How did the Covid-19 pandemic affect digital marketing?
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us all to rethink just about everything we do.
From where we work and what we eat to how we spend our time and what we avoid, the global health crisis has more than just rewritten the playbook—COVID-19 tore it to shreds.
Many of us have abandoned our pre-pandemic routines, and that includes what we buy and how we buy it. So businesses hoping to have a pandemic future, or post-pandemic future, must continue to adapt to the all-consuming fallout of COVID-19, and the unraveling of the economy left in its wake.
The end of the 2021 fourth quarter is approaching. The beginning of the third year of COVID looms large. So drop what you’re doing and let’s discuss how you can reach your target audience in this age of upheaval. Let’s talk about digital marketing in the age of COVID.
If you’ve already adjusted, this can be your refresher. If you’re just beginning to adjust, then pay close attention because your pandemic and post-pandemic future are, no kidding, both at stake.
The Great Pivot
“We need to pivot. Lots of pivoting…all the time,” is the guidance from madebyspeak.com in a blog post titled, “What COVID-19 Taught Us About Digital Marketing.”
In other words, always be ready to adjust, tweak, modify or simply blow up a plan. Don’t be complacent. Don’t fall asleep at the wheel. Don’t keep doing something simply because you’ve always done it. Ask yourself if what you’re doing actually works, and place that in the context of the pandemic, where all bets are off. Above all, always anticipate, anticipate, anticipate. And don’t forget to pivot.
The New Competition Model
According to the Harvard Business Review, the outdated perspective on competition is that, “You are competing with your competitors.” The new truth, however, is that, “You are competing with the last best experience your customer had.”
Prior to COVID-19, the website reads, “Consumer expectations were already on the rise” and “Gen Z grew up with technology seamlessly integrated into their lives.” However, “When the coronavirus hit, digital transformation accelerated overnight. This, in turn, sent consumer expectations skyrocketing in terms of what companies could do for them with a more digital experience.”
Don’t forget who your competition is. Don’t forget that the stakes are very high. And don’t forget to pivot, then anticipate, then pivot some more.
