The COVID-19 pandemic has forced businesses to evolve their marketing strategies to reach customers when the pandemic has limited people’s ability to travel and socialize. Enterprises have adopted marketing strategies, including SEO, email, and social media marketing.

Online marketing has become increasingly popular in response to COVID-19 because it allows businesses to reach a global audience. Because of online marketing, entrepreneurs have been able to start businesses and sell products and services to people worldwide despite the restrictions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Evolution of Marketing Strategies

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a lot of rough patches for businesses, one of which is the restriction of people’s ability to travel and socialize. This has led to a shift in marketing strategies. Companies now adopt online, email, and social media marketing more than ever before.

Let’s explore these strategies in more detail below:

Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing is marketing through social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Nowadays, people spend more time online to keep themselves distracted from the monotony of staying at home day after day.

According to a report by Social Media Examiner, 90% of marketers said that their social marketing efforts have increased because of COVID-19. As a result, businesses use social media marketing more than ever to connect with their customers.

Some of the most popular social media marketing tactics used right now include the following:

• Posting informative content that is relevant to COVID-19
• Offering free resources or discounts for products and services
• Holding online contests or giveaways
• Sharing positive customer experiences and feedback

All industries have benefited from social media marketing during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, IKEA recently published a marketing campaign on Instagram that encouraged people to stay at home and follow social distancing guidelines by sharing photos of their living rooms with the hashtag #stayhomeIKEA. The marketing campaign was so popular that it resulted in over 40,000 photo submissions worldwide.

Even the wellness industry has turned toward social media marketing to market its products. Since everyone has stayed cooped up at home, companies that sell essential oils like chamomile oil have also used social media. They sell products to people to help reduce stress and anxiety, which have become prevalent because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many thought leaders have also been sharing their advice on what products or services people should purchase to help them cope with the pandemic more effectively.

Marketing teams have also used social media to share messages of hope, inspiration, and motivation when the world is facing an unprecedented amount of uncertainty.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is another marketing strategy that has worked well in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As people spend more time at home, they also spend more time reading their emails.

Businesses have reached out to customers and potential customers through email marketing campaigns by offering discounts on popular products and services, sharing relevant content because of the current pandemic, and providing helpful resources.

One business that has done an excellent job with email marketing is Amazon. They have sent out several emails, each tailored to a specific audience. For example, they have sent emails to customers who have previously made purchases from them and emails containing information and discounts for first-time buyers.

Amazon then advertised more flexible shipping options to no longer have to go to a physical store to pick up their packages. Amazon also sent out emails offering free shipping for certain products and an email explaining how they are working to keep employees safe during this time.

Marketers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Marketers have changed the way they approach marketing because they no longer need to perform market research in person or even use traditional marketing methods like billboards or flyers. Everything has gone digital, allowing marketing teams to work remotely and develop marketing strategies that reach people across the globe.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, marketers can enhance and hone their marketing strategies to be more effective. This includes creating marketing content that appeals to consumers at home, such as video tutorials for DIY projects or recipes using ingredients available during lockdown periods.

Some marketing teams have also used humor in their marketing efforts by posting memes about quarantine life on social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter. Because of this, their companies gained more customers because of the comfort that these advertisements brought to them.

The marketing strategies implemented in response to COVID-19 are effective and sustainable for the long run because of the positive impact they have had on consumers and their perception of marketing. They’ve helped establish human connections between brands and customers through honest communication about what is happening with businesses when customers need assurance.

COVID-19 has caused a shift in marketing that relies more on authenticity and customer service, which will continue to be valuable even after the pandemic ends.