The coronavirus pandemic has brought the world to its knees and left all marketers scratching their heads. We’re all in the same boat, wondering how to sustain and grow our share of voice in a highly charged and tense marketing landscape.

In the span of just a few months, consumer buying behaviour has been significantly impacted by COVID-19, forcing companies to shift gears in marketing strategy for the future. 

What are the key stats?

These stats indicate the change from January 2020 to now, highlighting the monumental challenge brands are facing at this point of time,

– Daily usage of Facebook is up 27%

– Daily YouTube usage is up 15%

– Daily TikTok usage is up 15%

Throw in the fact that 42% of customers from an E&Y survey believe the way they shop will fundamentally change, and you are looking at a critical shift in consumer behaviour trends. 

We’re all in this together

Increasing online engagement and conversion is the need of the hour, and critical for your business success. 

The answer might lie in a tried and tested formula – User-Generated Content.

We are all content creators in some way or the other and everyone has an interesting story to tell, from your local barber down the street to your next-door neighbour. People are sharing photos and videos across all social platforms in never before seen volumes. 

These unique and personalised experiences are the golden eggs you need to treasure as a marketer, user-generated content (UGC) that engage your potential customers and help you to build a genuine connection with your audience on social media.

The opportunities for marketers

1. Build trust with your audience

During times of uncertainty, consumers turn to the influencers and brands that they trust most. Once the COVID-19 outbreak subsides, brands will have to work on regaining the trust of their audiences through authentic and honest content. Be willing to show the human side of your brand, and you will reap the benefits.

2. Increase social validation

Marketers need to consider how to renew consumer confidence post the pandemic, and user-generated content can offer uncertain customers the authentic social proof and social validation they need to convert into loyal customers for your brand. 

Choose to be human

Do not be overzealous during these hard times, and work on showing the empathetic side of your brand to your audience. 

Forget about the perfect content to sell your product, and focus on the human element instead to build lasting authentic connections with your audience. 

Check out #SocialSpeak every week for the latest trends and tips from the social media universe!