The document discusses the significant impact of COVID-19 on marketing strategies and consumer behavior, highlighting shifts towards online shopping, digital communication, and increased reliance on social media. It notes changes in advertising spend, with a decline in traditional media and a rise in digital and online platforms, as businesses adapt to a more digital-centric marketplace. Additionally, job losses in marketing and a transition towards cost-effective strategies are emphasized as companies navigate the ongoing challenges posed by the pandemic.

1. How covid-19
has influenced
the field of
marketing
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. Impact of covid-19 on consumer behavior
3. Impact on marketing
N. PERERA

2. Introduction
• The world as we know it is today facing one of the most significant
challenges since WWII. Every part of our lives is being impacted by
the COVID-19 situation. We're all concerned about people who have
been directly afflicted by the coronavirus. Society and the economy
have basically come to a halt, and almost every country is
experiencing a downturn.
• Although marketing and advertising increased in the second half of
2020, companies are wondering if the trends of the previous year—
the rapid move to streaming video, online shopping, curbside pickup,
and casual clothing—will be permanent or transitory.

3. Impact of COVID-19 on consumer behavior
• The COVID-19 dilemma is influencing customer behavior and, as a result,
marketing strategies.
• Product shortages were the most common problem faced by shoppers at the
start of the pandemic, with 79 percent reporting shortages of some form mostly
around March 2021
• While the impact has decreased dramatically as a result of supply chain
improvements, adjusting to new levels of demand, and less panic buying,
consumers are still experiencing outages, with 42% experiencing in the last few
months.
• People have become more distant as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic, and the
Internet's importance has grown more than ever. People have turned to this
channel as a primary way of communication. Companies are increasingly using
social media as a platform for showcasing content and connecting with
customers.

4. Influence on marketing
• Companies using SEO and paid search
The coronavirus epidemic has had a significant influence on the future of
marketing, particularly in SEO and sponsored search. Search engine
optimization has always been significant since it is effectively free online
traffic after a minor initial setup expenditure. With the introduction of the
coronavirus and changes in consumer behavior, SEO is now more essential
than ever.
Many companies will be unable to resist the epidemic, but those that do will
want to check online to ensure that they are still open before stepping out
into the public.Many new companies will open, and customers will want to
look for and learn which ones are worth visiting in person, emphasizing the
significance of SEO, local SEO, and sponsored search.

5. Influence on marketing
• Digital advertising
The amount of money spent on advertising has changed as a result of
the shift in how people purchase. Cinema, out-of-home, and print
advertising all fell very immediately when global confinement measures
were implemented.
In the meantime, in-home media usage went up, including:
• TV viewership
• Streaming services
• Social platforms
• Gaming
With the shift in online consumer behavior expected to continue post-COVID,
marketers must now focus more on promoting the correct messages on the right
channels.

6. Influence on marketing
Social media
Both organic and paid social media marketing have benefited greatly as a
result of social distance. Many individuals have begun to rely on social media
for socializing, and as a result, they are now more familiar with the many
social media platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and others, all
of which have seen a significant rise in usage.
All of this has resulted in a greater emphasis on developing and keeping
good customer connections, and marketers are searching for methods to
communicate with their audiences in a more efficient and effective
manner.A greater emphasis is also placed on company culture, mission, and
vision. Everyone is making a sacrifice for the greater good by staying at home
to safeguard society. That mindset will very certainly pervade the rest of the
organization.

7. Influence on marketing
Doing more with less
Marketers have been pushed to think of new methods to accomplish more
with less as a result of the coronavirus. Marketers must be ruthless with
priorities and pick cost-effective techniques when it comes to spreading the
word about their products or services. They need to find technological
solutions that can help them consolidate and move faster with less while also
freeing up marketing resources to be used elsewhere.

8. Influence on marketing
• From Digital Build to Back-End Infrastructure
Many businesses were forced to undergo a quick digital transition as a
result of the epidemic. “Building better digital interfaces” and
“transforming go-to-market business models” were the top two
marketing possibilities in June 2020 and February 2021, respectively,
based on this criterion.
Two back-end infrastructure possibilities have developed as the
epidemic and the digital build have proceeded. In February 2021, 42.8
percent of marketers said they were investing in automated
technologies to boost customer communications.

9. Influence on marketing
• Internet Sales Reached New Highs
Internet sales increased during the epidemic, thanks to stay-at-home orders
in place across the country. B2C and bigger firms have the largest internet
sales.
• The effectiveness of marketing regains its footing.
Due to the early months of the pandemic, marketers reported a 17.8% drop
in sales income in June 2020. Marketers claim a rise of 0.3 percent in the first
year of the epidemic, basically flat for the year. In terms of earnings,
marketers recorded a 14.7 percent loss in June 2020, but now have a 2.6
percent year-over-year increase.

10. Influence on marketing
Digital events
The coronavirus epidemic has prompted a lot of the increase in webinars and digital
events we've observed. Virtual events, on the other hand, are here to stay due to a
shift in consumer behavior.
To be resilient during the epidemic, marketers are using digital event platforms like
Google Meet, Zoom, Go To Webinar, and Microsoft Teams. They may continue to
provide value to their consumers with solutions like these, even when many of their
greatest target clients aren't buying owing to frozen budgets.
Video marketing
Even before Covid, a growing number of individuals preferred video to all other forms
of media. Video marketing is still growing at a breakneck speed today.

11. Influence on marketing
• Loss of jobs
Between February 2020 and February 2021, companies reported
employment losses in marketing. The majority of marketers (24.0
percent) predicted that these positions would "never return" in June
2020, however this figure dropped to 13.1 percent in February 2021. In
June 2020, just 19.9% anticipated jobs to return “1-2 years from now,”
but by February 2021, that figure had risen to 40.2 percent.

12. Influence on marketing
• Marketers Settle In With Low-Risk Penetration Techniques
Market penetration (current products/services for existing markets)
received 54.0 out of 100 points from marketers prior to the pandemic,
with product and service development, market development, and
diversification receiving less attention.
Market penetration grew to 56.8 points in February 2021, moving away
from diversification, which was just 8.7 points. With 26 percent more
marketers indicating penetration as a growth strategy and 43.7 percent
fewer marketers reporting diversification as a possibility, B2B Product
businesses were the most aligned with this change.

13. Thank you
R.N. PERERA