Saving Time and Resources With User-Generated Marketing Content

Many businesses are currently unsure of what the future holds and how their businesses can adjust to the difficult disruptions of the coronavirus. During this time, companies are facing challenges and confronting a multitude of changes, often pivoting business plans or implementing cost-cutting strategies, while also brainstorming ways to develop and strengthen future avenues of growth. While companies are facing internal challenges, they are also forced to confront external communications and client-facing interactions. It is more important than ever for companies to build strong connections with their customers through content marketing that is situationally sensitive, yet forward-looking. 

What is content marketing?

Content marketing is a digital marketing strategy that differs from traditional promotional advertising by focusing on storytelling in order to build a stronger relationship and pipeline to customers. This type of marketing is crucial during Covid-19 in order to develop ongoing relationships with customers through content that delivers value, builds trust, and establishes a positive brand image. However, the current divergence from normal business operations and customer interactions that are generally used to create content for marketing makes it very challenging for marketers to create and distribute content. 

How should companies navigate content creation in this unusual time?

1) Redefine marketing goals:

Pre-COVID marketing material may now seem dissonant and tone-deaf to the public audience. In order to better address the concerns and overall well being of stakeholders, including employees/staff, customers, community members, and more, it is critical for companies to redefine their marketing goals and practices accordingly. Goals may include supporting customers through this difficult time, sharing helpful resources, bringing a positive light to distract from current circumstances, reinvigorating a spirit of fitness, or building long term trust. Take the time to revisit your company’s marketing goals in order to develop a framework for strategy development. A company’s choices during challenging times can be pivotal, so invest efforts to strategically position yourself as a supportive, transparent, and empathetic company. 

2) Refine strategies:

Amidst COVID-19, the prosperity of businesses hinges on their ability to maintain cash flows. Consequently, businesses need to inflict cost-cutting measures and will not be able to freely invest resources into content creation. Instead, companies should use their own customer base to create marketable content for them. If your business has transitioned workouts online or fitness classes on demand, employ hashtags for customers to use on Instagram so they can share their experiences on social media. All of the social media posts tagged using the same hashtag will be compiled into a pool of content curated and created by your own customers. Your company will then have access to a database of consumer curated content delivered straight to your fingertips, so encourage customers to tag your company’s Instagram and social media handles if they decide to post photos or videos using your product/service. Then utilize this library of content to select material that reflects the brand image and strategically repost the content on social media pages. By sharing content from happy and satisfied customers, companies will be able to build credibility for their services as well as grow the sense of an online community, while also sharing compelling testimonials and stories that will attract new customers. Additionally, companies can be creative in the ways that they utilize the content from their customers; consider repurposing and editing media in order to share other important messages or possibly promote new services. This costless alternative to specific paid advertisements and content marketing is a powerful strategy that has proven to be successful on social media. Utilize your customer base and digital connections for customer-driven content that will help grow your business and foster stronger community bonds. 

3) Promote content through different channels:

Content alone does not drive value, promoting content does. Utilize other channels of connecting with customers to spread content and information. For example, use other mediums like digital newsletters, emails, text messages, and other forms of social media to promote your content. Currently, trends in content marketing also include virtual gatherings, Instagram live/ live streaming, and collaborations with micro-influencers and other brands. Employ strategies to actively promote your own content, if you don’t, nobody else will.

4) Employ agile and forward thinking:

In the covid-19 era, the challenges of content creation and redefining marketing strategies are significant hurdles that require agile thinking and processes in order to dynamically ideate through new strategies in a timely manner. Agile thinking places an emphasis on experimentation and research in order to test and iterate through strategies and ideas quickly. Due to the time-sensitive nature of COVID-19’s impact on the global economy, it is crucial for companies to move quickly with agile thinking and implementation in order to learn and adjust marketing practices in real-time. Along with agile thinking, companies should maintain a forward-thinking mindset upon reimagining marketing strategies with a focus on recovery and the future of the business in the long run. Using deeper consumer insights from agile thinking and marketing, such as identifying new customer segments or successful marketing interactions, companies can get ahead of a clear picture of a post-COVID world in order to uniquely position itself for the future. Dynamic and rapid experimentation alongside a long term vision will make the difference for successful businesses. 

Companies are being forced now more than ever to confront new challenges and solve new problems every day, so finding strategies to stay connected are indispensable. It is vital that businesses are creative and proactive with their practices in order to stay afloat. Companies should stress maintaining core operations while placing an emphasis on connecting and communicating with their customers and sending a positive message, because in the long run that is what customers will remember. 

As a social impact initiative, Rem and Company also offers free consulting services and resources to small businesses and nonprofits impacted by COVID-19. Our pro-bono consulting teams provide small businesses with the opportunity to identify and prioritize issues facing their business, propose innovative strategies, and facilitate execution. If you are a small business or nonprofit in need of assistance, learn more about how we can help.