How to Build Your Content Marketing Competency for a Post-Covid Future

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2020 has been tough on everyone. With the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, so many people, brands, and companies felt the negative consequences. We all needed to find a way to survive that first impact and make sure our businesses don't go down with so many of those that have. And now, if you're still standing, you need to find a way to reinvent yourself to adapt to what everyone’s been calling “the new normal.”

This includes your digital marketing strategy. You have to build your content marketing competency for a post-COVID future, and we’ll show you how to do it. Below, you’ll find a list of 10 best tips you should start applying to your content marketing strategy.

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Let’s take a closer look.

Invest More in SEO

The post-COVID future is already here and it’s going to take a while until we’re completely back to the way we were. This means you don’t have the time to sit and wait for events to be allowed again or for direct communication to rise.

Instead, you should focus more on communicating with potential customers via content, and SEO will help them find it.

Investing in SEO during and post-COVID-19 is cost-effective since it will help you:

• reconnect with your audience
• reclaim your piece of the market
• find new customers even though times are hard

Focus on a better SEO strategy and invest in high-quality SEO tools to make sure you’re doing it right.

Build Your Authority Through Trust

In these hard times, people are looking for brands they can trust and relate to. If you keep creating content that is saying nothing but “buy, buy, and buy some more,” people will lose interest in you.

Instead, you should create more content that:

• provides true value through fresh, credible information
• share updates and latest news like a professional
• focus on the needs of your audience and address them in your content
• deal with their new pain points, worries, and problems

If you become a valuable source of information and someone who truly recognizes how your audience feels, you’ll be able to keep them in the long run.

Create More Video Content

COVID-19 made us all take a step back from each other. Social distancing is impacting brands and businesses on so many different levels.

You can no longer do:

• product promotions
• live events
• conferences

Or maybe you can, but with a limited number of people, and therefore opportunities.

Still, you have to find another way to bring your business closer to people and your target audience. This is why you need to focus more on customized video materials.

Recommended Reading: How COVID-19 Changed Marketing and Consumer Behavior

You’ll create videos such as:

• product description/announcement/teaser
• launching a new line of products
• tutorials, tips, and tricks
• workshops

Plus, low-budget videos shot on simple cameras are another major trend to embrace. This way, you’re showing your humbleness and vulnerability, which will make people love you even more.

You still have to engage your target audience, only you’ll be using videos to do it digitally.

Show Empathy 

In these hard times, brand empathy has been reinforced and is doing wonder for so many brands and businesses. You need to embrace it as well, to be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with your competitors.

Here’s what we have in mind:

• cover topics that are customer-centric and deal with their problems
• show support for your local community
• participate in or organize fundraisers
• show empathy and trustworthiness

Some brands were giving discounts to local medical workers, while others were sending messages of hope and optimism. Find your formula to be authentic and empathetic.

Analyze Consumer Behavior

Everything is changing, and so are your customers. The numbers and data you had before have most likely significantly changed in the post-COVID era.

That means you can no longer base your content marketing strategy on the data and principles you had before. You need to invest in data science to analyze the newly appointed situation.

Now, you need to quickly analyze:

• customer online behavior
• their shopping habits
• brand perception

“You need to analyze the new numbers and see whether your customers are spending more, spending less, buying specific products, or reaching out to specific services. Make sure you analyze the new situation and find a way to adapt to it,” says Patricia Miller, a content marketing specialist and expert for writing thesis statements.

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Show Your Vulnerability

If you want to stay authentic, you need to be transparent. And one of the best ways to reconnect with your customers and prospects is to show them how you feel in these hard times.

That means you should open up about:

• how the pandemic affected your business
• your past and current struggles
• how you’re coping with it

Also, make sure you include your customers in the stories and mention how they’re helping you strive.

Improve the Online Shopping Experience

Since e-commerce has been on the rise during the COVID-19 pandemic, this sector is particularly affected in terms of having to readjust.

Online shopping is becoming more in demand this year, and online stores have to fight for their customers.

This is why online shopping experience needs to be top-notch. Use your content marketing tricks, such as:

• writing SEO-friendly product descriptions
• creating stunning product visuals
• providing quality videos
• giving social proof

Make sure you invest in a high-quality shopping experience using all the content writing and creation tricks you know. If your online shopping sector isn't on top of its game, you'll be losing a lot of potential customers.

Do Live Streaming Videos 

Yes, live videos have never been stronger than in the post-COVID period. People miss going out, seeing new people, or sharing their ideas with each other.

As a brand, it’s your job to provide your audience the opportunity to all of the things they love. You could organize live videos such as:

• Q&A with an expert or influencer
• virtual gatherings
• music events
• weekly live tune-in to share tips, tricks, or advice

You can make it a regular thing or organize live videos for separate occasions. Make sure you're engaging your audience the right way and covering those topics they'll be willing to tune in for.‍

Recommended Reading: YouTube Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Brand

Join the Global Conversation 

Your customers want to see you as a part of the global COVID-19 conversation.  It matters to them that you show what matters to you as a brand.

And, those brands that manage to show their willingness to participate in creating a better tomorrow will gain huge respect from their customers and followers.

Therefore, make sure that your brand is a part of a global post-pandemic story:

• join movements that work on reducing the post-COVID consequences
• be a part of a community of helpers
• show readiness to help the vulnerable
• educate people through your content

Go beyond the “We’re here for you” message, and rather show it than tell it. Find a way to be a part of the global change story and show you’re working hard on making everyone’s lives better.

Show Your Team

There's no better time for you to show your brand as something highly personal, familiar, or friendly. People don't want to see you being product-centric at this time.

They want you to be people-centric.

That means you should focus on the people who are behind your brand and:

• show team members
• have them be a part of your videos
• share their stories
• make them a part of your new content strategy

Let your customers get to know the real you by learning about the people who work hard for them to enjoy their favorite products or services. Show how you’re there for your employees and working hard on creating a perfect employee experience.

This rather personal approach will make you seem more trustworthy, warm, and real in the period post-COVID-19.

‍Final Thoughts

The world has changed after COVID-19. The sooner you adapt to these changes, the sooner you’ll be able to start prospering.

Use the tips we’ve shared above to build your content marketing competency the right way and find your winning formula in the post-COVID future.