As we may feel we're going backward as the July Fourth holiday approaches, businesses are still ... [+]
The sun may be shinning and the temperatures across the country are on the rise, but sadly so too are the cases of Covid-19. As a result beaches will be closed this Fourth of July weekend in Florida and California and bars shuttered in Texas while businesses in 29 states could feel a slow down as people are ordered to keep their social distance.
Yet, even as we may feel we're going backward as the July Fourth holiday approaches, businesses are still seeing social media campaigns as being among the top digital PR tactics during the current novel coronavirus pandemic according to a new report conducted by Fractl and Buzz Stream.
In fact, launching a new social media campaign came in second – with roughly 34% of respondents noting its importance – after interacting with a business's core audience at 44%. Other tactics that helped a business retain its audience include maintaining the company's presence through blogs and improving SEO.
"Most of our customers work in PR, and we've been curious to see how much overlap there's been between traditional PR and digital PR," said Stephen Panico, chief growth officer at BuzzStream.
"The definitions certainly seem to be blurring, and I think a lot of this data confirms that," added Panico. "It goes to show that digital is no longer just an extra tactic to have in your marketing strategy; it needs to be considered and often prioritized at every step of the planning process."
About half of the companies that were surveyed were currently doing some kind of digital PR effort, and now could be a time to double down as people could be back on the screens this weekend rather than at the bars or beaches.
"That means there's a huge opportunity for the brands not engaging in digital PR to get their names out there and start building their awareness and authority," said Amanda Milligan, marketing director at Fractl. "I encourage everyone to research their competitors. Are they appearing in the news? Are they getting backlinks from top publishers? If so, it may be time to start investing in content and digital PR. And if not, moving forward could be a huge strategic advantage for you."
Navigating Social Media's Changing Landscape
Even in the pandemic people continue to use social media, and as network broadcast TV has turned into an endless stream of game shows there is an opportunity to reach a wider audience.
"Social advertising is one of the most effective ways to drive traffic to your website, and becomes easier by the day with social platforms' ever-evolving targeting abilities," said Kathleen Bisset, social media director at SSPR. "No need for a huge marketing budget, either; the average cost-per-click on Facebook is less than $1, so you have room to experiment."
However, it is crucial to keep the ad content as fresh as the actual content on social media, or users are likely to tune out quickly. Likewise, the world has changed and the ads need to change with it.
"Stock images of 30-something beautiful white people in grey suits in front of conference room boards are the social media of yesterday," added Bisset. "It’s 2020 – it's time to remove stock photos from your social media toolbelt and put real faces, and real insights, on your feed. Show the human side of your company. Have leaders meet with a diverse population of employees to ensure they're comfortable discussing their expertise publicly. Offering different insights will bring new conversations and perspectives to your channels. In 2020, authenticity is king."
To avoid a content rut, vary the materials your team is posting.
"Video content alone sees 38% more engagement on social media than text-copy without a visual component," suggested Bisset. "A simple but effective exercise is to think about what you like to see on social media: What makes you stop scrolling and click, what grabs your attention? Now put your feed in the perspective of your followers. What do they want to see? Keep them engaged by adding in animations, GIFs, video clips and other engaging visuals to create scroll-stopping content – and don't forget a solid call to action to drive them back to your website."
