The COVID-19 pandemic has turned lives upside down. In the past months, every individual and business have witnessed drastic changes in the day-to-day aspects of their lives. Nothing and no one is spared from the effects of the global pandemic.
Advertising, for one, is one of the industries that had truly felt the impacts of COVID-19. In fact, a study by IAB says that there will be a 20% decline of ad buyers in 2020 due to the virus’ economic blow around the world. Many companies chose to cut advertising spending and budgets in a bid to reduce business costs.
Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean it is the end for business creatives. There is still hope for them yet. Just think of this circumstance as a way for your business to evolve and carve a new path for you to leverage and promote your brand in the market. Now, you can explore and rethink the ways you can expand your brand’s reach.
As everyone slowly adapts to the new normal, there will also be a new set of advertising best practices which you can apply in your business. These practices might help you get through this pandemic and ensure that your business’ advertising remains alive.
With this, here are the ways how businesses changed their creatives during COVID-19.
1. Allocate resources to digital advertising
According to a study by the World Economic Forum, consumers’ digital consumption has climbed up during the height of the pandemic. This is largely due to the lockdown protocols in place in several parts of the world. With nowhere else to go to, people turn to digital devices to keep themselves entertained and connected to the outside world.
You can take advantage of this trend by turning your focus on perfecting your digital creative best practices. Cutting cost is inevitable especially under these circumstances. Thus, it is essential that you remain strategic to where you invest your resources in.
Wherever your audience is at, that’s also where your market is. By embracing the potentials of digital advertising and creatives, you are bound to keep contact with your consumers and maintain exposure for your brand. Likewise, you can save resources and cost by prioritizing your digital campaigns over other traditional platforms.
2. Use social media for engagement
Social media has never been more alive and louder than before. In a time where social distancing and quarantine protocols are in place, these platforms are the best place for people to interact with others while also minimizing risks of exposure to the virus.
It is because of this that more companies are investing on their online advertising best practices. This lets them tap into the online market, specifically in social media channels. Marketing strategies are now headed into those websites to not only promote their brands but also to maintain and increase engagement with their consumers. This is why social media like Facebook has become the future of marketing.
Advertising through social media is more cost-effective, gives you wider reach compared to traditional mediums, and allows you to combine different elements together to better promote your brand. From video sharing, live stream events, posting photos and graphics, and other dynamic, interactive content, businesses are exploring the vast opportunities that the internet has to offer. What better time to do that but now where people are stuck at home with only the internet to keep them sane.
3. Shift in the message
Aside from the platform, messages within creative contents are also affected by the pandemic. Recently, companies are becoming more socially relevant with their contents. Whether they convey it directly or indirectly, they try to be more meaningful in Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other platforms.
These content are usually informative, or they support a noble cause. Businesses align their ads with the current situations with the pandemic and other crucial global events. For example, Apple’s “Creativity must go on” commercial showcases people who are socially distancing from one another. This encourages people to observe the same protocol to minimize risks of infection.
Other brands are following this trend as well with Stay-at-Home campaigns in their social media handles and TV commercials. Others even add information where you can donate or support causes during the pandemic. Another perfect example is during the height of the Black Live Matter (BLM) movement where famous and big-named brands show their support for the cause.
4. Connect with influencers
While social media may be the best place to get wider brand exposure, you can easily be drowned out by other voices within the platform. You will definitely need the extra help to ensure that your content appears in your customers’ feeds. However, paid reach can get costly while organic reach can take up too much time to be considered effective.
Nowadays, many businesses are partnering up with influencers who can help promote their campaigns and brand. This can be a less expensive and more organic way to connect to your target audience while also ensuring that your creatives continue to circulate in your customers’ social media feeds.
With the pull that influencers have, you may just be able to capture their followers’ interests as well. This will expand your ads’ reach, and you can turn these people into advocates of your brand as well. They can share, like, and comment on your content to give it the attention it deserves in social media.
5. Keep it authentic
At a time when people are feeling cut off from the rest of the world, everyone is looking for some semblance of connection. Some might not appreciate seeing manufactured ads at a time of a global panic and crisis. Hence, more companies are prioritizing empathy towards their consumers over selling or promoting their products and services.
There is none of the usual glitter and spectacles of advertisements nowadays. More companies choose to simplify their strategies by keeping it authentic and real. This makes your content compelling to consumers because they could relate and empathize with it.
Likewise, this can give you the opportunity to stay true to your brand and remind your consumers of your business’ mission and vision. During these trying times, simplicity can prove to have the most impact on people.
Hope for advertising
The pandemic has shown us how much everyone relies on the technology. In a time where social distancing and quarantine protocols are in place, the digital space has become the best avenue for businesses and people to interact and stay connected.
With this, business creatives must focus on cultivating their digital advertising best practices to keep in touch with their consumers. The internet, for one, is the best place to continue promoting and leveraging your brand in the market.
Times may be tough, but it isn’t as hopeless as it seems. It is inevitable that your business must reduce certain spending and costs to adapt to the virus’ economic impact, but you can still be smart in the way you handle such changes.
Likewise, it isn’t only just our creatives that need to adapt to the new normal. You may also want to check out these best technology for working remotely guide from FinancesOnline to ensure that your business continues to operate amid the pandemic.
