In the current climate, businesses are pulling back on Social Media marketing on the understanding that all the content they push out is not relevant at the moment.
Over the past number of months and years, marketing products and services have been the driving force to building engagement and awareness for some brands.
We now find ourselves in new territory at the moment when it comes to marketing and we must tighten our belts with the insecurity of income and reducing our current outgoing spend. Social Media Marketing is one of the expenditures that is always first to go.
This can be one of the worst decisions you can make, think about all of the good work you have done over the past number of months and years to stop now and go quiet would be a big mistake for two reasons.
Firstly, your followers will miss seeing your content and you will not stay in front of mind for them.
Secondly, if you start back posting after this crisis is over it will take you longer to show back up in your followers feed.
So What Can You Do?
It is now time to reevaluate your content. Currently, most people around the world and in your local community are social distancing themselves. They now have a lot of spare time on their hands and are searching Social Media and other online websites for more information about COVID19 that will increase their knowledge of this pandemic.
With this in mind, there are opportunities to get in front of them and help them understand how you can help them through this with advice from your sector.
As a business owner with a content marketing strategy that has been in place over the past few months, the content you have scheduled may not be appropriate for the current climate. If your posts are based on fun videos or content, take into consideration that your audience may be feeling a bit scared, anxious, worried and freighted right now, so maybe hold back a bit on the fun side. Don’t lose your sense of humour but air on the side of empathy and help.
Think about the community that you serve and how you can help and offer support and advice and give some reassurance. One security company gave Security Tips for business owners on how they can protect their premises during the lockdown period.
We have seen posts from a Dental Surgery give advice about oral hygiene some easy actions people can take to prevent toothaches, decay and other dental problems.
So by rethinking your message, you can help, through your expertise, look at the skills you possess and think about how you could share some great advice.
In a recent webinar, I watched with Jay Baer he made a point that resonated with me, “What you do in the next five weeks could determine what you do in the next five years” In other words, it is about paying it forward and helping others at this time.
The advice we give today is the influence of tomorrow!
In a recent Google report on Coronavirus, it states that sentiment has dropped for “Brands that are not dealing with the changes and our new normal”. Businesses that fail to adapt will lose out in the long run.
The report also notes that Google has seen a massive increase in search for the word “bored” so maybe you could create some content around ways to relieve this thing we call “boredom”
I read a post on social the other day the “I spy with my little eye quiz” where someone put up the quote “I spy with my little eye something orange” …. Now find a photo with something orange on your indoor camera roll and share it in the comments. Coming up with nostalgic memories is another way to keep you top of mind plus raise interaction for your posts and most importantly help people through their day.
Final Note.
The key is not to stop posting on Social Media. It is about adapting to the situation we find ourselves in and take a different approach and stop selling and start helping.
Ensure you stay in mind and keep communicating with your followers and customers.
Stay Safe
Alan Hennessy is head of digital at Kompass Media and one of Ireland's Leading Social Media Experts. He is also a Social Media Consultant and Trainer and speaks about Social Media & Digital Marketing all over Ireland and in the UK. The Social Media Talks podcast is among the top marketing podcasts in the world. Contact Alan to have him speak to your company event or conference soon.
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Contact Alan for more details Email: alan@kompassmedia.ie or Call 086 856 9960.
Visit our website for more details on Tailor-Made Training www.kompassmedia.ie/Tailormadetraining
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