7 Reasons to Boost Online Marketing During COVID-19
Don’t let your company go into lockdown too — use this time to push your online presence and engage with new customers
The nation has battened down the hatches. People are re-engaging with their homes and home life like never before. They’re adjusting to new living routines and new ways of socializing; embracing home comforts and new technology; and updating their homes to be the comforting sanctuaries they need to keep them healthy and safe.
People are looking for useful advice, helpful solutions and beacons of positivity — and that’s where you come in. Now is the time to act, building brand affinity now and for the future. There’s an opportunity, even in these unprecedented times, to promote your brand or product, and connect with potential customers. Read on for suggestions as to why you should ramp up digital advertising and how Houzz can help. This is not the time to be silent.
People are looking for useful advice, helpful solutions and beacons of positivity — and that’s where you come in. Now is the time to act, building brand affinity now and for the future. There’s an opportunity, even in these unprecedented times, to promote your brand or product, and connect with potential customers. Read on for suggestions as to why you should ramp up digital advertising and how Houzz can help. This is not the time to be silent.
2. Houzz users are as active as ever
Our advice section is still buzzing, with Houzz users seeking expert advice from our community of home professionals, homeowners and renters, as well as sharing savvy decorating and decluttering tips with one another for tackling that list of home to-dos. We’re seeing requests for paint recommendations, easy bathroom refresh ideas and garden makeover advice. Traffic certainly hasn’t dipped among our loyal followers.
Meanwhile, our trade professionals are also actively engaged at this time, utilizing this home-working time to their advantage. They might not be able to visit clients’ homes per usual, but they can spend this time cementing plans, sourcing new business and updating their online marketing content, plus sourcing materials and design products online.
Our advice section is still buzzing, with Houzz users seeking expert advice from our community of home professionals, homeowners and renters, as well as sharing savvy decorating and decluttering tips with one another for tackling that list of home to-dos. We’re seeing requests for paint recommendations, easy bathroom refresh ideas and garden makeover advice. Traffic certainly hasn’t dipped among our loyal followers.
Meanwhile, our trade professionals are also actively engaged at this time, utilizing this home-working time to their advantage. They might not be able to visit clients’ homes per usual, but they can spend this time cementing plans, sourcing new business and updating their online marketing content, plus sourcing materials and design products online.
3. The way we’re living is changing, and everyone’s trying to adapt
Homeowners are trying to tackle a host of new design dilemmas and are actively online to seek inspiration on how to solve them, and what to buy in order to do so.
With many of us having to work from home, we’re looking for new ways to carve out office spaces, with comfortable furniture, the right office equipment – and a backdrop for video calls we can be proud of! We’re learning how to work from home, which is likely to be a continuing trend when this is all over.
People are also cooking and baking up a storm, making healthy meals, indulging in sweet treats and trying their hand at homemade bread. Appliances, kitchen tools and cabinet organization are all top of mind. Freezer sales have been booming as people stock up and hunker down, The New York Times reports.
Cleanliness is paramount too. Bidet sales, for instance, are soaring as toilet paper becomes ever harder to find, The LA Times reports. And cleaning products are flying off the shelves. With all this scrubbing and disinfecting going on, easy-care materials are more of a boon than ever.
Plus, as we’re being forced to work, rest and play within the confines of our four walls, homeowners are looking for better ways to cohabit: sourcing multi-purpose furniture; setting up home gyms and entertainment systems; finally decluttering that closet; and making relaxing spaces to retreat to, whether it’s a spa-like bathroom or a cozy bedroom cocoon.
With a good chance that many of these lifestyle changes will continue after the pandemic, position your business so it’s ready to adapt to the new world that will emerge. Investing in digital marketing and advertising opportunities now will help homeowners find you online when they need advice and solutions.
Homeowners are trying to tackle a host of new design dilemmas and are actively online to seek inspiration on how to solve them, and what to buy in order to do so.
With many of us having to work from home, we’re looking for new ways to carve out office spaces, with comfortable furniture, the right office equipment – and a backdrop for video calls we can be proud of! We’re learning how to work from home, which is likely to be a continuing trend when this is all over.
People are also cooking and baking up a storm, making healthy meals, indulging in sweet treats and trying their hand at homemade bread. Appliances, kitchen tools and cabinet organization are all top of mind. Freezer sales have been booming as people stock up and hunker down, The New York Times reports.
Cleanliness is paramount too. Bidet sales, for instance, are soaring as toilet paper becomes ever harder to find, The LA Times reports. And cleaning products are flying off the shelves. With all this scrubbing and disinfecting going on, easy-care materials are more of a boon than ever.
Plus, as we’re being forced to work, rest and play within the confines of our four walls, homeowners are looking for better ways to cohabit: sourcing multi-purpose furniture; setting up home gyms and entertainment systems; finally decluttering that closet; and making relaxing spaces to retreat to, whether it’s a spa-like bathroom or a cozy bedroom cocoon.
With a good chance that many of these lifestyle changes will continue after the pandemic, position your business so it’s ready to adapt to the new world that will emerge. Investing in digital marketing and advertising opportunities now will help homeowners find you online when they need advice and solutions.
4. It’s time to stay ahead of the competition
This crisis presents a unique situation for home brands — with homeowners shopping online more than ever — so you may find it easier and quicker to get results if you stay visible and engaged online. This is not a time to be out of sight and out of mind.
Companies that increase their advertising budget during a recession have grown sales much faster than their rivals both during the downturn and after, found Mark Ritson, a brand consultant and former marketing professor who’s worked for the likes of Johnson & Johnson and LVMH and taught at top business schools. To contrast, companies that decrease spend often see sales decline during a recession and beyond.
Think about ways in which you can win new customers by considering their needs right now and giving value, such as providing inspiration on how your products can give their spaces a boost or help make their lives easier at home. Whether you do this by sharing gorgeous imagery that users can save to their Ideabooks or offering ideas via educational and inspirational sponsored content, our users are looking for advice right now, so don’t miss out. Keep ahead of the game and secure brand loyalty beyond this crisis.
This crisis presents a unique situation for home brands — with homeowners shopping online more than ever — so you may find it easier and quicker to get results if you stay visible and engaged online. This is not a time to be out of sight and out of mind.
Companies that increase their advertising budget during a recession have grown sales much faster than their rivals both during the downturn and after, found Mark Ritson, a brand consultant and former marketing professor who’s worked for the likes of Johnson & Johnson and LVMH and taught at top business schools. To contrast, companies that decrease spend often see sales decline during a recession and beyond.
Think about ways in which you can win new customers by considering their needs right now and giving value, such as providing inspiration on how your products can give their spaces a boost or help make their lives easier at home. Whether you do this by sharing gorgeous imagery that users can save to their Ideabooks or offering ideas via educational and inspirational sponsored content, our users are looking for advice right now, so don’t miss out. Keep ahead of the game and secure brand loyalty beyond this crisis.
5. It’s a chance to get your brand message across in a new way
This is the ideal time to explore new ways of staying visible online and, as marketing consultant Harry Lang suggests, “Where possible, marketers should take a leaf out of the betting industry’s book, taking advantage of new online markets, as coronavirus lays waste to business as usual.”
Houzz can help you deliver your brand message in a meaningful way that resonates with our audience of millions via sponsored content stories, which place you as the authority in your field, bring focus to your products and build goodwill. When customers are ready to buy, you’ll remain at the forefront of their minds.
This is the ideal time to explore new ways of staying visible online and, as marketing consultant Harry Lang suggests, “Where possible, marketers should take a leaf out of the betting industry’s book, taking advantage of new online markets, as coronavirus lays waste to business as usual.”
Houzz can help you deliver your brand message in a meaningful way that resonates with our audience of millions via sponsored content stories, which place you as the authority in your field, bring focus to your products and build goodwill. When customers are ready to buy, you’ll remain at the forefront of their minds.
6. It’s important to be as visible as possible to new and existing customers
People are online and engaged. It’s true that homeowners might be more circumspect with their spending during this period, but they’re still purchasing what they need from companies they can trust. Therefore, it’s important to maintain a personalized experience with your existing customer base, so they know about your updates and latest news.
It’s also an ideal time to build your brand awareness and make yourself more visible to potential customers, who will find you when searching for what you’re selling. Drive them to your website and you’ll inevitably make more sales.
People are online and engaged. It’s true that homeowners might be more circumspect with their spending during this period, but they’re still purchasing what they need from companies they can trust. Therefore, it’s important to maintain a personalized experience with your existing customer base, so they know about your updates and latest news.
It’s also an ideal time to build your brand awareness and make yourself more visible to potential customers, who will find you when searching for what you’re selling. Drive them to your website and you’ll inevitably make more sales.
7. This isn’t permanent
The only thing we know for certain is that this current situation won’t last forever, so ensure you continue your marketing operations or your business will be facing an uphill struggle when normalcy returns.
“The wheels of industry need to keep turning, so workers are paid and families are fed. Those wheels are best greased by effective marketing. We need to drive demand like never before,” Ritson says.
Want to find out more about how Houzz can boost your business via digital marketing and advertising? Get in touch here.
This story was written by the Houzz Marketing team.
The only thing we know for certain is that this current situation won’t last forever, so ensure you continue your marketing operations or your business will be facing an uphill struggle when normalcy returns.
“The wheels of industry need to keep turning, so workers are paid and families are fed. Those wheels are best greased by effective marketing. We need to drive demand like never before,” Ritson says.
Want to find out more about how Houzz can boost your business via digital marketing and advertising? Get in touch here.
This story was written by the Houzz Marketing team.
Never before has the entire world been told to stay at home indefinitely – even in wartime we didn’t see such an extensive lockdown. With all this time on their hands, just imagine how many homeowners will be eager to check off those niggling home projects, particularly while home product manufacturers and retailers are still permitted to stay open online.
“Consumers are spending on their homes,” Jeffries analyst Jonathan Matuszewski told Bloomberg News, resulting in a spike in online home furnishing sales. People are snapping up everything from outdoor furniture and officeware to dining and kitchen tables, The Washington Post reports. Homeowners are taking the opportunity to improve and refresh the spaces they’ve been meaning to for ages. So in many ways, there’s no better time to market your business.