It’s been months we are in lockdown. The world is waiting for the coronavirus vaccine. The standstill of nations has put a big comma on the economies. If the scenario remains the same for more months, the comma may become a full stop eventually. Clearly, no one ever thought that a virus could bring the streets of metro cities and towns to a complete halt. Businesses are facing the wrath of the lockdown the most. The lockdown has put temporary locks on SMBs. Most of them are on the verge of decline if the scenario remains the same.
The ‘Survival of the fittest Theory’ can be real for businesses in these crucial times!
Okay, it’s not like the biological theory by Charles Darwin. The survival of businesses will depend on their adaptability to the changing market scenarios. These are times only companies that are adapting as per change, innovating, and experimenting will prove their mettle in the future. As we talk about the change in working terms, the internet and digital marketing are proving as a real blessing for the world today. Many companies are breathing better because they adapted to the remote working approach very well.
SMBs have the potential to rise in lockdown
Absolutely! It is time for Small & Medium businesses to rise using digital marketing. You may ask – why just digital marketing? Well, Digital marketing is cost-effective, easy to start, and you can work on it right from your home. Lockdown is not the time to sit back & relax till you resume back to the office. You need to wave a big hello and say, Yes! We are still in the game. Your target audience is sitting at home like you. It is a perfect opportunity to break a deal that brings all the eyes on your brand. There are many ways you can gain clients/ customers. One of the quickest digital marketing ways is PPC Marketing.
What is PPC Marketing?
PPC stands for Pay-per-click. In this online advertising model, the advertiser needs to pay only when a user clicks their ad. It is a cost-effective & target-specific method that most of the SMBs use. It can bring quality leads, brand recognition, elevate sales, and more. The analytics, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness made this ad strategy famous in digital marketing.
PPC Marketing during Coronavirus Lockdown
If you are shocked, you understand marketing pretty well. There is a massive shift in the buying behaviour of people. Most of the expenditures are becoming limited to basic needs. People are not willing to buy anything extra. They have set boundaries for their expenses. It almost feels that no one is buying anything. The supply-demand cycle has come to a standstill for most of the industries. Thinking about PPC in such times seems like an insane idea, Isn’t it? At least the big picture of current market statistics says so. But when you search more in-depth, you will understand…
PPC Marketing is a good idea right now!
A general perception right now is making you think so much on PPC. Have you thought about it from your business’ point of view yet? Think about it. Not every business is making losses in this lockdown. Some industries are very much alive and kicking.
Google has just introduced a special google trends section – Coronavirus Search Trends. It will help you to compare the trending search and compare it to search results before coronavirus. To understand this better, we searched with the term ‘Online English Classes’. The result blew our minds!
See what a significant jump in the education & courses industry has taken since the lockdown began. People are at home. They are trying to make the most of this time. And, thanks to the internet, they can learn & enhance skills while sitting at their comfy couch. What’s better than this time to expand your horizon of learning? You need to think in this way to make your PPC efforts work. Brainstorm the ideas your product/service can help people. Check what people are searching online related to your industry.
Once you crack the hack, it’s time for PPC action!
Definitely, PPC marketing cannot be done blindfolded at this moment. You need to plan a strategic approach to reap the benefits now or post lockdown. Get your sherlock activated and observe- What’s Trending? What are your competitors doing? Are people really not buying? Ways you can connect efficiently? And more. If you find it difficult, hire a company nearby. Suppose you are in Pune, search for a digital marketing company in Pune. You must hire a nearby digital services provider, at least during this lockdown period. They will help you the best. If you are confident, go for it. A proper mix of PPC strategies can help you to win great customers. Let’s check the ways you can use these PPC ads for your business.
7 PPC Marketing Strategies to follow during coronavirus lockdown
1) Use available Data + Google Trends
Under normal circumstances, marketers thoroughly analyze their customer base, channels, possible benefits of trends, and more. Well, you don’t have time to do all these. Starting a PPC blindfolded is not a good idea. Hence, make use of readily available data. You must have your customer’s demographics, psychographics sorted. Use that in defining your ad message. As far as getting maximum attention is concerned, make use of Google Trends to see what can work better for your PPC ad campaigns. The PPC efforts are uncertain most of the time, and the lockdown period made it more unpredictable. They say, ‘sometimes you should not believe unless you experience.’ This phrase is appropriate for this time. Give it a shot to understand if this time is favorable for your business or not.
2) Go for the Omnichannel PPC approach
When you are sinking in the big ocean, you try every possible way to keep swimming. It is the exact scenario for many businesses. Don’t limit yourself with Facebook ads. Be available at various touchpoints to enjoy good brand recall and customer acquisition online. Explore the channels that can be beneficial for your right now. Create an integrated experience for your target customers across multiple channels. It will help you to monitor the user behavior better, excellent brand visibility, high ROI all under affordable expenditure. It may not turn your target audience into buyers soon, but your efforts will be fruitful with a great remarketing strategy. Use the acquired data for remarketing post lockdown.
3) Be considerate & Promote
No matter how enticing your PPC ads are, if you are thinking only about sales, it’s a bad idea. The current scenario demands to be considerate and caring towards society. Promote your brand, but wrap it up with words that don’t sound insensitive towards the coronavirus problem. Suppose you are a Dietician. Nowadays, people are looking for a diet change since they are at home. Hence, promoting your diet plan, saying ‘Utilize your Quarantine to be fit” will work. However, if you straightway claim that your diet plan can kill corona, it is wrong. You will grab lots of eyeballs and backlashes at the same time. Be opportunistic, but not every time. Your audience may not be ready to accept such false PPC claims. You might end up making this lockdown worse for your business calendar.
4) Existing PPC Ads can take a pause
PPC is not a once in a blue moon method for many SMBs. They do it every day. There may be many ads that are running since the lockdown began. See if they are going sync with today’s customer mindset or not. You can pause PPCs that seem to be of no use till the lockdown gets over. It will save unnecessary ad expenses. You can think about new strategies as per the coronavirus impact and run it. Determine the ad budget as per your convenience. Stay in the game with high-performing PPC campaigns.
5) Focus on Brand Awareness
Not all days of the year are bloomy. Similarly, the coronavirus lockdown period has impacted many businesses. If your business also came to a halt, it’s crucial that you keep walking or maybe run. It is challenging for an online apparel brand to sell right now. Even the most attractive PPC ad will be wasted as people are not into the buying mode right now. What should be done in this case? Well, use PPC to create brand awareness. Try to run ads that bring your prospective buyers to your website. Redirect them to your space, and if they find it right, they will buy it. In case they don’t, you will have the data for remarketing after lockdown. It’s a win-win from both ways. Think about it now!
6) Invest time in Lead Nurturing
Okay, this is one of the most skipped elements of an ideal marketing funnel. SMBs focus on lead generation and lead conversions more. While these two are essential, lead nurturing can be a game-changer if done with proper digital strategy. Most likely, you already have your client in your data. You just need to keep the interaction going. Nurture your lead with more information, convince them. Do not lose hope before connecting to them for at least 4-5 times with an omnichannel PPC approach. Personalize your ad message. Modulate your plans to fit their requirement and re-approach once you maintain a cordial connection with your leads. They mostly get converted into buyers soon. And, keep that communication on post-acquisition too.
7) Increase your sales with PPC
Times are not favourable for all. While many SMBs are not doing well, the grocery stores and vegetable vendors are still reaping the profits. You can leverage profits without sounding like an opportunist. A supermarket can promote its home delivery services with PPC. Make sure your ad message reflects concern, care & safety for society. Run a combination of Google and Facebook PPC ads. Keep the delivery areas pre-defined. If your local SEO is strong, it will help to get better benefits.
The leads generated by such PPC campaigns can be fruitful in the future too.
Final Thoughts
Undoubtedly, coronavirus has hit the world hard – physically & financially. While all the shops/business parks are locked, Digital Marketing is the ray of hope for all. You should not waste this golden time; you have to brainstorm your marketing strategies and act upon it soon. PPC was, is, and will be the quick ladder to climb up and get more business. The SMBs are full of doubt, concerns about PPC expenses. Folks, it’s better to try than sit and cry. Design a careful PPC ad campaign strategy (avoid wasting your money on typical ads), define your target smartly, monitor the performance regularly, control your ad expenses, and more. Don’t hesitate to experiment using multiple running ads. Within a few days, you will understand your map to success during the lockdown and beyond.
Aarna Systems is a 360° Digital Marketing company in Pune. We take care of everything right from designing a feature-rich website, mobile app development, digital marketing, SEO to promoting brands extensively on social platforms. PPC being an important Digital marketing component, is always in our prime focus for a successful digital strategy. Our experts know the art of marketing your brand at the right place at the right time with the right message.
Connect to us for all your lockdown-related digital marketing requirements now!
