How has COVID-19 Impacted the Digital Marketing Landscape?
The last few weeks have completely flipped our country
upside down. Every industry has needed to adapt to the changing landscape
because of COVID-19, and digital marketing is no exception. Businesses like
restaurants have shifted brand messaging to include information about safety
precautions and cleanliness, essential businesses like grocery stores are
centering content around their employees in an effort to commend their heroic
actions during a time of such uncertainty, and a lot of businesses are left
wondering how this pandemic is impacting the world of digital marketing and how
to adapt.
Digital Advertising Amid COVID-19
Overall, the cost of digital advertising has decreased, so right now is a great time to take advantage of the surge of people on digital channels like social platforms and news sites. With the future of the market in a relatively hard-to-predict place, a lot of large, enterprise-level companies have pulled back their marketing efforts on a wide-scale. This makes more room for small to medium-sized businesses to take advantage of great ad placement and increased traffic for a fraction of the cost. Even as traffic continues to surge online, cost-per-impression on Facebook has dropped significantly. COVID-19 is creating unique opportunities for businesses that may have been kept out of the digital marketing game by budget to jump into the world of content marketing and social advertising. The current landscape is all about staying relevant and adding value for your customers – focus on providing business contribution rather than business growth. Relationships with consumers are meticulously built based on trust and mutual benefit, so keeping your marketing message supportive and culturally sensitive is key.
Google, Facebook, and the Coronavirus
Even the larger platforms like Google and Facebook are doing their part to help protect consumers during this time. Google has declared the coronavirus as a global health emergency, which means that it now falls under Google’s sensitive events advertising policy. This means that advertisers must follow specific guidelines when serving coronavirus (COVID-19) related content in an effort to prohibit any content seeking to capitalize on the pandemic or content that lacks reasonable sensitivity towards the global health crisis. This policy has extended to restrict the use of bidding on coronavirus-related keywords on any Google platform. Facebook is also doing its part to prevent misinformation by enacting a ban on misleading ads relating to the virus. This extends as far as prohibiting exploitative tactics in ads and banning any type of advertising promoting hand sanitizer, medical face masks, disinfecting wipes, and COVID-19 test kits. The platform is also investing $100M to support local news organizations as they deal with the unexpected costs of covering COVID-19, as well as supporting fact-checkers with the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) so they can increase capacity during the crisis.
As our industry pushes forward during this unprecedented time, it is amazing to see the shift that is happening in digital marketing. Brands are adapting their messaging, businesses are expanding their presence on digital platforms, and the entire digital community has come together to support both businesses and consumers as we navigate this crisis together. While the present world we are in looks different than the one we know, digital marketing remains a staple in connecting people and communicating information.
If you have questions about your current digital efforts or how your business can adapt during the COVID-19 outbreak, please reach out to Compulse Integrated Marketing by calling us at 844-821-2154.