Except in the medical sense, coronavirus isn’t as novel as it was a month or two ago. The initial wave of reactions is behind us. We’re seeing a change in what clients hope to accomplish with their digital communications strategies as we move into the next phase of the crisis.
In the first few weeks of the pandemic, most businesses were hesitant to continue their usual content marketing strategies. A crisis was underway, and in those initial weeks, a business-as-usual mindset felt disingenuous or tone-deaf.
As the pandemic continues and becomes an uncomfortable new normal, expect content marketing strategies to shift away from a crisis posture toward a forward-thinking approach suited to the new reality. A few reasons this is true:
- The crisis is universal. Coronavirus is a rare event in which the direct effects are being felt by just about everyone. No part of the economy has been spared from the virus’s disruptive effects. When something becomes universal, it simply becomes part of the culture everyone operates within. For content marketing, that probably means we’ll see a new normal arise, one shaped by the circumstances we all are experiencing.
- The crisis will be with us for a long time. The economic consequences of the pandemic may be with us for years. As the initial shock fades, the early trend toward reactive communication strategies is giving way to a longer-term approach. Even as shelter-in-place orders remain, we can begin exploring how communication strategies will work for the next few months and years.
- Businesses have always changed with the times – or they’ve failed. With so many people out of work and so many businesses likely forced to close, the economy will undergo radical changes over the next few years. Some changes will create familiar challenges, while others will raise entirely new disruptions for which new solutions will be needed. Businesses will need to stay creative and adaptable. Their content marketing strategies need to follow suit.
Even in the midst of a crisis like this, certain core principles remain true. One such principle is the primary importance of relationships. For us, content marketing is all about fostering and strengthening real relationships – not just advertising a service. Providing useful, timely information to your audience was essential before coronavirus, and it’s just as essential now.
Red Mallard is offering free assessments to businesses that need help managing communications during the crisis. Send me an email at alex.bennett@redmallard.com to connect with us.
