One could focus on all of the things that COVID-19 has taken from us – the ability to travel, dining at our favourite restaurants, visiting friends and family. But maybe it’s time to start thinking of what it’s helped us do instead.
For marketers, the pandemic has forced us to be our most creative and strategic selves, stretching reduced budgets to ensure that all content has a purpose and that every customer is acknowledged.
As we head “back to life… back to reality”, it’s also a good time to get back to some social media marketing basics.
Back to one to one vs. one to many. One of the major benefits of social media has always been the ability to engage in a two-way conversation with audiences. Somewhere along the way many brands have slowly transitioned to broadcasting messages with little attention to real engagement.
Let’s prioritize delivering an authentic human connection through social media.
Back to being useful. Take a page out of Jay Baer’s Youtility philosophy and instead of focusing on marketing that's needed by companies, focus on marketing that's wanted by customers. There’s no time when this has been more relevant as consumers want brands to demonstrate what they’re doing to help in the pandemic or to help customers by making their lives easier. What we say is more important than how often we say it.
Let’s refocus on the quality of our content, rather than the quantity.
Back to (social) listening. Social media can be used as a virtual, large population (and free!) focus group.
Let’s take time to listen and respond to what customers need, not what we think they need.
