How the pandemic has impacted digital marketing

When coronavirus came, it brought with it changes to almost every part of our day to day lives. We could no longer go out when we wanted or see who we wanted. Instead, we had to learn to adapt to these changes just as suddenly as they had appeared.

Just 15 years ago, the way the pandemic affected us would have looked and been utterly different. Not just because of new advances in medicine every day but because of the advances that technology has made in that time.

During the lockdown, it’s safe to say that we all became more reliant on our devices than ever before. We now needed to use them not just for leisure but also for work and as our primary form of communication with each other.

As we swapped offices for living rooms, suits for tracksuits and conference rooms for zoom calls, the rise in use of technology is what kept a lot of the world ticking over.

In a survey conducted in order to estimate changes in online usage it was found that:

• Instagram was the most popular social media platform for UK users, with 46% of people questioned stating it was the app they used the most.
• It was also found that 67% of Instagram users saw their use of the app increase
• 47% of respondents also said that they increased their use of TikTok
• 35% increased their use of YouTube
• 30% increased their Facebook use

If these statistics show us anything, it’s just how much social networking sites are becoming such a large part of peoples daily routines. From there we can see how proper marketing can be used effectively as a way to impact users and promote your brand or product.

This is where digital marketers come in. With so many sets of eyes glued to screens and thumbs scrolling and refreshing feeds, it’s no wonder marketing through these sites is becoming increasingly popular, not just through ad purchases but through the use of influencers or content creators.

Now brands don’t need to worry about potential customers skipping an ad or immediately scrolling past their post as users are actually choosing to follow influencers and choosing to watch them promote a brands products. These are influencers that know their audience down to a T and know how to build trust between them and a product.

As creators continue to appear and grow their following on social media sites so does the prospect for high quality specifically tailored advertising. Customer demographics are now more important than ever and the use of micro-influencers is a great way to find your niche and grow your brand.