We all witnessed the immense revolution of consumer behaviour at the start of the pandemic from panic buying, the decline of consumer spend on bricks and mortars, increase in unemployment, families isolated for an awful long period of time. During such time, social media has been serving its real purpose; offering family, friends and definitely businesses a great opportunity to connect with their customers. At the beginning of the lockdown we were all confined to our mobile devices and discovered new ways to get in touch with our families and new ways of doing business. Covid-19 pandemic has literally taught us that is possible to work remotely!
We have all got up to some level of creativity by producing our own home videos and share these on the likes of Tik Tok, Instagram and Facebook. As well as following the latest headline news from across the globe and reactions from various pundits.
What data tells us?
Facebook usage surged to 11% and 10% year-on-year increase respectively. DAUs (daily active users) were 1.73 billion on average for March 2020, an increase of 11% year-over-year; and MAUs (monthly active users) were 2.60 billion as of March 31, 2020, an increase of 10% year-over-year.
But one thing that remain in fact is the increase in internet shopping. According to the ONS UK (Office for National Statistics) report, online sales as a proportion of all retailing reached a record high of 31.1% in June 2020 as consumers switched to online purchasing following the pandemic.
Internet retail sales increased by 2.34 billion in June 2020 (statistics.com). This is not due to decline in any shape or form in the near future.
An OfCom report reveals that in April 2020, through the height of lockdown, UK adults spent a daily average of four hours and two minutes online, which is up from just under three and a half hours in September 2019.
UK adults spending record four hours a day online on average, one in three now watch online video more than traditional TV, with two in five making videos themselves.
In 2023, a staggering 5.3 billion people were plugged into the internet, linking nearly two-thirds of the world's population to the vast expanse of the World Wide Web!
Enter the era of digital dominance! With internet penetration soaring and the hunger for online content reaching new heights, global digital advertising spending skyrocketed to an incredible $681 billion in 2023, marking an all-time high!
The Surge
The effect of the pandemic is sending users to social media with many platforms experiencing an unprecedented surge in user numbers.
Therefore, for businesses who are inactive online they need to be ready to establish their digital presence and reach if they need to survive.
So what’s next in Internet Marketing to ensure survival?
1. Keep it real – Avoid sharing irrelevant content to your audience. Too many businesses fall into the trap of sharing unrelated content to their audience. Let your followers know that there is human behind the content you are sharing. Listen to your audience and be true to your tone of voice.
2. Interact to connect – If you are going to make an impact online, engagement with your audience is key. Broadcasting information on your digital channels is not a one-way conversation. If you want your audience to interact with your brand, start getting into the habit of interacting with them on a regular basis.
“Social media is not a media. The key is to listen, engage, and build relationships.” David Alston
3. Be consistent – In all that you do in your digital space. Have a steady content plan and clear strategy for your social media, website and email marketing.
4. Avoid hard sell – Try to avoid using your platforms as a constant sales pitch. Allow your customers to connect with your brand naturally.
5. Authenticity matters – In internet marketing you need to stand out from the crowd. Be true to the values of your brand.
6. One size doesn’t fit all – Know your audience in each of your digital space. Try to avoid sharing the same content in the same style across all platforms.
7. Cutting Edge strategy is a must – As internet marketing constantly evolves, brands have to be equipped to adapt to these changes, keep abreast of the current internet trends and establish innovative tactics to reach their target audience.
“If your business is not on the internet then your business will be out of business.”
Bill Gates – Microsoft Founder
As your business progresses and evolves, continue to stay abreast of technological developments and trends to remain competitive, referring to your digital or internet marketing objectives. Stay focused and remember you need to remain in the circle to win!
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