10 Digital Marketing Ideas to Consider During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) times

Our world is facing a very serious challenge with the spread of Coronavirus, but there is hope on the horizon.

Companies have been hit hard since the economy was affected by COVID-19. Groceries are left with empty shelves, while restaurants are like ghost towns.

It is a unique opportunity for brands to unite together. Our societies need each other now more than ever before. People need support, understanding, education, and resources. Social media can provide exactly that and can be very powerful if implemented correctly.

Try to Stay Positive – It’s Going to Get Better

If you followed continuous news updates about the coronavirus, you may be wondering whether we will be able to leave our homes again. But this situation will not last forever. And your business isn’t closing.

"It will get worse before it gets better,". But don't miss the end of that quote: It’s going to get better.

Do you want any proof? See further where the Coronavirus started.

According to CNN, China is lifting travel restrictions and life is returning to normal. The outbreak of the coronavirus has been largely contained in China, with uprisings prohibited and staff returning to work.

China also marked a milestone recently. For the first time since December, China did not have new local cases of coronavirus to report.

The United States is six to eight weeks behind in spreading the virus. If this trend continues, the United States of America should also see a significant drop in the positive tests for COVID-19 sometime around May.

This should only be a small disruption to your business. And when normalcy returns soon, you don't want to fall behind in your race to compensate for any possible loss of income.

As many come to a standstill, business owners must continue to move forward the fact that they will need to put them in the strong second fiscal season of 2020 to achieve their revenue targets.

It would be a mistake and a total waste of time and resources you have already invested in your business to gain strength in a crowded online marketplace. You will lose ground against your competitors and put your business in failure in the second half of 2020 when, according to all indicators, we will overcome this unfortunate outbreak.

History Shows If You Cut Less During Down Times You’ll Gain More in Better Times

Historically, companies that have chosen a more progressive strategy to redirect spending during the recession have outperformed companies that have made big cuts, according to studies analyzing recent recessions described in a blog post on Thursday by CXL.com.

A study focusing on what happened during the recession affected the company's performance after the recession. The study found that "successful leaders, who traded lower profitability in the short term for long-term gains, reoriented spending rather than cutting it."

The Harvard Business Review study studied 4,700 public companies analyzed three years before, during and after the recession. The study identified the percentage of firms that outperformed their competitors: 21 percent for companies that chose a prevention approach (more cost reduction) and 37 percent for a more progressive approach. The study found that "companies that cut costs faster and deeper than their competitors do not necessarily thrive." They have the lowest profitability (21 percent) of applying to compete when times improve. "

Additionally, Bain's report found that doing it right during the lean years had a major impact on the company's growth rate after the economy improved.

10 Digital Marketing Ideas to Consider During the Coronavirus

1. Connect With Your Customers on Social Media During a Critical Moment

We all deal with the effect of coronavirus outbreaks on our lives, you’ve tested positive or not. We all take precautions. We are locked in our homes and our children are not in school. We cannot visit our friends. We cannot eat in our favorite restaurants or go to the movies. This is the time to truly show empathy for others and help people wherever you can. This is a time when we all need to be sensitive, not excessive or aggressive, but it's a great opportunity for your brand to stand out during a difficult time.

Now there are more people on social media while they're stuck at home, looking for updates and trying to stay in touch in a suddenly isolated country.

It is a unique opportunity for brands to meet! Our societies need each other now more than ever. People need support, understanding, education, and resources. Social media can provide exactly that and can be extremely powerful if done right.

2. Make Sure Your Business Can Be Found Online

In case you haven't noticed, there are more people online now than in their cars or are walking on sidewalks. The number of search visits increased significantly during the past weeks and will continue to rise as we bunker down. We are all stuck to our computers and phones looking for updates within our community. We are also looking for entertainment and ways to spend time. For many, this includes online purchases.

Anything online will be consumed more now than ever before. This is not the time to hide. You must use SEO strategies to reach the top of Google's search engine results pages (SERP) in order to find your business easily.

3. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising is a Smart Move Right Now

With more people at home in front of their screens, this is a great opportunity for companies to use PPC Marketing to communicate with their customers and gain a competitive advantage. It is a great opportunity to save some money in the digital marketing budget. On average, CPC has fallen 6 percent in all areas since last week, and it is likely to continue to decline next week, reducing the amount of money the advertiser pays to the editor for each click on the ad. This gives your business another opportunity to earn that lost market share from others who retire during this period.

This is the time to continue digital marketing as other advertisers may communicate right now and companies may capture traffic and conversions due to reduced competition. In the interest of customers and we work to provide solutions to maintain exposure while giving priority to budget spending during these uncertain times.

4. Stay Ahead or Jump In Front of Your Competition

SEO helps your business increase free traffic to your website and outpace your competition. You want to be on the first page of Google SERPs, at the top of the list, so that when your customers search for specific keywords, you are the company they end up calling. Climbing to the top of SERPs takes time and strategic improvement strategies. If you do not continue to improve your website and content on a daily basis, you will lose valuable ground in the search results, and your free fall may result in the loss of thousands of dollars for your business.

It is important to stay ahead and do everything in your power to constantly update your website. The level of competition within companies is likely to increase in the near future, and it is also important that you remain competitive with your digital marketing strategy to help your site rank higher than its competitors.

What you don't want to do is stop the SEO campaign. This could be a critical mistake for your business. Prospects and income will suffer. This is also the time for your company to push more aggressively to outpace its competitors.

The competitors may stop their campaigns because of their fear of what will come or their current situation. This is the time to boost your campaign to improve your ranking and outrun your competition.

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5. Prepare Your Business For the Bounce-Back Surge 

As we noted earlier, the coronavirus outbreak should fade (just as it has in China) after a few months. That’s when normalcy returns and consumers’ spending habits stabilize. You have to remember that SEO is more of a long-term strategy. What you do today for your SEO campaign will affect your organic search traffic two months from now. Pausing your SEO campaign now could have a detrimental impact on your revenue potential two months from now when the coronavirus starts to become a distant memory.

As SEO professionals, the work we do today will affect the results months from now. If you stop the momentum now when the market starts to rise you won’t see the results you want. Anticipate the low times, prepare and press now while others are letting up. The results will be in your favor when you will need it.

6. Unique Circumstances Provide Opportunities for a Special Offer

During this uncertain period of time, you have the opportunity to show support to your customer base by offering special discounts that will keep your income flowing. Select the suitability of your product market and create a special offer. Many people browse looking for discounts to save money in times of anxiety. It is a great way to interact with your customers and maintain a steady flow of income that will keep your doors open. You can send your special offers via pay-per-click (PPC) ads and social media.

Get ready to take action with new strategies to help your brand return to a "healthy market". Preparation should start today.

7. Local SEO is now More Relevant; So Are Your Online Reviews 

We all made our trips and stayed close to home. In the rare moments that we leave our home, we search for nearby destinations for services and supplies. Therefore, you should ensure that your company uses local SEO strategies to improve your website for "near me" searches. You want customers in your geographic area to be able to find you easily online so they can come to you first. While we're all looking for more comfort, this gives your business the opportunity to help during a critical time for families.

Another way to boost your local SEO during this time is to forget the importance of adding positive comments. During coronavirus, managing reputation online is as important as ever because this is the time to truly communicate with your target audience during the chaotic time. To provide the right service or product to people during a difficult time like this, when they desperately need it during this COVID-19 pandemic, you will likely be rewarded with a comprehensive repair.

Although Google My Business (GMB) has temporarily suspended publishing reviews online, it still needs to be pushed to submit reviews to be posted when GMB returns to normal. One way to boost your brand during crises is to turn to a professional online reputation management company.

Companies have a great opportunity to improve their Google profile during this time of crisis. Companies can create a competitive advantage using a proactive approach.

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