Businesses may seem ruthless to worry about sales amid civil unrest, but people need to make a living more than ever during such situations. The harsh reality is that the world never stops for anyone or anything. Digital marketing needs to progress even in the face of war.
Indeed, Ukrainian businesses are still advertising. They didn’t stop building their brands and engaging with their customers. And, surprisingly, they’re not experiencing tension with Russia for the first time. The invasion was a first for them, but Ukraine has, in fact, been at war with Russia for eight years.
Maryna Chernyavskaya, group head at Ukrainian creative agency Bickerstaff, says that the possibility of the war becoming harder puts everyone under stress. But she adds that they must get used to it, so they keep working and trying hard to create something meaningful. Lastly, Cherynyavskaya notes that they should keep believing and hoping for the best.
In other words, businesses should strive to stay positive in the midst of civil unrest. Consumers can view corporations as a symbol of stability. If corporations fall, the economy will suffer, and people will lose their livelihoods. Therefore, while businesses shouldn’t pretend that everything is alright, they should have a disaster preparedness plan to maintain their operations if something happens.
Digital marketing plays a critical role in this scenario. Businesses can only reach out to consumers virtually, with war putting people’s lives at risk outside.
Social Media Can Boost Citizens’ Spirits
Businesses can use social media to boost citizens’ spirits during a war. But instead of trying to sell to impart a sense of normalcy, businesses should focus on how to help. For example, they can set up a fund for the families affected by war.
A retail business can donate a portion of its sales to this fund. The company should produce promotional materials and social media content for this campaign. As a result, they may encourage their audience to buy from their brand so that they can donate money, too.
However, businesses should also observe caution when marketing in social media. Social networking platforms are new war zones themselves. For instance, if a business or self-employed individual publishes content related to war, the opponent can assign bots to direct hate to the content. Though it’s easy to report and block bots, those actions won’t stop them. New ones will pop up and continue wreaking havoc online.
Marketers Should Address Privacy Concerns
Businesses run on data now. People see ads not because they happen to be there but because marketers know the ads that would appeal to a particular user. For this reason, many people are worried that the internet no longer respects their privacy. This worrisome thought can affect them worse during a war. They might think the enemy can track them online.
The reason people see targeted ads is third-party cookies. They are the browser cookies that reveal a user’s online activity, spending habits, and demographics. Marketers use these data to tailor the ads a user may see on their social media feeds. But despite the disconcerting nature of third-party cookies, they are not meant to invade a person’s privacy.
Marketers should disclose this to their audience. In addition, they should assess the impact of privacy concerns on their advertising activities. Then, they must play a proactive role in ensuring users that no one can use their data against them. Besides, users may not consent to websites collecting their third-party cookies. Marketers should share this information with users for their additional security.
Digital Marketers Must Produce Factual Content for SEO
Misinformation can go rampant during civil unrest. They’ll instill greater fear or mislead citizens, causing more casualties. Businesses must step up to stop misinformation before the worst occurs.
Companies should enlist a competent digital marketing agency (e.g., Frameworx Marketing) to boost their SEO strategy. Digital marketing specialists can help verify facts and optimize content so that it will attract more traffic than fake news or blog sites. In addition, specialists can share content across multiple channels. Users no longer need to make a Google search to find factual information. They can open their social media apps alone and find the content they need on their feeds.
Promoting solidarity, public interest, and trustworthy information are the top actions businesses can take during civil unrest. Furthermore, they must stand with the people who have been mistreated. Companies may think neutrality is the safe side, but on the contrary, it tarnishes their reputation and their employees’ as well. Companies shouldn’t let people down, even if it upsets the enemy.