With everyone in panic mode around COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) many business owners are not sure if to continue or pause their online marketing campaigns. I’ve spoken to a few people and while there is no one definitive answer… we can split most businesses into 3 categories to help make a recommendation.
Sectors that Should Double Down their Online Marketing Campaigns
There are quite a few types of businesses that may see an increase in sales and leads during this time. More and more people are staying home, some due to self-quarantine, cancelled events, jobs and schools that have moved to a remote policy.
Online Businesses
If your customers can get your product or service online I feel you should keep at it. Some of these include online classes, financial related businesses, and more. Anything where your customers’ fulfillment in online
Survival Related Businesses
Do you sell to the survivalists? Not just hard core MRE’s or hunting , but also business that deal with self-defense, vegetable gardens and more. Are you in this group? If so you are probably seeing an uptick in leads and sales as I type this.
Software/Digital Products
Hosting, games, videos, software development, web development, and yes even online marketing like SEO and PPC services. These can all be done remotely, and many are anyway – so there is no changes in most of their business practices.
Medical Related Businesses
Not just doctor’s offices, but also medical and sanitary products. Soap, hand sanitizers and even toilet paper.
Businesses that should Stay the Course
There are many physical businesses that are necessities that people will keep on using. Car repair, tow trucks, plumbers, electricians to name just a few. These types of businesses need to keep going even if they are not in the same emergency category as some others. What they do have in common is that they don’t rely on gathering large groups of people.
There is another group of businesses that do rely on group gatherings, but that I feel should keep on with their marketing. These are businesses that deal with group gatherings that are usually planned months in advance – think caterers, DJs, florists and more. The current emergency will pass and people are still planning on getting married and doing their online research – so make sure they can find you.
Which brings us to that last category…
When to Pause my Online Marketing Campaigns
Do you run a business that relies on large gatherings? Restaurants, event halls, sporting events, gyms… If so I am sure you are feeling the pain. It sucks and there is no easy answer. If you are looking at an empty event hall, bar or gym you might get that feeling in the pit of your stomach with anxiety, trying to figure out what to do and how to pay the bills.
You might not be able to bring in a lot of customers today, but you can use the time to boost your online marketing so that when this emergency passes you will be able to quickly ramp everything up. How? You can use this “quiet” time to create more content for your site or social media pages, tips & tricks, how-to videos and so on. If you are using Search Engine Optimization as part of your overall strategy you can publish these as they are ready, no need to wait. So this is your time to shine and get that content going.
Continue Your Online Marketing Focus
It’s a scary time for almost everyone. While we all need to make sure we are safe and take precautions to prevent the spread of this virus, we also need to keep our businesses going the best we can in these challenging times.
If you feel overwhelmed and are not sure what do, I encourage you to reach out to me or book a time to talk. No initial charge and no commitment – just a friendly talk between business owners to bounce some ideas off each other.