As Covid-19 continues to disrupt many businesses across the South West and the whole of the UK, we decided to team up with local Digital Marketing experts and close friends of ours; Nettl for some top tips on keeping your brand front of peoples minds during this tough period.

Nettl’s very own Studio Manager, Tom Dobson shares his top 4 suggestions below.

The last few weeks have seen business owners forced to adapt like never before.  The uncertainty of COVID-19 and our new lifestyles during lockdown means that we must alter our mindsets and decide whether we will sink or swim in order to survive this turbulent time.

Luckily for us we have digital marketing to help us keep our businesses remaining afloat. Working for a web design & SEO studio and consulting with a number of business owners over the last few weeks in regard to how they can modify their strategies in order to survive the COVID-19 crisis, I have seen the importance of creating a digital marketing strategy for this period.

Regardless of the industry that you work in or whether you are currently open for business or not, digital marketing is the surf board that will help you ride out this wave and, it is as simple as that. Here’s 4 reasons why I think having a website and digital presence is the perfect way for your business to remain active and front of mind during the COVID-19 crisis:

1. Presence: Having a digital presence allows your customers to know what you are up to at the moment, whether you are open for business as usual or selling e-Vouchers online. It is a way to keep your customers informed and engaged and if you aren’t open, why not tell them to follow you on social media to stay connected or to leave you a review? Having a website kept up to date during COVID-19 is a great way to keep your customers engaged and informed. Consider adding a banner to your website that lets people quickly know if you’re still open, working to reduced hours or offering delivery only.
2. Business as Usual: Regardless of our current situation, having a website allows you to continue your business as usual. Whether you sold online or not, it is the perfect opportunity to get online and offer your customers an excellent delivery service. Remaining active at this time is essential in terms of businesses survival; you may not be as active as you would have been if COVID-19 never occurred, but at least you are still trading, getting your brand out there and interacting with your customers.
3. Be Found: People are often quick to think that in a time of crisis marketing should be the first budget that should be cut. I couldn’t disagree with this more, if anything it is where the majority of your budget should go if and where possible. Investing your time and energy into SEO (search engine optimisation) is one of the best digital marketing strategies that you could take advantage of in a time like this.As customers are forced to move online and alter their purchasing habits, there is an unprecedented amount of daily online searches. Through optimising your site, you are putting your best foot forward and placing your website in front of your ideal customer. It’s a no brainer!
4. Connected: Having an online presence allows you to remain connected with your customers. In a time as difficult as the one which we are all currently experiencing, your website is the perfect place to help lift the public’s frame of mind. Whether that is offering your customers a discount, a free product with every purchase or even just sharing some free advice to help people out, you have the opportunity to brighten someone’s day. This may sound very simple, but it is a very effective to ensure brand loyalty and returned business. People remember acts of kindness and leaving a good impression is priceless.

We hope you found these tips from our friends and digital experts Nettl helpful and if you’d like some advice on making use of the best technology available to support your digital presence, get in touch with us on 01391 207 194 or email us.

Enjoyed reading this? Check out our ‘The business landscape post Covid-19‘ post to see if these discoveries ring true for you too.