How Brand Managers Can Better Understand Their Audiences During COVID-19

We’ve just started 2021 and for most of us, 2020 was one of the most challenging years we’ve ever endured. C0VID-19 has changed the way we communicate, connect and do business. Brands have had to change their entire marketing strategy to properly address the uncertainty that many of their consumers are facing.  Below are some tactics to keep in mind when forging meaningful brand relationships with audiences in 2021.

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Acknowledge the Crisis

Today, consumers greatly value transparency especially during problematic times. Brand strategy needs to address the seriousness of the pandemic without losing their authenticity with their audiences.  

The best way to tackle this challenge is to rework the way you see your brand’s consumer base. Building and establishing trust with your audiences should be priority number one when developing brand strategy. Research what concerns your target consumer is having and provide a solution to help. Effective communication and complete transparency are essential foundations for any brand to have during a times of crisis.

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Modify your Buyer Personas to the COVID Era

Consumer's behaviors have rapidly changed since the year 2020.  Many of their affinities, likes and interests over the past six months have constantly evolved due to the uncertainty of the virus.  

In fact, the impact of C0VID-19 has greatly affected buyer behavior. 72% of Americans are feeling financial pressure because of the disease (Business Insider). So, how can brand managers react quickly to keep up with their consumer's needs?  

One resourceful way is to use social media data to identify key trends in their audience's behaviors and consistently generate and monitor personas. Since the outbreak of the disease, consumer trends alter on a day-to-day basis. By having a tool that produces real time personas, brand managers can stay frequently informed on their targeted personas.  

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‍Monitor your brand’s social channels to gain insights

Staying engaged with your brand’s audiences is critical during a time of crisis. The emergence of social media has made it easier than ever to have an open line for communication between a brand and their digital community. Brand managers can take advantage of social analytic tools to pinpoint which social activity of their audiences they should pay attention to.  

One of the best strategies to do this is by social listening, this digital marketing technique reveals how consumers are actively engaging with a brand across online platforms. However, it can be challenging gathering social data from different platforms to analyze consumer insights.

One solution is to have a comprehensive platform that conceptualizes all the data already on a user-friendly interface. For example, VoraInsight can provide deeper insights by generating a 360° view on targeted personas. This includes having access to the most impactful conversations about your brand and offers several other features such as topics of interest, audience size and the prediction of sentiment analysis. By utilizing the best social analytical tools, brands can create content that stay current with the topics and trends that mattes most with their consumer base during these times.  

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The COVID-19 pandemic has been a difficult time for businesses and consumers alike. But the marketing industry is about quickly adapting to the needs of its customers. With the right data, content and personas; brand managers can make sure they’re always one step ahead of addressing its audiences concerns and needs before they demand it.  

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