It will not be enough to be present online anymore. Today, all brands that want to keep the meaning position on the market have been pushed even deeper into the digital world.
A key lesson of the crisis is that we can change things really fast when we want to. Just look at how many companies have pivoted assets, capabilities and priorities to innovate and contribute.
Not only is an online presence the only way to do business during these times, but people are also more likely to judge quality based on brand perception online. Conclusion?
- Offer an online version of your services and make sure your online presence is as good as it possibly can be.
- Reconsider your channels — if you want to be closer to your audience, social media is the right place to connect.
- Stay reactive — this is a general truth that is extremely important these days.
- Take care about the quality content as people are more sensitive and suspicious of how brands act and what type of content they publish.
- Involve your community in your marketing, if you’re a small business it’s likely they’ll want to help you survive.
Purpose, care and transparency will grow in importance
It’s clear that having a purpose is becoming key to brand success. The study made by Marketing Dive found that 63% of consumers prefer to purchase from purpose-driven brands and 74% said that they want more transparency in how companies highlight issues like sourcing products and ensuring safe working conditions.
Now it’s going to be even more important as people are more sensitive and suspicious of how brands act and what type of content they publish. Maxim “less but better” should refer to both product and marketing. The quality of the content you put out should reflect the quality of the products/services you offer.
Social media became the main point of contact with consumers
According to a study from Obviously, Coronavirus has sparked a huge jump in social media use. All social apps have reported an increase in usage and engagement. A lot of brands have quickly adapted to using social media as their main point of contact with their consumer and I believe that trend will not disappear in the near future.
As Taylor Gathecole (Founder, Kindwood) observes, “Consumer-led brands will need to harness the power of social media to engage with their audience. Consumers are going to need support from the brands they love, and people will be turning to their most trusted brands to lead the way and deliver content that shows true consideration for the consumer.”
Online purchasing will definitely keep increasing
Online purchasing becomes more and more popular thanks to convenient and safe methods of online paying and innovative e-commerce solutions. ChannelAdvisor surveyed 1,033 consumers alongside their partner Dynata, from across the UK. Overall 48% of respondents said they are shopping online more frequently than pre-lockdown. And not only that, they are spending more too.
This shift no longer surprises anyone however, the Coronavirus has caused that the Golden Age of online shopping probably began. People have recently been forced to shop online and realized how easy it is. Many brands have thrown all they have into making the online experience flawless — it’s unlikely that the trend will reverse given its convenience.
Do you want to discuss this topic further? My name is Wiktor Madejczyk. Feel free to contact me and share your point of view.
I am a strategist at Together and, along with Henryk Klawe and Bartosz Balewski, may help your organisation to benefit from digital transformation.
Sources:
- https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/strategy/coronavirus-brand-new-purpose
- https://huglondon.com/insights/whats-next-brand-and-marketing-post-pandemic
- https://www.campaignlive.com/article/coronavirus-sparks-huge-jump-social-media-use-study-finds/1677276
- https://www.marketingdive.com/news/63-of-consumers-prefer-to-purchase-from-purpose-driven-brands-study-finds/543712/
- https://huglondon.com/insights/brand-and-marketing-in-the-time-of-coronavirus
- https://www.channeladvisor.co.uk/blog/industry-trends/part-i-a-breakdown-of-consumer-shopping-behaviour-in-the-age-of-covid-19/
