How to Maintain Brand Trust in the Age of COVID

COVID-19 pandemic has affected many businesses around the world. Many companies had to reduce hours, services, or even shut down entirely. Many are also opening back up, but only a few have been able to make good profits. The situation is worse for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with most of them looking to cut costs. As a result, many have turned to cut down their advertising budgets. Although this may make sense at the moment, it may not bring the most beneficial outcome for your company’s future.

There’s great value in advertising even if you may not be selling anything at the moment. It’s about brand trust and consistency. You want to establish a rapport with your customers, which is built on trust. In times of trouble, many can seek comfort from businesses. If you pull all advertising, you can create the feeling that you’ve abandoned your customers, which is not a good look.

Thankfully, more and more companies seem to be realizing this. According to a poll by the Association of National Advertisers, 20% of brand marketers have increased CSR spending during the pandemic. Many businesses have made attempts to maintain their sustainable policies, keep consistency, and listen to their consumers even in a time of distress.

Just as SMEs must learn how to operate during the pandemic, they must also learn how to market, which plays into the big Brand Safety vs. Brand Suitability debate. The safest online marketing strategy is to block all keywords associated with COVID-19, to avoid any negative news and feelings that may come with the virus. But, since people are still searching for a lot of coronavirus-related terms, semantic targeting can be useful. By analyzing the context of keywords, you can promote your brand while avoiding inappropriate and negative news.

If you are looking for more help with your digital marketing strategy, your e-commerce platform, or need more guidance on brand awareness, make sure to check out more tips on Coffee with Ally's blog page!