2020 saw massive changes in our lives. Consumer behaviour changed overnight and businesses had to adapt quickly or risk being left behind. Digital transformation became the buzzword for the year. With this, there was tremendous pressure to adopt a digital-first approach for brands.
Within the digital marketing landscape, we are seeing an influx of brands investing in technology-driven experiences, operations and eco-systems. With fluctuating circumstances in every country, it is critical to stay proactive and up to date with the current consumer trends and how it affects your digital marketing strategies.
1. Be Socially Aware
It is a strange thing to have a global pandemic unite the world as we undergo and face challenges together. Throughout the uncertainties faced, businesses and consumers are forced to look inward and question their sense of purpose. According to Deloitte, 79% of global consumers had great top of mind recollection for brands who have responded positively to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Examples of positive responses are businesses that rallied around the community and offered support during the difficult times. This would refer to things like banks deferring loan payments, or companies donating profits to the people in need in the community. Even small changes such as shifting the corporate policies to support their internal workforce are important to consumers.
Deloitte calls these types of businesses “purpose-driven enterprises”. When a brand is able to align its mission and vision to support the greater community, it is seen as being less selfish. This is where the business is able to make the world a better place by combining their profits with societal impact. This is because consumer behaviour is placing more emphasis on positive social impact.
The chart below reinforces this point where we see that businesses that were seen as not purpose-driven had more consumers turning away from the brand.
2. Invest In Digital Technologies
Brands are investing in technology-driven experiences, operations and ecosystems at a faster pace. These investments are meant to help businesses to react swiftly to changing customer behaviour needs. This is especially challenging as businesses are pivoting to digital platforms, making the space all the more competitive.
In a digital space that is constantly vying for customer’s attention, it is pertinent that brands remain proactive. This would mean having a clear picture of the market landscape. What this means is companies need to adopt cross-platform and cross-channel customer relationship management (CRM) systems. These systems to help them build a holistic customer journey.
With an integrated CRM system, it is even more crucial to start nurturing the customer relationship via various channels. One ways is to integrate the sales and marketing teams within the organisations so they work hand in hand to build a wholesome customer journey.
3. Build Upon Human Connections
While the world has become increasingly dependent on multiple digital channels, maintaining that human connection becomes paramount. This is the reason why platforms such as Zoom have experienced immense success. They were able to provide relevant digital innovations that deepened the connections between people.
IKEA has also pivoted itself gracefully in these times of crisis. To maintain an environment that is safe for both their employees and customers, IKEA offers an augmented reality (AR) app. The app allows its customers to place any IKEA furniture in their own homes. While the app might not be a new innovation, it is evermore relevant during these times of social distancing. Additionally, it also does well in retaining the human connection by elevating the IKEA shopping experience.
4. Engage With Your Customers
While it is true that the younger generation engage with brands most frequently, it is unfair to simply rule out marketing for the older individuals. In fact, the same Deloitte study finds that the higher the age groups, the deeper the forms of participation. For instance, older individuals tend to engage in content that they feel passionate about. Thus, when these demographics engage with a brand, it is most usually on a deeper level.
Another interesting insight from the study is that people are more willing to engage with brands for reasons beyond themselves. For example, the desire to help others is a great motivating factor to engage with a post.
This insight can be put to good use in your marketing strategy, where you seek to nurture deeper customer relationships.
For example, be open to having a two-way conversation with your customer where you seek their advice on a product prototype. You may even look into encouraging your customers to create a video tutorial to help other customers learn how to use your product. As a brand, you can also participate in community forums, sharing your brand knowledge and expertise in an informal way.
Conclusion
Covid-19 has inevitably changed a huge part of our daily lives. As marketers, we need to be vigilant and anticipate any changes to customer behaviour due to changing needs. Increasingly, customers are seeking experiences that are more personable and selfless. They are more attuned to the needs of the world and the community and want to connect with a brand that shares the same world views as well.
