We’re already used to the fact that digital marketing is an ever-changing industry, dependent on search engine algorithm updates, user behavior evolution, and the advent of the tech industry as a whole.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic introduced turbulence the world hasn’t faced in the recent past. Is coronavirus going to change the marketing game forever, or is this global lockdown just another bump on the road that won’t impose any long-lasting influence on the world around us?
In our current article, we’ll try to predict the future of marketing and the changes that the COVID-19 pandemic enforced.
Social media engagement
According to multiple sources, online activity has spiked during the epidemic throughout the entire demographic spectrum. Social distancing measures had a considerable influence on our internet usage growth, forcing us to interact with brands through a wide array of online platforms. Shoppable posts on Facebook and Instagram are nowadays more important than ever, and this trend is going to last as long as the threat of the new virus is active.
It’s important to understand that the coronavirus outbreak is not a temporary challenge, the world we live in has changed forever. It will take at least a few years before things start to get back to normal, which means the habits we build during this entire mess are going to stick for a while. With that notion in mind, we can rest assured that social media platforms will stay a vital marketing component for a foreseeable future.
Digital signage
While the governments and health organizations are trying to find sustainable solutions to keep the world going during these challenging times, marketers are also working hard to keep commerce afloat. Digital signage has proven its worth, nowadays more than ever, by providing a source of information and consumer interaction in a safe and practical manner.
No matter if you’re running a writing service that provides students with the best essays or a fast-food family restaurant, there’s much to look for in digital posters, self-help displays, and outdoor self-standing digital banners. Consumers can get information regarding your products, special offers, or even shop using a digital signage platform you provide within your store. This reduces the need for extra staff, which saves money and also keeps the minimal number of occupants inside a building.
According to a study published by Zendesk, 91 percent of consumers are happier with self-service business models than any other alternative. Moreover, the same study shows that people would rather use a knowledge base when making their shopping decisions than any other source of information. All these user-experience benefits can be harvested from digital signage tools.
Local SEO
Since the World Health Organization is urging countries to keep their borders closed and allow restricted entrance including only essential goods and services, as well as passengers with negative PCR test results, consumers are getting more and more oriented towards local business. This means that more people are browsing for local stores through Google maps and search, allowing local business to seize the advantage of global lockdown.
This means that now, and in the future, having your brand listed within Google My Business brings you closer to the growing army of shoppers who are forced to stay at home and acquire products and services locally. In order to retain these newfound consumers, business owners should work out long-term local SEO strategies and nurture consumer habits to do business with local stores. SEO develops through user interaction with search engines, which means this year’s change will make a significant impact on search engine optimization trends in the future.
Online video conference
Service-oriented business owners have a lot to look for in video conference usage, webinars, and online presentations in the post-corona world. According to a recent study, around 61 percent of patients would opt for telehealth service rather than visiting their doctor and risk catching the virus. The online consultations, presentations, and video conferences are on the rise since the introduction of social distancing and stay-at-home policies. Marketers should leverage this rising trend and utilize it to cultivate the will of their clients to engage in video calls.
Conclusion
These were some of the aspects of digital marketing that experience changes that will leave a strong mark in the future. However, since there is no clear answer to how long this entire ordeal is going to last, we can expect a more profound evolution of marketing in the future. It’s safe to assume that at one point, marketers will find a way to stabilize the market but even then, minor turbulence can change the image of digital advertising as we know it.
Author Bio:
John Peterson is a content writer with 4 years of experience working in London magazine “Shop&buy” and several college paper writing service agencies. He is a professional mini-tennis player and he has written the novel “His heart”. You can find him on Facebook.