How to Maximize the Benefits of Digital Marketing in Times of Crisis?
Post COVID-19, the world continues to change. Competition between companies is getting tighter. Businesses that are smart in increasing their visibility will be the ones that will be known by consumers. Therefore, many companies continue to carry out digital marketing activities to be able to adapt during the crisis.
Moreover, if we look at the political issues that continue to develop both in Indonesia and globally, it also affects the business climate. Uncertain political conditions make consumers hold back their purchasing power to prevent the worst possibilities.
Decreasing consumer purchasing power certainly affects business operations. Businesses will reduce operational budgets such as marketing budgets. The dilemma is that with a limited budget, companies demand their marketing teams to generate as many sales as possible so that the company can continue to survive.
In the midst of this dilemma, the most possible marketing activity is to optimize digital marketing activities. So how do you maximize the benefits of digital marketing during a crisis? Check out the following explanation!
Challenges Faced by Marketing Teams When Crisis Strikes
When a crisis caused by changes in economic, political, and other factors causes the company to suffer losses, the worst choice chosen by the company is to lay off employees so that the company can continue to operate. In addition to layoffs, companies will also carry out operational budget efficiency such as marketing operations.
The marketing team is actually faced with various challenges, not only from the limited company budget. However, there are external challenges that need to be addressed when a crisis hits. What are they?
Decrease in Consumer Purchasing Power
When a crisis occurs, a decrease in consumer purchasing power becomes an absolute must. Consumers hold back their money to prevent the worst possible outcome. Consumers become more selective and reduce spending, especially on non-essential products. The impact on businesses is of course a decrease in sales.
Changes in Consumer Priorities
Consumer focus will shift to basic needs, security, and brand trust. They will prioritize primary needs first.
Market Uncertainty and Volatility
It is difficult to plan long-term campaigns because the situation changes rapidly. Consumer behavior is also difficult to predict because it changes rapidly. Market analysis becomes inaccurate because historical data loses relevance.
Shifting Channels and Platforms
Companies that have not yet prioritized their digital marketing activities are prepared to no longer be relevant to market conditions. Nowadays, most consumers spend more time on digital channels and e-commerce.
Competition is Getting Tighter
All businesses are competing for attention in the digital space with limited budgets. Competitors can be more adaptive or aggressive with promotions. Businesses that are able to appear on every digital channel have the potential to become top of mind in the minds of consumers.
This challenge requires the marketing team to re-arrange its digital marketing strategy. At this time, it is no longer wise to only focus on one channel even though the channel is the company's flagship channel.
Now the key is in business visibility across digital channels. Therefore, businesses can try to activate and optimize omnichannel activities so that the digital marketing activities carried out not only have the usual impact, but can have a greater impact on the company.
How to Optimize the Benefits of Digital Marketing in Times of Crisis
Has your business started doing digital marketing activities, but the impact has not been felt? This digital marketing activity is a combination of art and the ability to utilize data. To optimize the benefits of digital marketing, especially in times of crisis, there are recommendations from McKinsey that are still very relevant to the current era.
Coordinate Digital Activities to Reach Consumers Throughout the Customer Journey.
Every business has its own customer journey. The consumer journey from getting to know to finally buying a product from a business also varies. For this reason, it is important to integrate activities between channels or omnichannels. Integrate between social media, websites, e-commerce, and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) platforms, digital advertising platforms.
The purpose of an omnichannel strategy is to ensure that consumers get a consistent and smooth experience from the initial stage of getting to know the brand to finally making a purchase and becoming loyal customers. This means that brands must be actively present at every digital touchpoint that customers may go through.
An example of this omnichannel strategy is if your marketing team is going to attract new consumers through awareness ads on Instagram, when consumers click on the ad, consumers will be directed to informational blog content.
In the blog content that contains this information, there is an invitation to visit the landing page. Then there is a WhatsApp chatbot that follows up if consumers fill out the form on the landing page. After consumers make a purchase, consumers will get a loyalty program, for example getting a discount email for the next purchase.
Make Consumers Brand Ambassadors through Content
Instead of just relying on messages from the brand, this strategy encourages consumers themselves to create and distribute content about their experiences. Consumers are involved to be part of the brand narrative, so that they feel they have an identity with the brand. That way, they are not only buyers, but also become brand advocates who spread messages organically and are more trusted by their network.
Examples include holding hashtag challenge campaigns, reviews on TikTok, video testimonials on Instagram Stories, or referral programs that provide incentives when they invite friends to buy.
Think Like a Content Publisher
In the digital era and crisis, brands must adopt a media mindset—producing large amounts of content, scheduled, and relevant to various market segments. This includes choosing content formats (articles, videos, infographics), distribution platforms (YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok), and adjusting content to the characteristics and needs of each audience. Consistency, diversity, and value of content are important elements to maintain consumer attention.
For example, if your brand is a beauty brand, then the content created is not only content about products, but also content about facial care tips on the blog, make-up tutorials on YouTube Shorts, ingredient infographics on Instagram, email newsletters every Friday, and the like.
Use Digital Data Strategically
With the abundance of digital data from various channels (ad clicks, user behavior on the website, social media engagement), brands must be able to manage and interpret data for faster and more accurate decision making. Data is used to personalize campaigns, segment customers, retarget ads, and measure the effectiveness of each channel. This strategy ensures that the marketing budget is used efficiently and on target.
Activities that reflect the use of digital data strategically are using Google Analytics to find out which pages are most abandoned, then we make improvements to the landing page, after the improvements are made, it is necessary to monitor whether there is an increase in conversion or not, and retarget visitors who have not checked out via email reminders or dynamic ads.
Is Your Business Still Not Getting the Maximum Benefits from Digital Marketing?
Is your business still not feeling the great benefits from digital marketing activities? Instead of profit, often the Return of Investment (ROI) that has been spent on digital marketing activities is still low. If your business condition is still like that, then there is something that needs to be fixed.
You can include your business marketing team in Digital Marketing training that can open up new insights and strategies to increase the ROI value of digital marketing activities.
prasmul-eli provides digital marketing training that your team can follow. Participants will be trained by professional coaches and of course you will learn omnichannel strategies that can maximize the benefits of digital marketing for your business.
Now is the time to maximize the benefits of digital marketing to continue growing in times of crisis.
