The past year saw businesses adapting to the pandemic, forcing people to avoid the virus. The situation compelled businesses to rethink their marketing strategies so that they can connect with their customers and stay afloat.
Even though things have improved over a year after the pandemic started, innovations in technology have made it essential for businesses to adapt to the latest marketing trends. Here are some of the things that businesses should consider when implementing their marketing strategies.
Continuing Significance of Social Media Marketing
Social media plays a significant role in digital marketing, especially with more than 200 million social media users in the United States. While social media platforms were created to facilitate interpersonal communication, they have become marketing platforms that allow businesses to connect with their market.
Social media marketing allows businesses to reach markets far beyond the current reach of traditional marketing platforms. It is also easy to create and publish content on these platforms, which facilitates the promotion of the products and services of a business.
And if businesses want to use paid ads, they can finetune their marketing campaign to a specific audience in the market. This increases the chance of additional revenue by allowing businesses to reach a market interested in their products and services.
For instance, Facebook Ads allow businesses to focus on a specific target audience. This allows the advertisement to appear on the newsfeeds of users selected by the targeting software of the social media platform. The personalization, reach, and visibility of Facebook Ads makes it a useful marketing tool.
Significance of the CMO
Developments in technology saw the role of the chief marketing officer (CMO)evolve into a chief experience officer. Some global brands even have a chief digital officer. The importance of the role was downplayed as digital marketing became widely used around the world. Some companies even removed the position in their organization since they did not see any need for it.
But the pandemic changed everything. It became necessary for someone to handle the marketing plan of a business while nurturing relationships with customers. The person had to manage different marketing aspects in the business, including brand position, e-commerce, crisis communication, and shopper insights.
The situation made it necessary to reinstate the position of the CMO in the company. Many companies are planning to re-establish the role to guide their marketing efforts amid the health crisis. If the business cannot hire a CMO to plan and implement its marketing plans, it can get the services of a market strategist. This professional will work directly with the business owner or CEO to work as the CMO part-time until the business can get someone who can permanently hold the position.
Engaging with Customers
Digital marketing allowed businesses to connect with customers from different parts of the world. It removed geographical and language barriers as businesses can offer their products to people living in other countries. In the past, customers needed to email to ask questions or file complaints about the products they purchased from the business.
But this has changed as more businesses have gone online after the customers started shopping online when the pandemic started. With more competition, businesses should start engaging their customers to ensure they continue buying products from them.
Businesses can interact with customers through chats, private messages, or emails. They can also answer questions through their social media accounts. But they should make sure to answer any questions or complaints professionally to diffuse any tension with the customer.
They should show that they are committed to listening to them and finding the best solution that meets their needs. If businesses satisfy the needs of their customers, they can look forward to repeating purchases. A positive customer experience is important for a business to receive positive reviews. It can even lead to word-of-mouth marketing as customers will recommend the business to their family and friends.
Effectiveness of Email Marketing
Email marketing may have existed for a long time already compared to the other digital marketing methods. But it continues to be an effective way of connecting with the market. The pandemic highlighted its relevance as people went online more than ever.
When businesses send emails to customers who agreed to receive promotions, they can increase the chances of converting these subscribers into paying customers. This marketing method can even increase customer engagement since it encourages customers to ask questions about the promotion offered by businesses.
Innovations in digital technology have made it important for businesses to stay updated with the latest developments in digital marketing. This allows them to stay ahead of their competition while staying afloat during the pandemic.
