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Adapt Your Digital Marketing Strategy to Post-Pandemic Consumer Behaviour
Before the pandemic, many consumers worked in an office space on weekdays and engaged in shopping in the evenings and on weekends. This consumer behaviour was standard for decades until the COVID-19 pandemic arrived. Today, remote and hybrid work is the work situation for many consumers. The time spent online, and how consumers spend time online, has changed and this has influenced their consumer behaviour. With this change, digital marketers have been faced with many challenges, have had to constantly change their digital marketing strategies, and have had to consider their platforms and re-evaluate their business, brand, and digital marketing goals.
The change in consumer behaviour
One of the main changes in consumer behaviour has been the popularisation of digital and online shopping. This was popularised by social distancing regulations before consumers realised the convenience of online shopping. Not only is it safer, but easier and requires less effort than physically going to a store.
Another change in consumer behaviour has been the move towards home entertainment and improvement. Even though most of the restrictions have been lifted, many consumers value spending time at home instead of in public spaces. Spending more time at home means that many consumers have and will invest in home entertainment and in products that improve their homes to make them more comfortable.
The pandemic has also influenced consumer loyalty toward brands. Convenience and value have become more important than brand loyalty for many, and this has seen consumers supporting brands that are more easily accessible and offer more value for money.
Adapting the digital marketing strategy
To successfully adapt the digital marketing strategy of businesses to suit post-pandemic consumer behaviour, digital marketers need to understand the mindset, decision process, and behaviours of their target market and consumers in general. If digital marketers do not adapt their strategies, they will become irrelevant in the digital shopping space. Ways to adapt the digital marketing strategy are to:
- Form connections with consumers. In a post-pandemic world, consumers prefer personalised more genuine marketing. If the digital marketing strategy is generic and lacks heart, it is unlikely that it will gain high levels of consumer engagement. Being authentic and focusing on producing personalised and targeted digital marketing campaigns to settle the needs of consumers is sure to lead to success.
- Make use of influencers. Due to lockdown restrictions, the amount of time people spent on social media has increased and this trend continues even after the harsh restrictions have been lifted. Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram are some of the most popular, and this is where digital marketers should place their focus. They should partner with social media influencers as this form of marketing is more targeted, authentic, and personalised.
- Invest in becoming incorporated within the Metaverse. Although the Metaverse has not been fully launched or constructed, it should be fully operational by 2030. The Metaverse is sure to change the digital space, and the way shopping is done online. Digital marketers should take advantage of this time before the Metaverse is fully operational to prepare their brand to be incorporated into the Metaverse to explore its opportunities and to stay relevant.
- Focus on convenience. As convenience and value for money have become important factors when shopping online, digital marketers should focus on creating a convenient online shopping experiences. This entails using social media platforms, creating personalised content, and using AI-powered and eCommmerce tools.
The Takeaway
If you, as a digital marketer, would like to learn new skills or master your existing ones to successfully adapt your digital marketing strategy, we would recommend taking the “Applied Digital Marketing Certificate” (ADMC) short course. This short course, offered by the Institute of Marketing Management (IMM), focuses on the latest and most necessary digital marketing tools you need right now. The ADMC course has eight jam-packed which are:
- Digital Marketing Orientation
- Applied Digital Marketing Project (Portfolio)
- The World of Marketing
- Marketing Mix Strategy
- A Digital Approach to Marketing Strategy
- Building Online Customer Relationships
- The Digital Marketing Toolbox
- Applying Digital Marketing Tactics
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