The impact of the novel coronavirus worldwide did not spare anyone.
There is a massive trickle-down effect across industries – healthcare, education, telecommunication, finance, food, hospitality, tourism, among others.
The pandemic is changing the business landscape and consumer behavior on a global scale.
According to the eMarketer and Business Insider Intelligence, the spread of coronavirus is likely to boost digital media consumption across the board as people spend more time at home and communicate in person less.
“In the US, where the effects of the virus are still relatively new, we expect digital media consumption to increase across social media, over-the-top video, and online gaming—similar to what we’ve already seen in China,” added the eMarketer and Business Insider Intelligence.
In addition, according to Criteo’s recent research, over 52 percent of the consumers in the US and UK are considering to shop online in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.
Why do you need to know those information?
It seems to be a double-edged sword, but holding this information in your hand is vital for your next business strategy online.
It gives you a clear picture of the promising opportunities amid the challenges.
Now that your consumers are always online, be online, too. How can you take advantage of the existing online platforms?
1. Get an E-Commerce Website.
What is an e-commerce website? E-commerce or electronic commerce is a business model that involves buying and selling transactions on the web.
Your favorite online shopping websites like Amazon use this model.
How is it different from a regular website? Most businesses create a website to showcase information about the company, the brand, and the products and services they offer.
An e-commerce website, on the other hand, is your physical store online. People who visit your e-commerce website can buy items, arrange for delivery, and even pay online.
It means an e-commerce website has features not usually found on your regular website.
If your business closed because of the pandemic, getting an e-commerce website is one of the best options to continue reaching out to your customers.
2. Get to know your online tools.
Research about your online resources extensively. You need to know your tools’ features, strengths, and limitations to maximize their potential.
Be guided with the following questions, too.
- What social media accounts your clients and consumers are frequently using?
- Are they using Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or YouTube?
- What are the features of these social media platforms?
- What features can you optimize to reach more target market?
- What are the pros and cons of using each platform?
- What are the latest updates about each platform?
- Which tools are actively used by your competition?
- What type of content is efficient and effective on each social media platform?
Remember that these tools are constantly evolving. No matter how extensive you social media strategy is, it has to be flexible, too.
3. Do online advertising.
Did you know that you can advertise for as low as $10 and reach thousands of target and potential markets on Facebook? You can also increase your budget over time.
Take risks and do online advertising. Explore your various options on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Google.
4. Explore web conferencing tools.
Most of us are forced to stay and work from home. Emails and chats are not enough to foster efficient collaboration.
Why not adopt the use of web conferencing tools, instead? There are a variety of web conferencing and collaboration tools you can choose from like Zoom, Google Hangout, and Facebook Rooms to name a few.
5. Hold webinars, events, and conferences online.
You can do webinars, events, and conferences for FREE or you can require participants to pay a minimal registration fee.
There is a massive opportunity for networking, connection, collaboration, and sales in holding these activities online.
You can talk about a variety of topics related to your brand, including news about your company, your products and services, and the value your clients can get from these.
6. Create Content. A lot of content!
Use this time to up your content game. Create a gallery of engaging photos, graphics, infographics, and videos. Write blogs, articles, handbooks, e-books, and books.
Publish these on your existing websites or social media platforms and cross-promote on other websites like Quota, Yahoo Answers, among others.
In conclusion, change is constant and we are in the middle of an unprecedented change at the moment.
What is happening can be scary and exhausting, but if we embrace it and the opportunities it brings, we can still grow our business amid this pandemic.
If you need help in your digital marketing initiatives, our web and social media teams will be happy to assist you. All you need to do is send us an email at info@pixelsandweb.com.
She is a social media manager for Pixels and Web. She is also a content specialist and a former content editor for an online news site. When she runs out of words, she runs ultra-marathon races for a cause. She loves Doctor Who and she believes she’s a daughter of Time and Space.