With just about every upcoming event in Adelaide cancelled or postponed, they’ve innovated and come up with some DIY cookie kits for the kids. Yum!
Online retailer Hippo Blue have come up with some mega activity packs to keep the kids busy with something wholesome and fun:
So – providing that this aligns with your brand positioning – have you got something that could keep the kids busy? It could something like downloadable colouring in sheets for a colouring in competition, branded word searches, and more.
Embracing Virtual Opportunities
Many industries have been affected by lockdowns in the past week, one of these is the real estate industry. The Federal Government announced that there was to be no more open inspections, and no more auctions.
The below ad popped up in my feed today – an agent seeking to keep connecting with potential customers by offering to inspect properties for an appraisal by using smartphones!
Newly Created Services
There are also businesses who have adapted their service offerings to include things that are extremely relevant to the current situation we find ourselves in.
Local, family-owned company Allstate Pest Control have now broadened their service offering to include disinfection services for the home or workplace:
With hospitality businesses now no longer able to allow people to eat in, the restaurant and cafe game has changed immensely. Much-loved local cafe Argo on The Parade have not only added a new delivery service called Argo Eats, they have also decided to change up how they use their Instagram to help their followers to keep healthy:
For some (lucky) industries, business doesn’t have to stop amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
It has to adapt.
If you’re feeling stuck, or want to brainstorm some ideas – please just reach out via our contact form, or send us a direct message through our Facebook.
Myself and the team at Digital Marketing AOK are here to help, and we want everyone to get through this.