Brand and marketing through a crisis — taking ownership of your owned channels

The world of COVID-19 has opened brands’ eyes to interesting and new territory as they get a glimpse of the light at the other side of the recovery tunnel. But which brands will emerge stronger than before?

Times like these put a spotlight on those who choose to stand out and stay proactive through their owned, earned and paid channels — seeing increased online activity as an opportunity to reinforce their brand messages and build trust with their customers — and those who decide to keep quiet to avoid the risk of unwanted attention.

So where does your company fit?

Let’s start by looking at the pros of remaining proactive on social media.

Social media usage has significantly increased globally during COVID-19, with people spending 70 per cent more of their time across Instagram, Facebook and Facebook Messenger combined ^[1]. With a growing captive audience, now is the time for brands to show support for their online community by providing valuable and engaging content.

While leading the conversation through social media is an important tactic, businesses should also be prepared to watch, listen and learn to create relevant material that meets the demands of the changing market. A few things businesses can ask themselves to ensure they’re staying socially-aware in this environment are:

• Does the content provide answers to how you are helping your customers during this time?
• Does the content share how you are helping or thinking about the larger communities that are affected? ^[2]
• Is the content insensitive or does it induce panic or fear in customers?

The Kantar COVID-19 barometer report found that more than 70 per cent of consumers believe that brands should not exploit the current situation to promote their brand — so brands beware! Share content that is sensitive to the current situation.

By remaining proactive and smart on social media during COVID-19, brands can share valuable, story-driven content while continuing to build trust and show support for their customers.

But it’s not just your owned channels that should get all the attention — media relations and paid advertising are also important and powerful tools.

To found out how to make the most of your earned and paid channels, check out our next Brand and Marketing Through a Crisis blog.

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[1] Source: https://insil.com.au/post/significant-increase-in-social-media-usage-under-covid-19-heres-what-that-means-for-businesses/

[2] Source: https://theblog.adobe.com/the-dos-and-donts-of-advertising-during-covid-19/