The publication asked a number of digital marketers how the fear and uncertainty from the virus will impact the digital ecosystem in the long term and short term. Here are a few of the highlights.
- Tom O’Regan of Madison Logic said “virtual events and digital engagements will be the difference maker in maintaining growth rates” within organizations.
- Amy Barone of Splash said that even before the coronavirus outbreak, marketers were “choosing to invest in repeatable, local events rather than just one or two larger annual events. Local events are faster and easier to scale up (and down), encouraging more meaningful personal connection, attracting a broader group of attendees, including those who can’t or won’t travel.”
- Tony Rindsberg of Thankful said the “wave of trade show and conference cancellations or delays like Shoptalk are significantly altering our spend allocation. I plan to leverage digital channels more aggressively, but strategically and with a watchful eye on the CV spread. If the current trend continues, I would have to seriously consider shutting down some campaigns until brands are ready to discuss implementing new products again.”
- Frederick Vallaeys of Optmyzr says that if the coronavirus forces people to avoid public places, including stores, it could really boost e-commerce. “That would of course have a big impact on digital marketers who could compete for the purchases of consumers who are not frequent online shoppers.”
- Samantha Barnes of bounteous said that in the long-term “marketers and analysts will innovate with considerations that customer journeys can be filled with stressors and experience to acknowledge and be mindful of.”
- Natalie Barreda of T-Mobile said uncertainty is going to “cause marketers to spend a lot of time doing contingency planning.” In the long-term, if the market decline continues, “marketers will need to have very honest conversations about the likelihood of hitting goals and the value of their investments.” Finally, “brands should also start thinking about how they can leverage their marketing to address issues caused by COVID-19, such as store closures. Having a great customer service and e-commerce experience is imperative during times like this.”
