Most businesses are finding it necessary to adjust marketing campaigns in order to be sensitive to the COVID-19 pandemic that everyone is facing. Companies are not only trying to stay relevant in a time where people have less tolerance for the superfluous, but they are also trying to maintain customer loyalty by reaching out in a thoughtful and meaningful way. Irvine SEO copywriters note that this shift in brand messaging is important to the success of any current business.
Stay-at-home and social distancing policies have drastically impacted the habits and the perspective of the consumer. Irvine SEO copywriters share their advice for marketing in this time of crisis.
The risk of implementing haphazard marketing in the time of a global pandemic warrants serious consequences. People are rightly concerned about the outbreak of COVID-19 and will not respond well to marketing that belittles or ignores the situation we are all in. SEO copywriters in Irvine say that it is important to evaluate your brand message for sensitivity. Are you contributing something useful or inspiring to consumers? Or are you exploiting the situation we are in for more sales? Now, more than ever, consumers will be attuned to your marketing tone.
With social media users on the rise, poor marketing tactics could lead to a very public, long-lasting walk of shame. So, it is always better to err on the side of caution. This may mean slightly altering the tone of your brand. If you are usually upbeat and funny, then you may want to consider a more thoughtful and serious tribute to the situation our world is facing. Your attention to consumer feelings will be rewarded in the future when they remember how you responded to this crisis.
Keep a healthy balance of seriousness and optimism. Your customers want to know that you can be respectful to the fear and anxiety that many are facing during this time. However, you also don’t want your marketing to be depressing. So, maintain a reasonably positive attitude and provide helpful information that will inspire others to stay safe and healthy, both physically and mentally.
Language is important. You want to make sure that you pay attention to the way your content is being conveyed. There are some obvious triggers that one should avoid using casually during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is a list of them:
- Kill, killer, killing
- Contagious
- Infection, infectious
- Virus
- Sick, sickness
- Dangerous, danger
- Die, dying, death
If you happen to be one of the fortunate companies that is profiting during this time, approach your marketing with the mindset of helping others (not helping yourself). In other words, use your marketing as a tool to increase visibility and access to information that shows customers how your product or service will improve their situation. Perhaps you are even donating some of your proceeds to a greater cause or organizing a donation drive in order to share the success of your business. Consumers want to know that you are thinking of the community and not just taking advantage of your fortune when most other people are suffering.
If you are one of the companies that is struggling during this uncertain time, you need to be careful with sounding desperate or money hungry. Instead, remind customers why your product or service still matters during this time and convey your desire to stick around when the going gets tough. Consumers will respect your ability to serve their needs even in a financially unstable time. Maintain your foundation of trustworthiness and quality assurance and people will want to support your company’s aims.
While you are marketing for your brand, it is important that you remain a reliable source of information for your consumers. When you mention COVID-19 in social media posts or blogs posts, make sure that you are spreading accurate information. Copywriting untrue facts can lead to very serious consequences for the reputation of your company. Here are some credible sources you can reference:
- Centers for Disease Control
- World Health Organization
- The Department of Public Health
Another important factor of good copywriting is spelling and grammar. This is always something you should be aware of when you’re marketing for your brand. However, it becomes an absolute essential when you are referencing serious matters like COVID-19. Incorrect language can undermine the tonal significance of your campaign and make your company seem less educated. Improper language can also confuse the meaning of your copywriting and, thus, confuse your consumer when it is crucial to spread accurate information about what’s going on.
Copywriting in the time of COVID-19 needs to be positive without being unrealistic. In other words, don’t make promises to your consumer that you can’t keep. When you are referencing the future, remain optimistic without making detailed predictions or assumptions about how things will be. The worst thing you can do is get people’s hopes up with unrealistic expectations, only to disappoint them with a striking reality.
Everything we are facing is unprecedented, which means that every day is an opportunity for news that changes the situation as we know it. In this case, it is best to make copywriting that can be flexible. Without sounding too vague, keep your copy at a somewhat neutral stance so that you do not have to make dramatic changes every few weeks.
When you are offering products or services during this time, you should avoid a call to action that pressures consumers unnecessarily. Messages that tell people to do something “before it’s too late” or that tell them not to “miss out” will invoke a rather insensitive tone with customers. Right now, urgency is only appropriate for serious matters regarding COVID-19, not your product or service.
For companies with a brick and mortar store, your call to action may need to be adjusted since customers are not able to go to you directly. Have your messaging tell consumers to check out your online market or at least learn more about your company from your about page. Emphasize your attentiveness to the situation with language like “remote,” “virtual,” “delivery,” and “at home.” If you are doing business differently in order to accomodate customers during this time, then that should be the main focus of your copywriting.
Many businesses utilize scheduling tools for their campaigns. If this is the case for your company, you will want to double check your scheduled posts and automated emails in order to ensure that they are sensitive, relevant, and appropriate.
Copywriting in the time of COVID-19 will take an extra amount of awareness and sensitivity in order to generate positive results for your brand. However, it will not be all difficult. Here are some tips to make the most of your situation:
- Only make changes to copy that is immediately affected by COVID-19. You don’t need to rewrite your whole campaign. Some things can stay the same.
- Keep track of your copy changes. When you need to reassess your campaign in a couple of months, you might want access to previous copy.
- Keep track of ideas. Even if now is not the right time for a certain strategy or campaign, there will be a time and place for your good ideas.
- Maintain quality copy. While we may be facing extraordinary circumstances, you should always generate copywriting that you are proud to share. Stay motivated to keep up with your standard of quality and don’t rush things.