So much has changed since the pandemic! And your marketing should be no exception.
As soon as COVID-19 hit, traffic that was on Google shifted to Facebook. It was a huge shift. It started in March, but really took over in April. That’s because everyone was at home, and using Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter. So if you didn’t have a strong social presence, you were really missing out.
Of course, it’s never too late. Tire shops should get on board, and provide education to their clients. Before COVID-19. if someone had a nail in their tire, they’d bring it into the shop. Now, they’re not. They want to know quick fixes that can last until they feel comfortable coming in.
Your customers are looking for quick fixes like checking the oil, tire pressure, brakes – anything they can do at home. Some of you may have already been doing this, but it’s time to really ramp it up. Talk about how you’re keeping your shop safe, maybe two posts a month. Since every jurisdiction is different, and every shop is different, provide updates on COVID-19 and what’s happening in your location. What do you require? What can customers expect? What’s available to them
Scheduler
Encourage your customers to make appointments, so that they’re not just showing up. That gives you more control over your environment.
It’s also a great time to use a scheduler. You can schedule out your posts on Facebook. All the tools are available to you. Either hire someone to do it for you, or follow the tutorials. You’re rallying your community – these educational posts show that you care about them. You’re caring, you’re giving back.
But make sure you’ve got a strong social media presence. Everyone thinks they need to be on Google, but it’s Facebook that’s key. Facebook even offers automation – you answer a few questions and it will tell you what kind of ad you need to run. Then you can set it up to run automatically.
Complement your social media with a landing page on your website. If you’re creating content, post it on Facebook as well as a dedicated landing page. You can have COVID-19 related landing pages for talking about what you’re doing in your store. Then, you can have landing pages for those quick tips. These help you grow your traffic organically.
You may be under the impression that the government is taking care of educating the public. But just because the government says something, doesn’t mean you can’t improve on it. Consumers are going to be fact-checking what’s going on and what’s required. You should never be under the impression that someone else is going to educate your client. Especially if it’s the competition!
Accuracy
Make sure your information is accurate. Update your hours. Everything needs to be up to date and consistent, because your customers are relying on it.
In other words, do everything you can to help your digital presence grow. Search engines are going to be looking at all your online efforts, and all of it’s going to help you grow.
You have to shift. People are in front of screens more than ever, so that’s where you have to be. Give them the right message, educate them, and make sure they know you’ll be there for when they need essential service.
Casey Walter is an International Digital Marketing Consultant. She educates and builds brands through modern marketing practices, while leveraging social media marketing services to amplify clients’ brand communications and connect them with consumers in order to drive business.
