Have you ever tried comparing several milk brands in the supermarket and still end up getting the same brand of milk? Or end up buying whatever brand that’s easily available?
Although consumer behavior isn’t always the same, they often act in a certain pattern.
In times like this COVID-19 pandemic, digital transformation plays a huge role to consumers, as they have limited access to the outside world unlike before. Suddenly, the possibilities for digital transformation becomes limitless and creates a huge opportunity for the untapped potential of digital marketing. But how can your brand stand out in the online age?
1. Let Your Consumers Feel Included
People are more isolated than ever. In a time when people are forced to stay at home, we tend to crave that human connection that we once had, and as a way of coping and adapting, we find ways to reconnect online through social media and find our sense of belongingness.
Connecting with people through online channels which allows consumers to feel that your brand is responding to their individual needs, contributing to their dreams, and inspiring them online with stories of love and hope. Show them how they can transform into the person that they want to be, and that your brand is the right choice for them.
According to a poll,
“Nearly two-thirds (65%) saying how brands respond to the pandemic will have a “huge impact” on their likelihood to buy their products.”
Conducted by Edelman Trust Barometer
This presents an opportunity for your brand to have a voice online by showing consumers how you decide to respond to a situation. It’s also a chance to show how much you genuinely care about this issue— allow consumers to feel proud that they’re doing their part by choosing your brand.
One example is Globe, a telecommunications company, created an initiative to raise money for the benefit of PGH Medical Foundation, Inc (PGH-MFI). Globe raised a total of P14M through the combined effort of the loyal Globe customers who donated over P9M through their accumulated Rewards points, and the initial pledge of Globe for P5M cash donation.
Like the old idiom – strike while the iron is still hot. But the key factor for digital marketing is about choosing the right moment to act and selecting the right words to post and market online.
2. Don’t Forget to Innovate
Times of change can often be terrifying when we fear the unknown, but it can also be exciting when you start to think of your next steps and try to map your way around an uncharted territory.
In a survey on digital’s role in helping people cope, it was reported that 83% responded that internet-connected technologies have helped them cope with COVID-19 related lockdowns, 73% responded that it helps them stay in touch with friends and family-based from the Digital 2020 July Global Statshot Report.
On the bright side, digital marketing is your best friend. It was reported that 45% responded that internet-connected technologies have helped them with their shopping; and 44% responded that it helps them get groceries from stores.
This data not only shows how much people use the internet to cope, but it also presents an opportunity for us to market online and have the brand transformation that you deserve.
The shift in the number of e-commerce transactions went up by 19.1% compared to the pre-COVID benchmark based on the Digital 2020 July Global Statshot Report. Since more people are now buying online, it presents an opportunity for business owners to adapt to the current trend and focus on digital marketing.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced brands to have a digital transformation which presents an opportunity for brands to reinvent themselves online as a way of connecting to the consumers.
But the bottom-line for innovation is by asking your brand, “How can my brand make my life and the lives of other people easier or more efficient?”
To simply put it, the key is to understand what the consumers need, want, and feel. At the same time, you have to keep reinventing yourself as time goes on.
3. Be Authentic
As cheesy as it may sound, it actually works. According to a survey, 86% of consumers agree that “authenticity is important when deciding what brands they like and support”.
Being authentic to your customers isn’t just about the product that you sell or the transformations and digital upgrades that you made in the past year, but it is also about your presence – how you are marketing your brand and choosing the right platform and right moment.
One example is, Angkas, a Filipino motorcycle ride-hailing application, responded by giving medical frontliners free transportation to their workplaces and on their way home, within Metro Manila and the nearby provinces by allocating 1,000 riders during the modified enhanced community quarantine.
Angkas has always shown genuine care for the Filipino commuters, but the brand somehow shows how much they care and the lengths they are willing to go to support what they are passionate about – the people who commute.
It may often be a risky way to go, but nothing beats being authentic.
Make sure to let your message flow clear and concise. Don’t let it get mixed up with everything else, or else it’ll be a mess.
If you’re just starting out a business, don’t fuss too much and keep it simple. Usually, people like simple and relatable.
It is all about positioning your brand and staying true to the vision that you have set for your brand and setting out as a model.
4. Ask for Help
Although sometimes we often feel lost and overwhelmed with everything that has been going on, we often feel like we are living in limbo. It is always best to ask for help.
The COVID-19 pandemic pushed some brands to have a digital transformation, as people are asked to stay at home and observe proper social distancing. The consumers aren’t always going to have the same attitude, and there isn’t always the perfect situation, but you can always find the good in every situation and transform it into the best possible outcome.
Our team at Eight Media has always been one of the most dependable enablers of digital transformation that helps various local and international brands achieve a stable environment to keep your business going. Know more about how we can help you move your business in the direction of innovative digital marketing.
