6. Live from New York, it’s Wednesday Afternoon Live!
6
Welcome to the Marketing in the
Age of COVID-19 webinar.
7. Your Cast
You’ll get to meet the rest of these folks as we go. Crowdcast only allows four people on the screen at a time.
7
Genessee Rodriguez
Market Research
Analyst
Aleks Shklyar
SEO
Engineer
Mike King
Founder of
iPullRank
Fajr Muhammad
Manager of
Content Strategy
Nathan Turner
Marketing Operations
Manager
8. We’re a digital marketing agency based in NYC focused primarily on Content Strategy, SEO and everything it
takes to do those things effectively. 8
In case this is your first time meeting iPullRank
10. Before we get into the data and insights...
Source: https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/consumer-insights/coronavirus-retail/ &
https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-cee/insights-trends/research-data/coronavirus-needs/ 10
14. 14
We imported $446B from China last year
The United States is heavily dependent on finished and unfinished goods from China to support goods and services that
are sold here. Everything from Wine & Liquor to Communication & Equipment.
15. 15
Retailers Expect Production Delays & Inventory Shortages While Being
Concerned About Consumer Confidence During the COVID-19 Outbreak
With all supply chains going through China, companies have expected that there would be production issues
and how that would impact consumer confidence.
16. Upwards of 40% of Brands are Experiencing Shipping Delays
16
Supply chains are being impacted and retailers cannot fulfill product with the previous speeds.
Source: Klaviyo
17. Only 28% say they are Less Likely to Order Products Online
17
Source: iPullRank COVID-19 Consumer Marketing Survey
18. Consumer Confidence is down to Nine Year Lows
Consumer are more pessimistic about the economy than they have been since the 2008 financial crisis. This will yield
further contraction in the economy as people have become less likely to spend frivolously.
19. 19
Supply and Demand is Struggling for Equilibrium
As an example the airline industry has struggled to find a new equilibrium and has had to drop supply and make cuts to
accommodate the dramatic losses in demand.
20. Now that China is on the road to recovery, supply chains are opening back up and D2C companies on Shopify are popping
up to match the demand. 20
D2C Companies Are Ramping Up as China Recovers
21. 21
Advertising Costs are Down Dramatically
Ad costs on Facebook and Instagram are down because brands are pulling out of the auction. Anecdotally, this is true of
Google Ads as well. This is a huge opportunity for strategic brands that can weather the storm.
22. After years of job growth, people are losing the jobs at a rapid clip. Experts predict that unemployment may rise
to 13%. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Unemployment is Rising at an Alarming Rate
23. 23
There is No Real Indication of when the Pandemic will End
Morgan Stanley’s research suggests an aggression timeline of a vaccine being a year out.
24. ””If the past is any indicator, the world won’t have a
coronavirus vaccine for more than a year, probably
longer. The mumps vaccine—considered the fastest
ever approved—took four years to go from collecting
viral samples to licensing a drug in 1967.
Source:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/04/why-coronavirus
-vaccine-could-take-way-longer-than-a-year/
25. The world as we know it has become a precarious place.
28. 28
Brands are currently in a wait-and-see pattern with respect to slashing their advertising budgets more dramatically for
future quarters. We anticipate a much bigger trend of cuts to come.
Ad Spending Has been Cut for Q2
29. 29
All other major channels are seeing significant cuts. Paid Search is net zero suggesting that brands are more focused on
campaigns that yield more a direct response.
Brands Still See the Most Value in Search
30. 30
Recessions Favor the Prepared
Companies that strategically invest during a downturn see a 14% improvement in profit over their competitors after the
upswing.
31. ””Companies that ranked among the eventual winners, by contrast,
moved deliberately to capture opportunities before the recession.
While they focused intensively on cost transformation, they also
looked beyond cost. Think of a recession as a sharp curve on an
auto racetrack—the best place to pass competitors, but requiring
more skill than straightaways. The best drivers apply the brakes
just ahead of the curve (they take out excess costs), turn hard
toward the apex of the curve (identify the short list of projects that
will form the next business model), and accelerate hard out of the
curve (spend and hire before markets have rebounded).
Beyond the Downturn: Recession Strategies to Take the Lead
https://www.bain.com/insights/beyond-the-downturn-recession-strategies
-to-take-the-lead/
32. Companies that are increasing are focused on TV,
Paid Digital, Video and SEO
Brands that are increasing their efforts are doing so primarily in video driven channels and SEO.
Source: https://www.wyzowl.com/coronavirus-marketing-statistics/
33. Many brands are contracting. Well-positioned brands are using
this as an opportunity to get out in front of the competition
through direct response channels.
35. The “New Normal” Weighs Heavy on Us All
As a result, all pre-existing market segmentation is largely
invalid due to the pandemic’s impact on consumer behavior.
36. Only three weeks apart, the levels of impact on Americans’ daily lives continue to surge.
COVID-19 Impact on Daily Life
38. People are Distracted by News about the Pandemic
On Average Users Are Spending 5 Seconds More On Coronavirus Related Articles
39. More people are seek news from credible sources
Source:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/07/technology/coronavirus-internet-use.html?referringSource=articleShare 39
40. More People Are Going To The CDC For
Up To Date Information On Covid-19
Source:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/07/technology/coronavirus-internet-use.html?referringSource=articleShare 40
41. Users are spending more time on social and video
Source:
https://www.nytimes.com/
interactive/2020/04/07/tec
hnology/coronavirus-inter
net-use.html?referringSo
urce=articleShare
41
42. Users are spending more time messaging and connecting
Source:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/07/technology/coronavirus-internet-use.html?referringSource=articleShare 42
43. Usage of videoconferencing is up dramatically
Source:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/07/technology/coronavirus-internet-use.html?referringSource=articleShare 43
44. Gaming and social entertainment have gained
while sports media has lost out
Source:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/07/technology/coronavirus-internet-use.html?referringSource=articleShare 44
45. 45
For what reasons have you left the house?
Over 95% of consumers have a shelter-in-place policy in their city/state.
46. Changes in Consumer Behavior
46
Coronavirus is introducing a new generation of shoppers to stock-up and buy-in-bulk shopping.
50. People are Spending more Quality Time on the web
General site traffic, time and pages per session as well as transactions are up.
51. 51
Americans Have Adopted New Digital Activities,
Particularly High-income HHs, Gen Z, And Millenials
52. Survey
Objective:
To better understand our rapidly changing consumer landscape, we
conducted a survey to segment new audiences that have emerged in
the US during the COVID-19 pandemic. These audiences have been
segmented with consideration to demographics and current household
behaviors, consumer behaviors, and political beliefs.
Methodology:
Our survey was conducted among N=559 US adults aware of COVID-19
sampled and weighted to be representative of the American population.
*Testing was conducted at a 95% confidence interval with an effective base of 385 participants
for statistical calculations and a 5% margin of error.
52
When the economy re-opens, will you
feel safe to immediately return to work?
53. COVID-19 Proto-personas
My job is to provide people
with what they need even if
that means putting myself at
risk. That doesn’t mean I
don’t want content created
for people like me. I want to
be able to engage with short
video content and quick
information I can get on the
go.
53
I’m lucky to continue working
during these times, but with
video conferences taking up
most of my day, I have a hard
time leaving my house to get
what I need and many grocery
delivery services are not
available for me. I’m glad I
have streaming services to
keep me inspired and
occupied.
I’m facing a very difficult time
in my life and don’t know how
much longer I can keep taking
care of myself. I haven’t been
able to visit my family, but we
have been able to chat
through video. I hope my
circumstances don’t further
affect contact with my loved
ones.
Essential workers Non-essential workers Unemployed
55. There do not appear to be high levels of disparity in optimism across generations,
indicating changes in consumer behavior may not be drastic post COVID-19.
Levels of Optimism
56. The Economic Outlook is Bleak
59% of those polled indicated that the economy will likely take years to recover and 48% of adults expecting a recession.
57. Video Streaming is Up 39-55.62%
The demand for video content has increased suggesting that brands should consider their own video content as a
mechanism for reaching people during these times.
58. Consumer activity suggests that users are looking to connect with
other people or otherwise escape from their circumstance and
video is the primary content type they are using to do it.
60. Some commercials and online
advertisements are mistimed.
Brands Are Being Tone Deaf
Corona’s hard seltzer ad on the beach and GEICO’s “perfect high-five” commercial were greatly mistimed.
60
61. Brands Are Being Tone Deaf
Many brands are not being unique.
Source:
https://youtu.be/vM3J9jDoaTA 61
62. Brands That Are Approaching This Correctly
62
Brands like Nike and Chipotle have taken the
approach to help entertain.
JP Morgan ran an ad using Zoom, showing
they are going through the same WFH issues
everyone else is.
63. Brands That Are Approaching This Correctly
https://online-learning.harvard.edu/catalog/free
https://academy.moz.com/
Others like Moz and Harvard are offering
free online classes during this time.
63
70. Changes in Social Activity
Weekly time spent on apps has increased 20%
YoY and TikTok world domination is not letting up.
More people are on messaging apps and
streaming continues to grow.
Mobile continues to have market share (54.45%).
At Home Fitness app downloaded have surged
nearly 40% with apps like Nike Training Club and
Peloton offering free trials.
70
Source: https://www.appannie.com/en/insights/market-data/at-home-fitness-apps-in-demand-coronavirus/
72. Google Shopping is Now Free
Source: https://blog.google/products/shopping/its-now-free-to-sell-on-google/
73. Search is still the only channel where we get
real-time intent. It’s the best way to know what
people need as a result of the pandemic.
74. Look for Emerging Questions in Search Console
Reviewing your question focused queries from the past 28 days will give you a good sense of emerging topics your
customers are looking for.
75. Changes in Search Demand
Our friends at Advanced Web Ranking generated a tool to help identify trends in search demand
https://www.advancedwebranking.com/search-demand/
76. Changes in Search Demand
In the food and drink industry, search demand has shifted dramatically in the past few months.
77. Changes in Search Demand
The same is true for Bars near me and Alcohol delivery.
78. Changes in Search Demand
Work from home technology, like video conferencing, home workouts, and online learning have all increased.
78
79. Changes in Search Demand
79
Streaming services like Amazon Prime
Video and Hulu have seen increases, but not
as great as Netflix.
Netflix stock price has increased by more
than $100 per share since the start of 2020.
80. Online shopping has also gained momentum from
the stay-at-home orders, a trend that could lead to
local vendors ramping up their online order
capabilities even after COVID-19.
Restaurant delivery services, like Grubhub and
Uber Eats, have also seen tremendous growth.
Coupled with their existing popularity, these
services are likely to continue growing.
Changes in Search Demand
80
81. Emerging opportunities
81
With a lot of employees working from home, video
content has grown even more than expected in
2020.
Ina Garten’s Quarantine Cosmopolitan video went
viral.
86. People are gravitating towards Search and Video.
That’s where you should focus on your efforts.
87. Be sure that you don’t have brand messages
out there that contradict your new position.
88. Content Strategy: Auditing
Every good strategy begins with an audit of
what currently exists. Start by asking yourself
these questions:
Does your brand have COVID-19 response ready?
What COVID-19 related queries specific to your industry
can you answer?
Are you currently addressing consumer concerns in
FAQs or COVID-19 related landing pages?
What currently exists on your site that is no longer
relevant? Or tone deaf?
What products/services can you promote that directly
tie into consumers’ current needs?
88
89. Content Strategy: Planning & Execution
9 Ways to Pivot:
1. Make Room to Go Off Script
2. Address Customer Concerns
3. Be a Resource & Show You Can Help
4. The Freemium Model Still Works
5. Think Virtual
6. Make Educating & Entertaining a Priority
7. Now is Time to Go Live
8. Sell Gently & With Intention
9. Lead with Empathy
90. 1. Make Room to Go Off Script
90
Consumers are distracted and
they are expecting to find
answers and information.
Make space in your production
calendar to stand up a
vetted response.
This needs to be a piece of
content consumers can return
to again and again that displays
how your company
is affected, but also how
it’s handling things.
91. 2. Address Consumer Concerns
91
Providing easily accessible
announcements, resources &
updates will go a long way in
maintaining clear
communication and maintaining
trust with existing and potential
customers
These updates can be formatted
for web, email and social media
and should effectively address
consumer concerns such as
shipping delays, extending
returns and deals.
92. 3. Be a Resource & Show You Can Help
92
Your agency partner
should be monitoring the
crisis-related searches
that are impacting your
business and provide your
content team with
direction on content
Create targeted content
that solves users’
problems without asking
anything else in return.
93. 4. The Freemium Model Still Works
93
Being a resource also means getting content to
consumers for free or reduced cost. This method still
stands and many brands are leveraging this by
providing free content to help consumers get through
the crisis.
94. 5. Think Virtual
94
So many in-person businesses have had to pick up
and “Go Virtual” so to speak.
Whether it’s the restaurant offering online cooking
classes or the boutique fitness gym providing Zoom
workouts, there is a large opportunity to create new
product avenues solely for online audiences.
Online content can continue to engage users
during this time.
95. 6. Make Educating & Entertaining a Priority
95
During troubled times,
consumers are looking for more
than concern. They also want to
feel better about the state of
things. While your brand can’t
change things, it can entertain
and provide audiences with
memorable content.
Create content that speaks to
the current crisis but in ways
that are more positive and
engaging. Interactives,
gamification and social media
challenges are welcome.
96. 7. Now is The Time to Go Live
96
In a recent survey from Hubspot,
54% of respondents said they
preferred to see video content
from the brands/businesses.
Zoom. Instagram & Facebook
Live. Crowdcast. HouseParty.
People want connection and
providing them information in
video will foster engagement that
can be sustained once we’re
safely able to leave our homes.
97. 8. Sell Gently & With Intention
97
This is hard on consumers and
businesses alike, including yours.
So calls to action and sales
should be qualified and tonally
should speak to the great benefit
that your product/service offers.
If your delivery service is still
reliable at this time, promote that
advantage. If you are offering
discounts for existing customers
during this economic downturn,
let your customers know. Sales
and deals make great offers
during times of income insecurity
and great needs.
98. 9. Lead with Empathy
98
Many millennials are looking to
brands to see how they handle
the crisis.
We’ve talked a lot about showing
empathy in communications and
honestly, so many companies are
showing solidarity with essential,
furlough and laid-off workers.
Content marketing is a great way
to get your message across while
building trust with audiences, no
matter the current situation.
99. On Measurement
As always brands should keep a strategic long term view, but the focus during the pandemic needs to be on short term
wins. KPIs will need to be adjusted to reflect that. For instance, conversions tied to offline activities are no longer relevant. 99
101. Content Ideas: Travel & Hospitality
Industry & Behavior Change: The travel and hospitality has been
grounded. Global travel has been prohibited to and from most countries
Emerging Trends: flight cancellations, when will it be safe to travel,
travel restrictions
Content Ideas:
● Should I Travel Now? Quiz: Help travelers determine if they
should travel at the moment. Perfect for emergency travelers
● Where Should I Travel When the World Opens?: Done with great
sensitivity, this piece can help consumers think of future trips
and educate them on those places.
● How to Turn Your Home into a Hotel: A guide to hotel living
● Plan My Next Escape Guides: Travel guides with virtual tours,
video and destination information
● # Hotels Housing Medical Staff During the Pandemic: Which
hotels around the world are doing good during this difficult time?
101
102. Content Ideas: Personal Finance
Industry & Behavior Change: A fear of stability of the financial
systems and a renewed focus on gold, silver prices, and blue-chip
stocks is replacing interest in banks and lesser-known stock
prices.
Emerging Trends: gold prices, silver prices, life insurance, [blue
chip stock names], life insurance, mortgage, global recession
Content Ideas:
● What is Different About This Recession?: Help consumers
understand how this recession differs from the 2008
recession.
● How to Invest During a Downturn: Investors want to
understand how to protect their wealth and shift their
investments
● Refinancing In the Time of Corona: This could be a data
visualization or Interactive that tracks the volatility of
mortgage rates and whether homeowners should refinance. 102
103. Content Ideas: Fashion & Retail
Industry & Behavior Change: People can no longer shop in-store;
Online searches are primarily around essentials, activewear and
loungewear
Emerging Trends:grocery delivery, essential items, comfortable work
from home clothes, loungewear
Content Ideas:
● Essential Shopping List: Brands can help eliminate essential
confusion with a handy guide on what to shop for
● Way Past Prime: “# Days Until Your Delivery” Counter:
Delivery is delayed, keep your customers in the loop
● Build Your Work From Home Wardrobe Challenge: Work with
influencers to create content around showcasing the best
work from home styles. Bonus: Host a HouseParty Runway
show
103
104. Content Ideas: Fitness
Industry & Behavior Change: Gyms are closed and close
outdoor activity is discouraged. Even people who can’t
afford a $3,000 bike are working out from home
Emerging Trends: at home fitness, workout videos, boutique
fitness equipment
Content Ideas:
● Small Space Fitness Calculator: Like tiny homes but
for working out
● Personal Trainer Quiz: Help consumers build their
own workout routines
● Weird Object Workout Guide: At home replacements
for standard workout equipment
● Walking Guide: Walking is still the best exercise. How
many steps burn calories? How many trips up your
stairs equal a 3-mile run?
104
105. Content Ideas: Food and Drink
Industry & Behavior Change: Restaurants and bars are closed.
Grocery shopping and food delivery has exploded
Emerging Trends: food delivery, grocery delivery, stores open near
me
Content Ideas:
● Your Burrito is Essential! Tip your Delivery Person: For
every tip shoppers make, delivery services can match to
encourage tipping these essential workers.
● Modern Store Locator Pages: these standard pages of
brick-and-mortar stores can feature updated hours of
operation, safety mask information, inventory shortages, etc
● Dining Out @ Home Guide: How to turn your home into a
restaurant with serving tips
105
106. Content Ideas: Automotive
Industry & Behavior Change: Oil prices are in the tank. Production
has ceased. People are not driving or buying cars.
Emerging Trends: how can oil prices go negative, is COVID
affecting car insurance rates, new car deals, online auto sales,
auto repairs
Content Ideas:
● Dream Car Simulator: This gamification would simulate the
open road for users looking to feel the wind in their hair
from their living room sofa
● # Auto Companies Manufacturing Ventilators: Assembly
lines to rescue. This piece would highlight the amazing
efforts from auto manufacturers in the fight against
coronavirus.
● Report: Global Impact of Fewer Cars: What’s the upside?
This report could show how fewer cars on the road is
reducing emissions and helping the planet. 106
107. Content Ideas: Tech
Industry & Behavior Change: Everyone is online and
videoconferencing. The supply chain has stopped. 5G adoption is
picking up
Emerging Trends: telehealth, virtual physicians and diagnosis,
teleconferencing, fitness technology, smart cities
Content Ideas:
● How Connected Is the World?: An interactive map of the
Internet access and stability around the world.
● The Case for Work From Home: An infographic outlining how
teleconferencing is changing business. How will its ongoing
adoption benefit businesses? What technology will drive it?
● # Tech Solutions to Everyday Tasks: Since running errands is
discouraged (save for essentials) this list could provide tech
alternatives to your weekend outings.
107
108. Content Ideas: Media & Entertainment
Industry & Behavior Change: Trolls World Tour is projecting $80Mil
release week. The Tonight Show is live from Jimmy Fallon’s home.
DJs are dominating Instagram Live. Netflix and Disney + are our
new lifestyle.
Emerging Trends: new netflix movies, disney world coronavirus,
quarantine binging, fun things for kids, virtual tours
Content Ideas:
● # Video Games to Help You Socialize while in Quarantine:
What true gamer doesn’t have a headset. Here are the top
games for playing together
● Lego Challenge: Leveraging pre-existing Lego Academy
videos, Lego could host a “Built At Home” challenge for
social media.
● Movie Theater Popcorn: With movie-theaters closed, people
still want the theater experience. Provide recipes for theater
quality snacks & crowdsource consumers favorite snacks.
Butter, anyone?
108
109. MARKETING IN A POST COVID-19 WORLD
MARKETING IN A POST
COVID-19 WORLD
110. COVID-19 did not create long
term demand for things specific
to the pandemic, it just expedited
the rise of those serving current
needs the best.
Marketing in a Post COVID World
● https://www.pymnts.com/news/retail/2020/amazon-stock-surges-during-covid-19/
● https://www.semrush.com/blog/market-winners-losers-coronavirus/
● https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/23/tech/instacart-hiring/index.html 110
111. Marketing in a Post COVID World
111
Digital shopping will eat away
at most brick-and-mortar sales
and your brand better be ready.
https://www.businessinsider.com/stores-closing-in-2020-list-2020-1
112. Marketing in a Post COVID World
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-52340651
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/27/jobs-risk-automation-according-oxford-university-one/
Automation was on the rise before.
Incentives to decrease worker
dependency for companies will now
be at an all time high.
113. Marketing in a Post COVID World
113
Working from home
may become the
new norm for many.
How will you serve
this new market?
114. Marketing in a Post COVID World
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/16/coronavirus-crisis-could-pave-the-way-to-a-universal-basic-income.html
A whole new class of consumer may sprout
after the crisis due to the combination of
automation, unemployment, and
government stimulus payments. What will
this new audience want?
117. Action:
Capitalize on the drops
in CPC and CPM
Action:
Make the Case to
Focus on Video and
Search
Action:
Tighten up your
email programs
117
Problem:
You need to make
marketing budget cuts
120. Action:
Audit your content
across channels
Action:
Update that content
to reflect your new
stance
120
Problem:
You may have
content out there
that is tone deaf
121. THANK YOU / Q&A
Genessee Rodriguez
Market Research
Analyst
Aleks Shklyar
SEO
Engineer
Mike King
Founder of
iPullRank
Fajr Muhammad
Manager of
Content Strategy
Nathan Turner
Marketing
Operations Manager
Zhenyuan Wang
Market Research
Analyst
122. iPullRank is an agile, results-focused digital marketing agency
specializing in SEO, Content Strategy, Solutions Architecture,
Marketing Automation, Social Media, Measurement and
Optimization. We are based in New York City and work with local
and international clients to create work we can be PROUD of.
For more insights on the future of SEO, take a look at our 5 SEO
predictions for 2020, read why investing in SEO is still important in
a recession, or contact iPullRank for expert SEO advice on how
to reach your business goals.
ABOUT
Get in touch at https://ipullrank.com