Content Marketing Post Covid-19

Content is the king, always stands true and there is no denying the fact especially post Covid-19. Content is what attracts the people to your website and makes them engaged with what you have to offer.

As per a report by the Content Marketing Institute (2019), there is some positive data regarding content marketing;

• Content marketing is used by 68% of top performers, their aim is at creating a database and 83% is for lead enhancing activities,
• 84% of the most productive and successful content marketing strategies are aimed at designing content to enhance customer loyalty towards the brand as well as strengthen the relationship they share with the public.

Due to the pandemic, it is for all to see how this crisis has impacted content marketing. The importance of using content marketing to its best as well as its relevance in situations like these becomes evident by just looking at the positive emerging witnessed in the first phase. The point to note here is that the campaigns which banked on content for their marketing activities grabbed the coveted spot.

The need to convince consumers doesn’t necessarily stem from advertisements created solely for selling and convincing. What matters here is how well the consumer is convinced regarding your offering and the content whether it justifies it or not. In today’s times since people are spending so much time more at home, this has led to success in the popularity and outreach of content marketing. Undoubtedly, this has emerged as an important way for companies to stay in touch with the people, at large.

You can reach out to your audience and convey your message to them. The best part about content marketing is that you can reach out to various target groups by designing content as per their requirements and taste. You can design your content which adds and carries value to the people, this way you can capitalize it as an asset to get closer to your customers. It should be remembered that whatever content you display, should not look opportunistic or aimed for profit, rather something that makes a difference or creates an impact in the lives of the people. For instance,

• A free online series on artificial ventilation was created by Harvard University made to prepare the medical staff towards tending for theCOVID-19 patients
• An Instagram series called as ‘Wanna talk about it’ was created by Netflix, focusing on self-care during the pandemic.
• A campaign was created by the Cookist, known as “#istayinthekitchen”, where ideas, tutorials and initiatives for the people to productively gain out of the lockdown were provided.

Points to take care of for your content strategy post Covid-19

1. Being authentic and honest is the key- Post-Covid, people have become wary of any promises made by an organization, definitely because unlike in the past, the one-to-one interaction is missing, which did lend credibility to any transaction. Nowadays, only those brands or companies are successful who take efforts to maintain and carry transparency and most importantly win the trust of the people. Therefore, when you develop new content, you should make sure that not only it is engaging, sensible, authentic, and relevant to the users. What matters, in the long run, is that you should be able to carry on the promises made by you, because if the consumers feel that you won’t be delivered as promised, then they might shift to your competitor. Therefore, whatever it is, it boils down to the old adage, ‘Honesty is the best policy.
2. Work upon your content calendar- It is time to rework your content calendar, nowadays, anywhere and everywhere you go, it’s all about the virus. It’s true as the situation is just like that, but undoubtedly it has become overwhelming for all. Therefore, all that people need is a dose of creativity and positivity; hence, you can share pictures or snippets showcasing happy stories or anecdotes from work from home schedules of the people, or any such thing which infuses joy and optimism in the current times. It is best to remove those posts or pictures which might create backlash or generate negativity against your organization…so go ahead and revamp if not done that yet.
3. Request for surveys and genuine feedback- For any business entity it is very important to stay in regular touch with their audience and get to know their pulse on a timely basis. This is what acts as a foundation stone for their success and growth. Not only should the organizations rely on analytics to understand the behavior of the audience but getting responses on a personalized level shall not only bring them closer to the needs of the audience but also help them understand to how to cater to those needs. Surveys, feedback, questionnaires, etc. shall be shared on a regular basis as this will give the organizations an idea of whether their content is hitting the right note with their audience or not. If not, then it can be tweaked as per the requirements on a timely basis.

The pandemic has put a spotlight on the way content marketing was perceived. Nowadays, it has not only become relevant but also one of the most effective tools to get in touch with your customers and convey to them your message in the most effective and engaging manner. If used properly, it can act as a bridge between the customers and you, enhance your protect your reputation and deliver the best results in a limited budget.