It’s no secret the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically altered our way of life. The same is true for how businesses think about their online presence. Although times seem uncertain and difficult to predict, it is essential to know that there are effective adjustments you can make to your digital marketing strategy during these unprecedented times.
The Paradox:
Traffic Is Up
Over the last few months, all kinds of sites (from news sites to social platforms) have seen traffic numbers jump significantly. It makes sense, as people are spending more time online working from home and keeping socially distant.
But Revenue Is Down
You may be reading about revenue being down in many sectors – hence the paradox of traffic being way up, but revenue way down. And upon closer look, revenue was way down at the beginning of the pandemic, and still is among digital marketing heavyweight sectors such as Travel, Leisure, Sports, Entertainment and Transportation.
Or Is It?
However, revenue is also up in other industries. We have seen a marketable improvement in other sectors – including consumer goods, healthcare, gaming, and food delivery. Even the automotive sector, which was hit hard at the beginning of the pandemic, has made a much-improved rebound.
A Closer Look At The Numbers
In-home data usage has jumped as millions of more people work from home. The most notable device-level data usage increases seen thus far are for mobile phones. And it’s not surprising. People are primarily staying at home, giving them even more time to spend on their devices. According to ComScore, year-over-year mobile phone data usage has grown by more than 50%.
But the challenge has been to monetize this bump
While it may seem counterintuitive to boost spending during a global crisis, now might be a perfect time. By taking advantage of reduced competition from marketing heavyweights in travel, sports, and transportation during this time, you can test new digital marketing avenues at competitive prices.
“Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearfulâ€
– Warren Buffet
People Are Home, People Are Online, And They Are Hungry for Information
As we mentioned previously, overall internet use is up 50%. The good news is that you can still reach many existing, as well as new, customers. The difference is that they are looking in different places than usual.
Among the biggest beneficiaries are news sites, informational sites, and social platforms, each with huge jumps in traffic and readership skyrocketing – with the growth in traffic more than 50% over the last month, according to SimilarWeb. Social platforms and entertainment portals, including Facebook, Twitter, Snap, have also seen vast traffic increases.
The Shift To Native Advertising
Native advertising is the use of paid ads that match the look, feel, and function of the media format in which they appear.
Native ads are often found in social media feeds or as recommended content on a web page. Unlike display ads or banner ads, native ads don’t look like ads. They look like part of the editorial flow of the page. The key to native advertising is that it is non-disruptive – it exposes the reader to advertising content without sticking out like a sore thumb.
Native advertising is predominant on news sites, informational sites, and social platforms. That’s why Native Advertising has become the go-to choice for advertisers looking to grow their business and acquire new customers.
Why Are Companies Turning To Tapstone?
Native Advertising Works
Consumers look at native ads 53% more than display ads. Native ads create an 18% increase in purchase intent, and the visual engagement with native ads is the same, and even slightly higher than the original editorial content. 1
Native Advertising Fights Ad Fatigue
Ad fatigue is what happens when the audience gets bored with seeing ads. After a while, they simply stop paying attention. Native ads are brand exposure cloaked in editorial content, so they don’t tire out the audience. As long as the content is relevant and interesting, native advertising engages the audience.
Consumers Know That Native Ads Are Advertising
But they don’t care!
In a recent study at Stanford University, researchers found that native advertising fools nobody. Consumers are well aware that they are viewing a form of advertising, however, native ads still have a significant effect on purchase behavior.
Tapstone’s Expertise
Tapstone is a pioneering and leading provider of native advertising solutions. Our offering combines the immersive user engagement of native advertising with the quantifiable results of performance marketing. Our end-to-end platform leverages user targeting, in-house content creation, real-time reporting and analytics, and an obsession with real-time optimizations and results.
Contact Us Today
If you are unsure what these new digital marketing trends mean for your business, send us a note. We’re here to help however we can.
1. https://www.taboola.com/native-advertising
