It’s not an uncommon statement to hear ‘we are living through unprecedented times’. With so much uncertainty clouding every aspect of our daily lives, knowing what steps to take as a business owner is an increasingly difficult task. When crisis strikes, business owners often look at their advertising and marketing spend as the first cost to cut. But is this the best approach?  

Should you pause your marketing efforts now? If you are able to continue your marketing efforts over the coming months, even at a scaled back capacity, it is likely to be highly beneficial and could just be the lifeline that keeps your business afloat through the difficult months ahead.  

Although, it’s important to note that your conversion rates will be low, there couldn’t be a better time to build your brand awareness through Facebook ads and other social media marketing.  

Let’s explore why now is an advantageous time to utilise Facebook marketing services.   

1) Everyone is online  

We are in a very unusual situation where people are unable to engage in outdoor activities, go to work as normal, meet-up with friends in public locations or even shop in physical stores. Consumer behaviour is evolving at a rapid pace and in order to maintain connections with others, adapt to working from home and continue shopping for goods and services, everyone is reconvening online.  

This means that all your prospective customers are in one place, on the internet. Popular social networking platforms, like Facebook, have seen a huge surge in usage, particularly in the messenger app. If you can afford to keep your Facebook advertising and marketing campaigns running, you will be operating in a more favourable market for attention.  

2) Your competitors are pressing pause  

This unprecedented interruption to “business as usual” means that many of your competitions are freezing their advertising campaigns with the intention of restarting them once lockdown measures are scaled back. This is exactly why you should continue your advertising efforts or double them if you can afford to.  

With your competitors out of the picture, you are free to monopolise the market and enjoy lower costs while you do it. While the competition for the same audience is lower, you can expect to incur lower operational costs, making your spend more impactful. For many online platforms and even TV networks, their advertising revenue has begun to dry up. Facebook Advertising revenue is predicted to decline by 19% by this year. Meaning there is less competition at a lower price tag.  

3) Build Brand Awareness   

As conversions are expected to be low for many businesses, now is the time to build brand awareness and focus on generating as many impressions as possible among your target audience. Create as many touchpoints as you can between your audience and your brand to foster interactions that will increase associations of trust and loyalty towards your brand.  

These campaigns are known to generate leads for mere pennies and are effective in pushing your brand or business to the forefront of consumer thinking. Winning the hearts and minds of consumers today at a low cost could lead to a return on investment later.  

4) Serve your audience now, win business later  

Maintaining brand awareness during this difficult time is a sensitive endeavour. It’s is important to consider how your brand will be perceived. Adapting your messaging and offers in order to serve people in this time of need and uncertainty will pay off in the long run. Softening your approach to advertising will help you build trust and support from consumers.  

Consider the situation your target audience is facing and build thoughtful, respectful and useful campaigns that will have a positive impact on your target audience or local community during this time. Your kindness will not be forgotten.  

This time may be one of uncertainty, but it is time that must be used wisely. Consider the future impact of your current marketing efforts. How can you put your best foot forward and hit the ground running once this crisis draws to an end?  Work with others to make an impact in the lives of those who need it most and ensure your business continues to thrive. 

Facebook Advertising and Social Media Marketing Services 

At Azzurro-Blu, marketing agency we provide professional Facebook marketing services to our clients to drive traffic to their websites and boost sales. If you are interested in setting up a Facebook ad campaign for your business or in any other social media marketing then please contact us and one of our social media experts will be happy to help.