Updated Websites More Important Than Ever

Online shopping is fast and convenient; purchasing products without ever setting foot in a store has grown by leaps and bounds over the last decade. Now, with quarantines in place across the globe, online shopping is more important than ever. People are more reliant on the internet than they’ve ever been. It is critical for regular communication, working-from-home, education, entertainment and, of course,  shopping. Brands have been updating their websites and have adopted new and improved digital tools to make ordering and advertising more effective. At least half of marketers surveyed have invested in technologies such as site/mobile chat (56%), mobile app functionality (55%), email (51%) and video (50%). Source: Merkle.

In the last several months, many companies have updated their websites with COVID-19 messaging front and center. Consumers want to know how companies are responding to the pandemic; transparency is key. When researching a company or product, people look to be informed about the safety of their policies and processes. Forbes.com offers COVID marketing tips with #1 being: “Reassure Your Customers” by keeping customers informed. In addition to updating brand websites and optimizing them for mobile viewing, Forbes also recommends email updates and regular social media posts to stay engaged with consumers.

A strong online presence has never been more important. With people shopping from home, a website’s design and user experience is as important as the quality of products and services. Focusing on digital marketing and prioritizing online presence should be the strategy moving forward through this ongoing situation.

However, as perfect as your website may be, you can’t forget about advertising and marketing. More than one-third (36%) of US consumers surveyed report they have made an impulse buy based on an ad since the start of the pandemic. While brand messaging is important, great offers are still a major driver of consumer behavior with 76% reporting that they have discovered new products based on deals they have received. Source: Valassis.

In today’s world, a company’s website can make or break a brand. It is essential, now more than ever, that all businesses carefully plan and continuously improve their digital strategies and ensure their online presence is well curated. Updating and upgrading technology and making the user experience as seamless and straightforward as possible should be a top priority.