With lockdowns, furlough schemes and crashing economies, it’s only natural that companies have had to rethink their marketing over the past months.
It made sense to alter your marketing campaigns to align with the current events, which is why we’ve seen an endless stream of Covid-related content for most of this year. That said, we can’t ride this wave forever — it’s time to jump off and start focusing on long-term marketing instead.
Keep reading, and we’ll explain why a long-term vision is essential to succeed with your marketing, and offer valuable insights on best practices for a sustainable marketing plan.
Marketing Is Not What It Used to Be
Something that many brands learned during the pandemic is how important it is to respond quickly to changes during a crisis. Covid-19 closed the door to face-to-face marketing activities but opened windows to exciting digital marketing opportunities.
For instance, traditional marketing events are no longer an option — presenting marketers with amazing opportunities to create affordable, efficient and convenient digital events for their target audience.
In a post-Covid world, content marketers will have to rethink their brand messaging and radically rewrite their marketing approach. With 79% of consumers looking for signs of humanity in their chosen brands and expecting a clear demonstration of how brands have embraced ‘social good’ amidst a crisis, projecting clear values that align with your target market will be more important than ever in months to come.
How To Build A Long-Term Marketing Strategy
If you want to get into the long-term mindset, it’s best to start at the beginning. Here are a few steps to help you create your long-term marketing strategy
- Step 1: Define your mission. What are you trying to achieve?
- Step 2: Set your SMART goals. Create a roadmap of specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely goals that will help you achieve your mission.
- Step 3: Identify your key strategies. How will you achieve your goals?
- Step 4: Measure your results. Referring to the “measurable” part of your SMART goals, be sure to track your progress and adjust your strategy to focus on the more successful methods.
Why Content Is Key to Succeed
One of the best long-term investments when it comes to a long-term strategy is content marketing. When done well, content marketing continues to generate a steady flow of organic traffic to your site long after you publish. Content marketing generates 3x more leads and costs 62% less than traditional marketing methods.
So why is Content Marketing so Effective?
Content marketing builds trust and forms relationships by offering valuable insights that educate and inspire your audiences. High-quality content also boosts SEO since it widens your online presence and increases your domain authority.
Move Away From COVID and Focus on Evergreen Topics
While covid-related content still has a value at the moment, you’ll find that as soon as the pandemic passes your content will stop pulling traffic to your site. If you focus too much on Covid and other trending topics, you might find yourself in a “content void” six months down the line when the pandemic is over. You’ll lose the steady stream of traffic your Covid articles pulled in, which will damage your SEO and online presence.
Think about what topics stay relevant in your sector. What do people always need to know, irrespective of current events or trends?
It’s time to move away from the doom and gloom of Covid-19 and focus on your long-term goals. Define your mission and set up a marketing strategy to help you achieve your goals and move your business forward.
About the Author
Kathryn Strachan is the Managing Director of Copy House, a content marketing agency specialising in technology and FinTech. Combining thorough research, talent and creative flair, Copy House has helped brands like Klarna, GearedApp and Modulr increase brand awareness and generate more leads.
Need help to make sure your marketing strategy is up to standard? Copy House is offering free marketing consultations with tailored advice to help you get the most out of your marketing.
