The internet is extremely accessible, and more people than ever are using it today. In light of recent events, people have taken to the internet to shop for essentials (IE food, cleaning supplies, dog food, etc.) and to seek entertainment (IE videos, e-reading materials, and streaming services). COVID-19 is changing everything, and if your business begins to fall behind, you might start feeling the pressure. However, digital marketing strategies can help keep your business strong right now, so it can thrive long after this is all over. We know that you’re the expert in your industry, but you may not be an expert at digital marketing — that’s where our digital marketing experts come in. They’ve compiled which strategies you need to equip your business with right now to help you survive and thrive during this difficult time.
Use Banner Ads as a Survival Tactic
Your digital marketing survival kit should include banner ads because they are a powerful way to promote your online business through an image rather than text. They can increase and generate traffic to your website by directly linking to it and can be static or animated. We know you’ve seen them, but for them to be successful, you need to be strategic with where you place your web banners. Consider your target audience and place your banner ad on a website with the same or similar audience. While we’re all stuck inside, many of your customers will be spending even more time online, so this is a great time to (visually) highlight your business’s products and/or services.
This is the Time to Dispatch Relevant Blogs
Another tool to add to your digital marketing survival kit are fresh, engaging, relevant blogs. Regardless of the size of your business, integrating blogs can help benefit you in more ways than one. Why should you add blogging to your arsenal of survival tactics? Because not only are massive amounts of people spending more of their time online during quarantine (and more time reading blogs), but blogging can also:
- Build brand awareness
- Drive traffic to your website
- Develop and strengthen relationships with your audience
- Boost SEO
In fact, during lockdown, users have been spending an average of 20% more time on apps and mobile, so it’s also a good idea to ensure your site is mobile friendly, too.
Retargeting Can Help Refuel Your Business Right Now
Visitors and potential customers are crucial right now for your online business. If you didn’t win over a customer the first time around, there’s always a second chance with smart retargeting or remarketing tactics. A business will use retargeting to bring back a potential customer after it leaves the site. This type of online advertising uses cookie-based technology to specifically target these users who have left your website before converting.
Hunker Down with a Bing Web Search
When you think of a web search engine, we bet your mind immediately goes to Google. But if you’re looking to diversify and target a new audience, Bing is your answer. While over 60% of consumers use Google when conducting a search, approximately 30% use Bing. When creating your digital marketing survival kit, if you choose to ignore the benefits of Bing, that’s like ignoring every third person who is interested in your business! After this outbreak is over, you’re going to want to come out on top (of the search engine results), so practicing smart techniques like incorporating Bing into your strategy will keep you at that number one spot.
Deploy Smart Google My Business Tactics
While we’re all practicing social distancing, it’s a great time to focus on (virtually) connecting with your customers. And what better way to do that than incorporating Google My Business (GMB) into your survival kit? GMB is a free tool that allows your business to appear in Google search results. You can easily list your business location on Google maps and have it appear on local searches. Your GMB page can provide your customers with important information, such as:
- Your address
- Your hours of operation
- Your phone number
- Your reviews
So when a potential customer is searching for the “best takeout pizza near me”, your business will be at the top of their list.
Google Local Service Ads Are Critical For Your Business
While we’re all spending more time inside these days, we’ve come to heavily rely on the simple things in life: good food, binging a Netflix series, or turning your bathroom into a personal spa. Although you’re a business owner, you still know what happens when your electricity goes out or your pipes become clogged — you hop on Google, type in “plumber”, and you’re hit with 1,300,000,000 results. How are you supposed to decide who can help you in your time of need? That’s where Google Local Service Ads comes in. The first three results you see are “Google Guaranteed” partners meaning they paid Google to appear in this spot. Although many small and medium-sized business owners are tightening their budget right, setting up Google Local Services Ads can help get your business overcome this challenging time.
Here at beMarketing, we know that businesses of all sizes are feeling the impacts of this pandemic, but it’s important to remember two things: digital marketing is YOUR secret weapon, and we are here for you! Our Hive is buzzing more than ever with ideas that will help businesses navigate this time, so more tips, tricks, and tactics will be flying your way, and we hope you continue to Thrive With the Hive. If you would like more marketing tips on how to keep your business thriving, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.
