Post-Pandemic Marketing Lessons to Embrace Today
Covid-19 has changed the way people get information, connect, and even shop. These changes compel companies to reevaluate their consumer marketing strategies and develop fresh ideas for building customer loyalty.
Simultaneously, work habits have evolved. Small and hybrid occupations have replaced 9-5 office positions. A firm’s success depends on how teams communicate and interact.
And what impact does Covid-19 have on digital marketing operations now and in the future? Our research reveals seven significant trends that organizations must address in a post-pandemic future.
1. A brand's success depends on eCommerce:
The Covid-19 epidemic increased worldwide retail e-commerce sales to over $4.28 trillion, nearly $432 billion from the US. According to Statista, retail platforms had 22 billion visitors in June, up from 16 billion visits only five months earlier.
Despite the ending of the shutdown, Charged Retail predicted that online sales in the United Kingdom would exceed £10 billion by July 2021. Shopify’s Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) climbed by 57% in the second quarter of 2021.
Shopify isn’t the only winner. According to Global Data, 90% of the top 10 eCommerce sites like Amazon and Alibaba doubled-digit revenue growth. Covid increased the number of consumers accessing online shopping platforms.
Even after mass immunizations and a return to regular life, internet retail spending grows. Deloitte predicts that US holiday retail sales will rise by 7 to 9% by late 2021, while eCommerce penetration will increase by 85% in South-East Asia, outperforming India (+10%) and China (+5%), and digital consumer spending will rise by 60%.
In this new digital age, optimizing your brand’s eCommerce offering will result in more leads and sales.
2. Regaining lost ground via social media and networking:
Many firms may now fully use their digital networking presence with digital transformation. The fantastic element is that now all can quantify digital marketing channels. In the future, this will be a helpful feature since it will prove the value of networking.
Analytics will reveal the truth and provide the basis for intelligent digital marketing and social media choices. Studies indicate how powerful LinkedIn can be in marketing, and under the new global order, that influence may grow. The importance of connections will show in the following quarters and years.
UX is vital for online presence.
Companies have accelerated their digital transformation and the capacity to service practically every consumer requirement online.
No turning back.
Every company is vying to create the next immersive marketing episode for every consumer. Brands will no longer be the competition; it will be the consumer experience. So, the personalization of strategy and message will win the day.
3. Re-inventing sectors:
Retail industry
Primark, for example, lost $1 billion during the epidemic because it did not use an online approach. While shoppers expressed interest in an online store, Primark indicated that the expense of putting up an internet store would impact pricing.
So, what?
Primark was not equipped logistically, and setting up an online site would have been costly.
Other stores also suffered, permanently altering the high street.
Having gone bankrupt due to store closures, the Arcadia Group’s merchandise and brands, not its actual locations, were acquired for £65 million by internet retailer Asos.
On the other hand, those looking to sell unused or unwanted garments have blossomed on resale sites like Depop. Customers who respect sustainability are more aware of the lifetime and path of their purchases.
The pandemic’s inspired usage of Instagram & Twitter has directly impacted the publishing sector. Newer (and younger) audiences are being exposed to the delights of reading physical books, and brick-and-mortar booksellers are reacting by setting up displays based on what’s popular online.
Auto Industry
The auto sector, which has typically been low tech and sluggish to modernize digitally, was also severely impacted. Because compelled consumers to remain at home, the business had to devise alternative methods to sell vehicles. Many added new software, virtual test drives, and touchless pickup and delivery to entice consumers. Many used digital tactics to reach new and old consumers online.
With Nissan’s online experience Nissan@Home, you can purchase a vehicle from home, from test drive to contract to sign. Sonic Automotive, one of the USA’s leading car dealers, has recruited its first CDO and VP of Ecommerce to quadruple sales by 2025.
Businesses must be prepared to alter and reinvent their business strategy to survive and attract consumers in a post-pandemic environment.
4. The significance of community vs. global marketing:
Travel limitations caused others to remain home. That increased the value of local communities and re-energized places that had been ignored in favor of cities.
The terms’ local’ and ‘business’ increased by 80%, while ‘who has’ and ‘stock’ increased by 8,000%!
Staying local means #shoplocal.
As a consequence of this transformation, marketers must alter their communication style and content. Nextdoor, a neighborhood-focused social media network is one such example. The channel experienced a 73% increase in interaction and revenue during lockdowns as advertisers rushed to contact consumers locally.
That highlights the intricacy of future search marketing since firms must know what consumers want.
According to a recent Facebook survey, the number of Covid community groups has increased. 90% of people have assisted others through an online community, and 98% of people experience a sense of belonging to an online community. Marketers may use this growing reliance on and faith in online communities to interact with specialized groups and build loyal communities genuinely.
5. Paid search and brand marketing must work together.
It is simpler to analyze ROI and identify successful programs using paid search (also known as performance marketing). Brands may use native, social media, sponsored, or affiliate marketing to track leads, sales, and clicks.
Paid search marketing on Google, Amazon, and Facebook is popular. On the internet, more companies interacted with customers in Covid-19. With competition rising, marketing budgets are scrutinized.
Statista expects global advertising spending would reach $790 billion by 2022. According to Deloitte’s Human Values Compass, the pandemic has impacted consumer behavior, demanding empathy and trust.
Customers are becoming more curious about the companies they buy products and services. That is critical as consumers grow more conscious of companies that care about the environment.
Given Airbnb’s strong reputation, they can avoid performance marketing. Airbnb took a risk by concentrating on brand marketing, mainly PR. They chose to save money during Covid-19, but they discovered that their website traffic climbed by 95% without spending any money on marketing.
Most firms lack such power. Pay-per-click and brand marketing should use together to maximize money and effort.
6. The Customer experience is vital!
Pandemic forced to stay home, people changed. So did hopes.
More from businesses and online?
If a brand’s delivery did not fulfill their expectations, they went on.
Customers want a positive digital experience. So, brands should focus on providing solutions through online chat or WhatsApp marketing.
Restaurants, a major sufferer of the epidemic, strove to redefine themselves and their services. During the outbreak, customer tastes altered, benefiting all establishments. However, as restaurants seek to reduce margins, they have begun providing in-house delivery, making the future of the food industry rather intriguing.
7. Brand values will trump tech stack.
While technology will aid in marketing operations, the actual value to the strategy will be a basket of elements, one of which is the values embedded in the message.
The human aspect is everywhere. Data delivers insights, while human enablement promotes the translation of those insights into practical solutions. Human values, therefore, color marketing and maximize technology’s worth.
Marketing will change dramatically when the new standard sets in. It will be a delicate combination of strategy, beliefs, and technology, with solutions and services customized at its center. The epidemic has had an indelible influence on marketing techniques, but this shift may be a necessary course correction for better and more effective marketing.
8. Use digital marketing's potential
Time to share my personal experience
Research shows it was not easy for any startups to boost their business during the Pandemic. We started in COVID, worked on a fantastic marketing strategy, and got enrolled with small to big companies. After extensive research, I can fulfill the industry’s requirements by digging into cloud technology. Though it was hard to learn and empower new technology, Witty Technical Solutions has nailed it. The biggest marketing strategy that worked for us was doing our business online and reaching people through digital platforms. The above-shared trends had been implemented by Witty Technical Solutions and facing a considerable boost in-market presence and reputation.
Share your marketing trends to help others.