Many of us were already well aware of the beauty (and sometimes ugliness) of the internet. However, without the ability to go out to shops and businesses and actually visit people in person, the internet was suddenly the only option for those that had barely considered it before. I don’t want to limit this group of people just to the elderly, however, figures demonstrate just how much the number of older people using the internet has increased. A survey from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that the number of older people going online increased from 29% in 2013 to 54% in 2020 alone.
So suddenly, the online market has expanded during the pandemic (along with my waistline) and we suddenly have to create advertising to attract these new kids on the block. This is when we have to alter the way we approach our target audience. Now for Stone2Stone for example, our target audience hasn’t changed. We still focus on technology and cybersecurity businesses looking for great marketing campaigns. However, this audience might have now swelled in number due to the people working for companies or connected to companies like that who were not very tech savvy before. This means it’s important now more than ever to to engage your target audience and build loyalty whilst everyone is still shut away. Regularly engage with your audience, produce content that appeals to them and tells them that what you are offering is valuable to them as an individual. Keep up a regular schedule of posting so as to stay relevant.
A report by Nielson found that staying indoors can lead to a 60% increase in content watched, so now is truly the time to shine. However, it’s important to note that humans are generally sheep, meaning a lot of people will be having the exact same idea as you. Online competition has heated up so you have to be unique with your marketing, or else you won’t be heard amongst all of the noise. The increase in traffic also makes it crucial to keep your email lists as healthy as possible. Now that more people are online, they might be focusing more on who they want to be subscribed to or not. If you ignore someone who’s unsubscribed to you and continue to send them emails, you could be at risk of breaking GDPR laws. Stay sharp, and spend time on making everything stand out to the recipient – try and stop them from unsubscribing in the first place.
It’s crucial not to lose the target audience you already had before the pandemic. Keep building on the loyalty you know as well as gaining new leads. Be personal with them, let them know you’re still there and value them as a customer. Don’t just flood them with non stop advertisements and emails of why you are the best fit to them, show them why you’re the best fit for them by listening to what they are saying and drawing on their experiences. Let’s face it – 2020 was terrible for everyone, so let them know that! If you sympathise with your target audience, they will feel as if you are focusing on them as an individual, and that you legitimately care and understand what they are going through. Trust me, your value will then increase tenfold in their eyes, and all you had to do was treat them like a person and not just a number on your statistical reports.
Now is the time to truly shine – new visitors to your brand want to see good results before they commit to anything permanent, so show them how successful you have been in the past. From statistics to case studies to testimonials from previous clients, it is imperative you show off a little so as to generate as many potential leads as you can. Especially with the increase in online traffic, people will only want to pay full attention to that which they can trust, or can see others trust.
Target audience is a tricky thing, it’s always changing and the pandemic is just one of many external factors that can affect yours. Just be prepared to adapt if the situation calls for it, and do not sacrifice your established audience for the sake of a new one. It’s all about balance.
