During times of national emergency, or in this case, global, it’s important for companies to walk the fine line of continuing on with business as usual while being sensitive to the problem at hand. Companies and individuals alike are going through a scary, uncertain time. During times of uncertainty, people turn to what is secure. It may seem minor, but a sensitive and strong message on social media from brands does help provide a sense of normalcy . It’s a gut reaction for many companies to pull back on social media marketing and advertising but is that the right call? To be frank, no. Let’s talk about some common concerns and how to confront them.

“If we post on social media as normal, we’ll come off as insensitive.”
It’s very easy to cross the line in your social media posts but it is certainly not impossible to continue on with your posting strategy, nor is it suggested to stop! Making jokes, playing off the issue, or completely ignoring it all together are sure-fire ways to understandably anger your audience, so instead focus on what it is you offer, how it can help, and if applicable, what you’re doing to mitigate the situation.

Are you a small restaurant or store? Offer curbside or delivery of products. Are you financially able to donate to causes helping those most affected? Share that and encourage others to, as well. COVID-19 and the economic issues surrounding it will no doubt affect nearly everyone, so it’s important to encourage solidarity. We’re all in this together. You should also share what you’re doing to help stop the spread of the virus, whether it be a change in how business is conducted (working from home, splitting office time, etc), reduced hours, or other associated changes in policy. It shows you’re taking the issue seriously and instills confidence in your company. Continuing to post is especially important if your demographic is young Millennial or Gen-Z. For demographics that seemingly live on social media, a lack of activity is seen as a red flag.

“We’re quickly headed to an economic downturn. I need to pull back on advertising costs.”
The idea makes sense, right? If you need to save money, cut costs where you can without risking integrity. While that might be true in some scenarios, this is arguably the most important time to continue advertising. To quote the Harvard Business Review, “Although it’s wise to contain costs, failing to support brands or examine core customers’ changing needs can jeopardize performance over the long term. Companies that put customer needs under the microscope, take a scalpel rather than a cleaver to the social media marketing budget, and nimbly adjust strategies, tactics, and product offerings in response to shifting demand are more likely than others to flourish both during and after a recession.”

In other words, by not continuing to advertise or by cutting your budget, you give off an air of instability and a lack of concern or understanding of what your base may be going through. Stability in all forms speaks volumes. Put yourself in the consumer’s shoes. You pick up your phone, search for a company, and click on one of their social media profiles, only to see their communication is spotty at best. Are you going to give them their business? Not likely! If a company suddenly stops posting or the quality changes drastically, people are likely to think the company has either gone out of business or is going through a tough time.

“I know what my customers do and don’t do, like and don’t like, I don’t need to worry about social media marketing.”
Times of panic, whether the health or economic variety, change people’s habits constantly. The train of thought for your customers during average times may not match what they’re thinking and feeling during times of crisis, and how you market to them needs to alter in recognition of that. It’s important to be sensitive to changes in income and general feelings of stress. Is your tone too harsh or too playful? Is your price point realistic? Every aspect of your campaigns and brand need to be evaluated dynamically.

It’s imperative for brands to show strength and understanding during times of struggle. You need to convey that you’re here for customers and that you’re not going anywhere, but it needs to be done in a way that isn’t tone-deaf, either. It’s not an easy feat, but that’s what experts like us are here for. Our social media team will help you navigate these murky waters with the care, concern, and knowledge the situation calls for.

If you think you’d like to seek our social media marketing services, give us a call at 321-255-0900! We at The AD Leaf Marketing Firm would love to help you succeed!

In real estate, “location, location, location” is often the key phrase that goes around but in 2020’s social media marketing environment it’s “personalization, personalization, personalization!” From what types of content you’re posting on particular platforms, right down to what the copy in that content is saying, gone are the days of a “one size fits all” type of campaign. A generalized campaign often shows a lack of thought in a time when people statistically want their brands to come off as more authentic and intentional in their marketing and products alike. 

To start off, let’s talk about content and demographics. The people actively using Facebook are likely not the same ones trying to go viral on TikTok, and the people looking at pictures on Instagram are usually not the same ones posting jokes and rants on Twitter. There’s overlap, of course, but overall who you’re talking to will vary greatly (think about your grandma being Facebook and your niece or nephew being Instagram– you don’t talk to them the same way). That’s why it’s important to make sure you’re posting relevant content to relevant people. Twitter may love that meme format, but will Facebook? Maybe not! Each potential customer is just as important, however. 

So you’ve got what platform works with what potential customer, but what about gaining followers? Responding to questions? Providing additional content? Social media doesn’t sleep! People, particularly young ones, can spot a bot or a generic response a mile away and it’s a major turnoff that can lose you customers in the long run. Your social media is the face of your company and you need to be sure you’re coming off as authentic and caring as possible. Whether responding to something good or bad, each and every interaction with your customers is something they will remember, even if you don’t. Taking time for a thoughtful response can go a long way. 

Personalization not only benefits the customer, it’s a great way to show off the personality and voice of your company! Take Wendy’s for instance. There are countless fast food options to choose from, so it’s no easy task to make yourself stand out, even for a classic company everyone knows. Their Twitter has been a massive success and an excellent example of social media done right. Whether it’s joining in on trending memes, searching for conversations to join in on, or responding to both bad Wendy’s food experiences and good, they make you feel like they’re more than a corporation in a stuffy board room. 

Not even social media ads themselves are safe from personalization. Sure, you can advertise to the people who follow you or two who you think your audience is, but what about those “almost” customers? If you’re anything like me, you’ve gone to a website, looked around, maybe even put some items in your cart before thinking better of it or running out of time, closing the tab and moving on. Targeting those people and providing them with more information about the product or service they were looking at is an awesome way to reel those people and convert them from visitors to paying customers. 

I’ve talked about personalization at a high-level today but it’s really quite a complicated topic that could have its own class taught. You don’t have the time to learn the ins and outs of social media, nor should you be expected to. When it comes down to it, keeping all of your audiences and all of the strategies used to reach them is a lot to keep track of. You’re the expert in your field, allow us to show off our expertise by handling your social media marketing campaign! For more information, call us at 321-255-0900.