With the COVID-19 pandemic going around for weeks now, businesses have been getting impacted in a major way.

Organic traffic and conversions are down in most industries. It even gets much harder for small businesses to raise awareness of their brands using the usual digital marketing strategies.

And the sad reality is that even if the virus slows down, businesses will continue to struggle for the next few months.

To help you stay relevant, I looked into what successful brands are doing to handle the pandemic. Learn some valuable insights from these brands that you can apply to your own marketing amidst the crisis.

Acknowledge the issue head-on

While it’s true that brands should tread carefully when talking about sensitive topics, it doesn’t mean they should remain completely silent about it.

The COVID-19 crisis is here, and unfortunately, its impact is here to stay long after the quarantine period is over.

As a brand, you have to acknowledge the issue not just because it’s a sign of transparency but also because your audience needs it too. The need to include crisis communication in your strategy is now inevitable.

The first step is to let your audience know what steps are you taking in the wake of the crisis, just like how Unilever did upon the announcement of the pandemic.

Unilever’s website

Explaining how the virus impacts your operation in a public post helps in trust retention. Detail what your team plans to do moving forward, with safety and compassion at the heart of your operational changes.

Shift your tone and messaging

When discussing the current situation, the number one rule is to be mindful of the message. Tone-deaf promotions should be avoided. Small- and large-enterprises alike should never capitalize on the crisis to promote themselves.

At times like this, brands should be compassionate and emphatic. Just take a look at VSCO’s example below.

VSCO, which is most well-known for the VSCO app, was able to launch its newest feature, “Montage,” amidst the pandemic. The new feature highlights video composition and storytelling.

But how did they do it?

The photography mobile app brand refrained from being overly promotional. Rather, it addressed through email the current environment and the challenges we are in right now.

Most notably, VSCO sheds some hope by highlighting how the new feature can be used to connect with others virtually —something that is essential in times of isolation and separation.

With such tone, the brand was able to subtly promote its new features while empathizing with its audience.

Channel your brand’s human side

Brands should remember that the crisis has heavily hit many individuals. That said, it’s the best time to show you’re not just a brand—that you’re also a human, first and foremost.

Including human elements in your marketing are likely to improve its effectiveness.

For instance, Amazon’s promise to hire 100,000 more workers and to increase the salary of its current staff communicated its human side. This does address not only the need for labor but also supports online shopping for customers confined in their homes.

Guinness is another example of brands showing up more human than ever.

By pledging $500,000 to communities affected by the pandemic, Guinness has communicated its philanthropic efforts in its “St. Patrick’s Day Message.”

Source: https://twitter.com/GuinnessUS/status/1238517187125612548

This move garnered overwhelming positive comments and reactions from the public.

While smaller brands don’t have the resources to make such grand moves like Amazon and Guinness, there are still opportunities, and the message is clear: be human.

Address social responsibility

A recent report by Ace Metrix shows that 75 percent of over 1,000 consumers surveyed believe brands have a social responsibility in this trying time. In the report, it is stated that it is “key for brands to show actual action, not just words.”

With simple yet powerful messages, you, as a brand, can do your part in fighting the spread of the virus. Just take, for example, Coca Cola’s recent ad in Times Square.

Credits to the Coca Cola Company

Featuring the brand’s name—usually a tightly connected script logo, but now with space between each letter. Coca Cola’s message is clear: it wants people to practice social distancing.

While the ad has been met with criticism, with some people seeing the move as opportunistic, one can’t deny the message it wants to deliver.

The criticism supports our point in Item #2 that, however well-intentioned, such ads come with risks of being viewed as exploitive. Hence, brands should be careful.

But with millennial consumers aligning themselves with brands that share their values, becoming socially responsible can transcend the risks mentioned above. This is especially true if you’re genuinely helping, and when you’re keeping product promotion to a minimum.

Offer value to your audience

When you can be of value during this COVID-19 pandemic, do so.

You don’t have to spend your company’s money donating to causes that fight the virus. Possessing information or knowledge that can better the lives of your audience in times of crisis can go a long way—both for the public and your brand.

For instance, Williams Sonoma made a smart move of sharing a list of must-have food and ingredients in case of quarantine.

Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/B99-tzLnOxF/?utm_source=ig_embed

While the brand did mention some of its products on the list, this can be overlooked as the content is relevant, valuable, and helpful.

Content like this can help raise awareness of your brand while genuinely offering value to your audience.

Maximize social media channels that offer engagement

With so many people staying in their homes and using the Internet, brands should not miss out on engaging with them.

You might have heard of celebrities live streaming concerts to keep everyone entertained—and raise funds for a good cause. That’s one good example of maximizing engagement in times of this crisis.

Doing so keeps these acts top of mind. And people are more likely to buy albums and merchandise from these artists once the crisis is over.

That’s the power of being virtual.

Another example is how some furniture brands like Burrow utilize a platform for virtual consultations. The modular-sofa maker makes use of its shop staff as store representatives who help in their at-home consulting service.

Burrow’s website

With its two showrooms closed at the moment, this platform helps Burrow remain relevant in this trying time. People can book a consultation for 15-30 minutes to discuss any design or product queries.

Final Thoughts

As MarketingProfs Chief Content Officer Ann Handley puts it, “Everyone feels they are dramatically, uniquely affected in this pandemic. And that holds true for businesses and marketers.”

Everyone is affected, and we are suffering from the anxiety that this pandemic has brought us. The daily struggle of keeping up with your marketing tactics has become harder, much more keeping your business afloat.

But it’s something that we need to face. And the tips above could potentially help your brand stay relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic.

About the Author: Steven J Wilson is the Founder of Ejensi Digital and digital marketing consultant helping business owners create & optimize their company’s brand awareness to acquire more leads and increase revenue.