We have never seen a global pandemic of this magnitude. After all the advances we have seen in the past couple of years, one would think that we will not need to suffer for more than a year because someone decided to eat an exotic dish in Wuhan. But nature has its way of making us feel insignificant. With this, however, comes the inevitable—the closure of many businesses amid a ranging pandemic and the loss of lives and livelihoods.
While big businesses have the capacity to weather these storms, small businesses are not as lucky. They have to use what little is left in their arsenal to grow their business. And what is left exactly? Since they cannot be physically available to the market and advertise their businesses, what’s left is social media and all its glory and power. So, for those who are just beginning to grow their business, how can they do so through social media during the pandemic?
Be Creative and Risky
There were a lot of niche businesses that bloomed during the pandemic. One of these is boudoir photography. What exactly is this? It is inspired by the 1940s and plays on the sensuality and intimacy of the subjects. The photographer needs to capture the subjects’ playful and provocative looks. The subjects, on the other hand, need to imply nudity but not show it.
In this kind of business, you have to take risks. Not all people are into this type of photography, but those who appreciate them will form a community. Talk with boudoir photography marketing experts on how to reach this kind of audience. They will tell you to continue posting about it on social media, whether in the form of blogs, photos, or video snippets. In a pandemic, it’s important to be a cut above the rest.
Target the Work-from-home Audience
People made a lot of significant changes in their routine, including in their workplace. They had to work from home and take care of the household. That also means a change in their browsing activity. If before they checked their social media feeds early in the morning and during lunchtime, this changed now. Since they are staying at home, they are taking those lunch breaks with the family.
According to experts, there’s a new schedule for work-from-home employees. This is the schedule they normally follow:
- Facebook on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 to 11 AM
- Instagram on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday at 11 AM and on Tuesday at 2 PM
- Twitter on Friday from 7 to 9 AM
- LinkedIn on Wednesday at 3 PM, Thursday from 9 to 10 AM, and Friday from 11 AM to noon
These new routines should also change the way businesses try to expand their market.
Collaborate with Brands and Influencers
Even though you can only collaborate virtually, do it. Everyone is on a “we’re all in this together” mindset. They are willing to collaborate and work together on a project as long as it is mutually beneficial. Reach out to local brands and social media influencers. Make sure to check the brands and influencers that will represent your business well. Yes, the number of followers is important, but the engagement rate is critical to the marketing strategy.
When you reach out to influencers, offer them free products and services. But more than that, never require them to talk positively about your brand. If you are confident about your products and services, they will give glowing reviews even without you asking. Aside from posting about your products, make them a guest administrator of your account. And most of all, partner with them in contests because these generate the most followers and sales.
Do Webinars, Live Q&A, Virtual Tours, and Many More
No matter what industry you are in, remember to do webinars, live stream question-and-answer sessions, virtual tours, and many more. These are the proven ways to increase engagement and conversions. The more you try to do for your brand, the better it is for your audience. And the more your audience learns about your business, the more engaged they are going to be. They will not only know about you, but they will also attend virtual events that you organize and host.
Times may be tough, but social media more than makes up for what your business cannot do physically right now. At a time when engagement happens online, businesses have learned to adapt to new trends and practices. The road is long, and for businesses to survive the pandemic, they must do everything in their power to harness social media and everything it has to offer.
