How Should You Adapt Your Paid Social Campaigns During The COVID-19 Pandemic?

In most cases, our Melbourne digital marketing agency has found that users’ needs are changing, not disappearing. We are seeing success with clients that pivot their business strategies based on insights from keen social listening and industry expertise.

Social impressions have been skyrocketing across the board due to the increased use of the internet during this time, but there is also a definite topical shift in where clicks occur.

Being flexible is key; use semantic and topic analysis to identify what your customers are talking about and what they need. 

Reassess the buyer funnel and identify new needs at each stage. Social efforts are intricately linked with business offerings at this time. 

Not all businesses have products or services that can be so quickly adapted, but follow your data – it will inform you best. This data will provide new insights into who your customers are and what their real needs are. If you can afford it, and depending on your industry, letting your campaigns run with some adjustment can be a very sensible plan.

Right now, paid ads are important – but their success depends on your ability to provide your service in the current business and social environment. If you can, paid media is a great investment and you will likely see positive results. If you can’t, however, there are a few other factors to consider.

There are more disruptors in the market taking advantage of people pulling out of paid media, this means more voices and a greater chance that yours will be drowned out. If you don’t have a strong organic presence you need to consider non-transactional (PR) style ads to supplement and support your business and clients.

Certain business models will not benefit from running their ads during these unprecedented times. This may be because the current climate makes it fundamentally unprofitable to continue to run their day to day activities.  It is not prudent to continue promoting services that they cannot provide.. However, this does not mean they should completely close the door on paid social ads.

Promoting your brand with a small budget in a more general sense, will help to bolster and maintain brand awareness, identity and presence through these times. If your business has no way of operating right now, hold-tight, there is likely to be a wave of demand as things settle. 

People will be itching to get back to daily life and businesses will be eager to make up for lost revenue. We are expecting a boom in the foreseeable future post-pandemic, and companies will start to heavily promote. So, if you cannot advertise now, plan for this and capitalise on the opportunity when it arrives.