In the current times, where the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed down the world, the global economy has been affected massively. The lockdown being implemented in all parts of the world has rendered many businesses and industries to slow down or stop their functioning altogether.
As most of the world is into a work-from-home mode, the digital world has become more active. For the few businesses that are still functioning in full swing, digital platforms have become more useful to reach out to consumers and clients. While for such businesses digital marketing is being perceived as the ultimate method for connecting with the common people, the digital marketing industry has been impacted too.
While the world strives to find a cure to COVID-19 and recover from its impact, let’s look at a few aspects of digital marketing that the pandemic has affected.
SEO and SEM Becoming Essential for Businesses
The online world has seen a significant rise in traffic in the past few months. As a major part of the world is contained in their homes, the digital world has become more active. During such times, the search patterns of the people have observed significant change. Search networks have seen new patterns of the queries ranging from information about the COVID-19 pandemic to the prediction of the world economy in the next year. The option of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) have become essential for businesses.
Inherently, small-scale and large-scale businesses are turning towards the digital marketing industry for SEO and SEM. SEO and SEM are a way for businesses to connect with a wider range of consumers and advertise their products and services that are still functioning during the lockdown or will be required soon after the lockdown.
The rise in Social Media Marketing
Social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram are being accessed more by people. In such a scenario, social media marketing is proving to be an ideal option for businesses to market their products. With events and gatherings being canceled due to the pandemic, social media platforms are being used as much as possible to connect with the audience and market upcoming projects and services.
Social media marketing is more helpful to businesses that are currently functioning in full swing as well as to the businesses that have a product or service in line to be launched shortly. Due to this increased social media presence in the world; the digital marketing industry is keeping busy with new projects.
Effect on Consumer Awareness and Interests
On one hand, where social media marketing and search engine optimization are helping businesses to reach out to consumers, consumers have become more aware of their requirements and interests. This, in turn, has affected the sale of less essential products such as appliances, automobiles, and furniture. While some products such as medicines, sanitizers, face masks, and gloves have become essential.
Similarly, services such as car wash, laundry, and housekeeping have been restricted as compared to other services such as home delivery which has a high demand.
As a result of the growing awareness of the consumers, the traffic on digital platforms is limited to certain websites and applications.
The downfall of the E-commerce Websites and Thus Marketing of Goods
E-commerce websites are one of the most affected digital platforms. The sale of products being constrained to essential goods, most the e-commerce website has seen a drastic fall in sales since the pandemic started.
For websites such as Amazon that supplies essential household items as well, the sales are limited. On the other hand, websites selling clothes and furniture, and websites that aggregate properties, travel tickets, and hotel bookings, the sale have come to a halt till the lockdown is being observed all around the world.
Inherently, these websites choose to limit the marketing of their essential services and goods to a minimum. Effectively, for the current times, the marketing for these websites may not yield as many sales as expected.
Industries Most Affected
The pandemic has affected certain industries to a great extent bringing their sales and services to a complete halt. The travel industry, hospitality industry, electronics and automobile industry, real estate, entertainment industry, fuel industry, the insurance industry, and the banking and finance industry are seen as the worst affected businesses in recent times.
While some of the industries will be allowed to start production shortly, most of the above-mentioned industries will require time to recover from the losses caused by the pandemic.
More or less all these businesses provide have been providing online services for the past few years. For example, the banking and finance industry offers easy online transfers and payments. To deal with the current situation other industries such as the insurance industry have started providing online health policies without any prior health check-ups.
Concerns for After the Pandemic Lockdown
The pandemic is spreading rapidly all around the globe. Measures to contain the threat are in full swing. In such times when the world is compelled to stay within their household, the world of digital marketing is opening new doors for the small and large scale businesses still functioning. Even though a huge loss has been reported in most businesses, there still is some hope for them to revive their revenue with the help of digital platforms.
