Small businesses in Sioux Falls have had to adapt quickly to the new normal of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Due to the necessary adjustments, we’re seeing a heightened reliance on digital media not only for advertising purposes but for running a business virtually.
If you’re new to it, embracing digital media and new technology can be intimidating at first. Some unexpected twists and turns may come your way. Thankfully, consumers today are more adaptable than ever before.
Introducing The New Virtual Frontier for Running Your Business
Digital marketing may just be the critical piece missing if your business is struggling right now. Not only does it serve as a form of advertising, but also shares pertinent information to current or new customers.
In the United States, staying at home has led to a 60% increase in the amount of content watched according to Google Academy on Air. With much of the world in shut down, consumer behavior drastically shifted to online engagement. Although many of these new engagements will adjust as the country reopens, there are many aspects of our “internet first” culture that will persist.
So how does your business start adjusting? By embracing digital media. We compiled a list of tactics for you to consider!
Digital Media Tactics to Adopt for Your Business
- Google My Business
Have you claimed your Google My Business listing? If not, we highly recommend you do! When your hours of operation have shifted, the best way to ensure customers know this is by updating your Google My Business listing. That way searchers on Google can easily see when your business is open and closed. - Google Posts
If you need to include more details on your service hours, write up a message and include a photo in the form of a Google Post. This type of post will then appear on your Google Knowledge Panel (the information box that appears when you search for names of businesses). - YouTube
YouTube is the 2nd largest search engine. A good portion of the country is on there searching for a variety of video tutorials. Parents are searching for ways to teach “new math” to children being homeschooled. Fitness junkies are taking virtual fitness classes. There has been a 210% increase in average daily views of videos with “home office” in the title since March 15. People have watched more than 4 billion hours of “how to” videos over the past 12 months, according to YouTube. - SEO & SEM
Along with an uptick on Facebook, Google searches have increased due to COVID-19 as well. There appears to be an uptick in activity early in the morning and late at night. To capitalize on this trend, invest in digital marketing services like SEO and SEM to amplify your presence on Google. - Instagram Stories or Live Updates
Posting on your business’s Instagram feed is a great way to communicate more about your company culture, services, and staff. Another way to use Instagram is by posting on your Story or by recording live video updates. Doing so gives you a chance to get immediate messages and updates out there fast and easily. - Facebook Ads
Facebook usage has increased by 37% due to COVID-19. With this level of activity, Facebook Ads have a greater opportunity to reach even more potential customers. It’s worth giving a Facebook Ad campaign a chance during this time to see what your return on investment could be. - Online Ordering & Deliveries
Online ordering has become so ubiquitous. Many restaurants and fast food places of every variety have adopted this digital strategy. Thanks to services like Food Dudes, Grubhub, and Bite Squad, it’s easy to provide this option to patrons. - QR Code Touchless Menus
If your restaurant has opened its doors, let your customers scan a simple QR code and see your menu right on their phones! That way they never have to touch a menu and will have peace of mind while sitting down at your restaurant. - Virtual Tradeshows and Networking
If your sales team relies on in-person interactions at tradeshows or networking events, it’s time to rethink. Events left and right are being canceled. A new way to connect is by virtually meeting with the help of video conferencing tools. Zoom is an easy, cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. - Email Marketing / CRM
Communicating with your customers via email is always a safe bet! Email marketing has a 90% deliverability rate compared to the 10% (at best) for Facebook. When your customers subscribe for your emails, it’s because they want to continue the interaction. Tell them what your safety policy is. Tell them about your “curbside pick-up” options. After the email is sent, review the open rates. Then, offer an incentive to the patrons that engage with your email messages most often.
Stay Ahead of Digital Trends for Your Business
Eventually, this pandemic will pass. When this inevitable time comes, do you really want to be rebuilding your business’s online presence? Where will your competition be when that time comes? Will your business’s brand awareness remain strong?
Invest in digital media wisely now. HenkinSchultz can help. Our digital marketing services give you a wide variety of options. When you’re in need of digital services like SEO, Facebooks Ads, SEM, etc., we have your business covered.
Contact us to get started and we’ll compile a digital proposal with a strategy customized to your needs!
