Amazingly Actionable Content Marketing Tips For COVID-19

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Could the right content marketing tips help business owners get through the Coronavirus pandemic more profitable than ever?

The answer is simple: yes.

The pandemic has been hell for everyone. But as millions of people find themselves out of work, there could be a saving grace for businesses: content marketing tips to inspire!

While many business owners find themselves frozen in fear of an unforeseeable future, others turn to these content marketing tips. It’s all a matter of looking past the craziness of what’s happening in the world — and trudging on in the face of adversity, of course.

You may have had to lay off your marketing department; you may have never had one, to begin with. However, even as the pandemic disrupts the way all of us do business, one thing is for sure: now more than ever, the world turns to the internet for entertainment, information, and comfort.

In this article, we’re discussing some content marketing tips specifically for the pandemic. But first, let’s highlight the importance of allocating some resources to content marketing now.

Is Publishing Content Important During the Pandemic?

Besides applying hand sanitizer, producing and publishing quality content are vital actions as the pandemic continues. This is because people are spending more time in front of screens than before.

So the big question here is, “What can you do to ensure you captivate and expand your audience?

The most straightforward and effective answer is to change your content marketing strategy according to what’s happening in the world. This means considering how COVID-19 is impacting your target audience(s).

Look for ways to connect to your audience through content marketing. Consider how they feel and publish with these emotions in mind.

Regardless of who your target audience is, everyone is anxious at the moment. The economy is unstable, many people are out of work, and the uncertainty of everything can make it difficult for consumers to purchase your products or services.

At this point, your job is not to convince your audience to purchase your products or services. Instead, focus on the needs of your audience.

It’s time to play the long game and empathize with our audiences; understand their fears and needs, and provide them with a consistent flow of valuable information.

The pandemic will eventually end — and when things go back to a semi-state of normalcy, you could have a well-established audience that sees your business as an authority in your niche.

Let’s cover some actionable content marketing tips to use as you educate, expand, and provide value to your audience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Content Marketing Tips — #1: Analyze & Evaluate

Look at your content marketing strategy. What has been working for your business?

We’re at the point in this pandemic that we’ve all likely created and published content. So we should have some data showing what’s working and what we should abandon.

For example, if you invested in Facebook or Instagram ads to promote your content, you can check your analytics to determine what’s encouraging your target audience to take action.

In most cases, you should be gathering email addresses. However, depending on your business, you could be seeking conversions.

Perhaps you’re not obtaining nearly as many email addresses since the pandemic began. If so, you might want to check which content is encouraging your web traffic to opt into your newsletter.

If you’re using Facebook ads as a component of your content marketing strategy, it’s vital to check how they’re performing. Are these ads killing your budget for content marketing without giving you an adequate ROI?

Think about the sustainability of pay-per-click advertising in conjunction with your content creation. If you can’t afford to continue spending money on promoting your content via social media because it’s not bringing results, exclude this from your updated content marketing plan.

Some business categories are increasing their content marketing ad spend on Facebook. The main niches hitting social media hard include TV, food delivery, cleaning, and many others. Regardless of the niche you’re operating in, if your business benefits from your social media advertising budget, you could try to increase your budget in small increments to see how far you can take it.

The key to analyzing and evaluating an existing content marketing strategy is to be optimistic about your actions. Think about the positive results your content can have on potential customers. And consider how much your business could benefit from investing in promoting your content.

As you think about how your content marketing activities can ensure your business’s success during the pandemic, it’s crucial to avoid becoming overzealous. Don’t ramp up your ad spend from $5/day to $1,000/day at the first sign of success.

Take it slow and have some patience. Good things come to those who wait — and work hard!

Content Marketing Tips — #2: Keep Blog Active

Consider your audience’s preferences. If they like to consume written blog content, go with that. But if your audience prefers a video format or graphics, there are ways to convert your blog content into these other formats.

It’s also possible to include an audio format. This is especially nice in this day and age when podcasts and audio content are becoming increasingly popular formats.

These other content formats are easy to digest. So if your potential customer wants to listen to consume your content while on the subway, at the gym, or anywhere else, they can do so without hesitation.

However, we’ll focus on keeping your blog up to date with written content for the sake of this section.

Through your blog, you’ll present highly researched information that appeals to your target audience. The most important aspect of blogging is to offer value that’s relevant to your business.

Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, focus on offering your audience some relief. Everyone has experienced a peak in anxiety over this virus. And if you can provide something that will give your audience an escape from these anxiety-ridden thoughts, they’ll surely appreciate the break.

Regardless of what you’re publishing, it’s best practice to keep your blog as active and relevant as possible. I know that the pandemic has been debilitating for many of us, and writing a blog article probably doesn’t sound so appealing.

I get it; I’ve had to pry my eyes away from Netflix and Hulu to focus on creating content.

The sad fact is that the pandemic can adversely impact our motivation. And it’s up to us to remain active in our blogging.

Even though you might not talk about your products or services on your business blog, you can show that your business cares about what’s going on in your potential customers’ lives. Eventually, this will lead to conversions and can help your business expand its audience by word of mouth.

Also, let’s not forget that all eyes are glued to their screens during the pandemic. As you publish high-quality blog content, you’re creating more opportunities to capture potential customers’ screen time.

Content Marketing Tips — #3: Invest in Your Newsletter

With over 5.59 billion active email accounts on the planet, it’s easy to see that your target audience is online. Unless your target audience is part of the incredibly small minority that avoids the internet like COVID-19.

Simply put, emails are still a great way to reach people. This is especially true when it comes to staying in touch via your newsletter.

Open rates can exceed 20 percent, at times. And an active newsletter can lead to thousands of dollars — or more — in sales over time.

Email marketing combines sales and marketing with messages of good wishes. Rather than merely trying to sell your subscribers, you’re providing value and showing genuine concern for their well-being.

It’s vital to avoid pitching products or services in a newsletter email. These should focus on showing your concerns and showing your brand in a positive light.

As you connect with your audience via a newsletter, you’re forging your brand as a business that cares. And when you add value that can help potential customers navigate problems, you’re becoming an authority in your niche.

Content Marketing Tips — #4: Create Video Content

You might be completely new to creating video content. And if you are, some software can make the process easier.

But for those of you who would rather not invest the money and time learning to use software for video content creation, some services offer it. For example, we create explainer videos on behalf of some of our clients. We also convert blog posts into video content using Lumen5.

During the pandemic, video content creation is especially crucial. This is your chance to create videos that show how much you care about your existing and potential customers.

For example, some companies are creating videos to announce discounted rates during the pandemic. Others use video to explain they’re donating to a pandemic-related cause.

Another strategy is to create videos outlining some strategic tips that will provide value to clients. As you create videos for your audience, keep your tips focused on helping your clients during these trying times to concrete your brand in their minds.

Another simple option is to create a video asking people how they’re doing. This shows you care, and this will help your brand stand out during the pandemic.

While written content is essential during the pandemic, there’s no substitute for quality video content. This is especially true when considering the reach a video can obtain.

The power of video content cannot be ignored. Platforms, mainly YouTube, have billions of users searching for high-quality video content. So how much of these users’ YouTube screen time will your brand achieve?

Content Marketing Tips — #5: Create Content Assets

Regardless of which industry you’re in, content is an asset. If you have time during the pandemic, consider focusing on creating your own value-driven content assets.

Guides, case studies, ebooks, white papers, and other content formats are incredibly valuable for lead generation and authority and link building. Since these assets take time to develop, the slowdown many businesses are experiencing during the pandemic is the perfect time to dedicate time to creating these assets.

Pre-pandemic, you might not have had the time to create these assets for inbound content marketing. But if you have more time on your hands, now is the time to create these assets.

Some businesses are actually doing even better during these trying times. If your business is successfully operating at full or beyond full capacity during the pandemic, this could mean it’s time to outsource your content marketing.

Your target audience has more time than ever due to COVID-19. This being the case, it’s time to get your content in front of them. While things will begin getting back to normal eventually, your audience will still find value in these assets with the right research leading the way.

One option is to gate this content. This will allow you to build an email list through the opt-ins.

For example, if you run a CBD e-commerce site, you could offer an ebook discussing how to appropriately dose CBD in exchange for emails. Then, when potential customers provide their email addresses, you can continue marketing to them long after they’ve left your site.

Content assets also aid in building authority. If your business is producing content that answers your target audiences’ questions, you’ll become the go-to for all queries regarding your niche.

Consider some of the most common questions in your industry. Answer these questions as effectively as possible across multiple content assets.

Concluding on Content Marketing Tips

The coronavirus outbreak is making business operations uncertain. With this in mind, content marketing activities are vital to maintaining your business’s relevance, establishing and expanding an audience, and becoming an authority within your niche.

As much of the world pauses its entrepreneurial ventures, some will continue working through the pandemic. While high expectations for content marketing during the pandemic can lead to disappointment, now is still an excellent time to expand your reach.

Continue with your content marketing strategy. Adjust it as needed.

Push to connect with your audience without bothering them. Keep publishing and providing value during these uncertain times. And remember, the pandemic is not forever!