Top 3 ways digital marketing agencies will change due to COVID-19

If you own an agency, or are with an agency, you are probably wondering how things will change due to COVID-19. I have spent a good time thinking about this and here I predict what will happen.

1. Strategy with change

Everything a digital marketing agency starts with its strategy, so I think it is important that we address it first.

How will it change

There have been clear changes in online supply and demand. The fit in the product market has also been modified for almost every category due to the wave effect of COVID-19. Because of this, agencies have to look at themselves and their clients through the following lenses:

• How has the need for their customer base changed?
• How have their budgets changed?
• Are they still a good customer target?
• Should they target a different customer profile?
• Do they still have the right services to help those customers?

Agencies need to fit their product market and see their customers. It will be a major practice through the rest of 2020.

How to win

You need to look closely at your customer and refine your strategy regarding their new pain points.

For example, we dropped the search dramatically for the terms "I have" and saw a spike for the words "delivery". We have seen YouTube with a 15% increase in traffic, while at the same time advertising revenue has declined.

Agencies must modify the way customers market, their services, and pricing to do so.

Bonus: Immediate suggestions for how digital agencies should update client strategy

• A page on their website is directly addressing COVID-19 and how they are helping customers. It should appear on every page of the site. It should also give an update on any changes in the business.
• They need to bring their advertising creatives, their content marketing and email marketing teams, and their new messaging strategy to TV and radio.
• They need to run a campaign that clearly states how they are helping their customer - and they need to track the results. If the results are good, they can explain how they helped customers in a follow-up marketing campaign later in 2020.
  

2. Organization

There is no doubt that due to the way organizations operate, this will change in the short term. Agencies are no exception.

How will they change

With everyone working remotely, you can expect employees and employers to get used to it. The rent is not cheap, and in general, agency profitability is low. In most cases, the net profit of agencies is between 5% and 30% and rent is a large part of that cost as the agency often prefers to have a good office to attract employees and WOW customers. If customers do not want to meet in their office and employees want to work from home, it means big savings for the company. The best thing is that this money can be used to invest more in customer success and employee success.

But not having an office brings other big challenges: lack of team / company culture, lack of community, collaboration and more. I personally love having an office and seeing our team every day. Without one, agency owners may have management challenges and will require processes and accountability, such as:

• Time tracking customers
• Daily check-in with the team
• Weekly accountability

How to win

It is up to each agency owner to decide, and time will tell how important the office is in the long term. But for now, some things that will help in making video calls, including:

• Non-work related items, such as chatting for happy hours or team building
• And then, of course, every week many departments check in
  

3. Communication

For agencies, customer communication is going to change.

How will it change

Customers generally love their office or in-person meetings at our office. They enjoy lunch, coffee or happy hour. All of that has now gone out the window. It still holds a requirement for all of them to show those meetings as they would in person, but through video calls.

How to win

You need to show a fairly well-dressed video call with some good lighting and a background that is presentable. I believe that a good set-up here will go a long way with customers. Video call is an experience, so it becomes an entirely new skill set. I expect to see a spike in custom video backgrounds for company employees.

Imagine you are having a video call with a staff member of our company. In one call someone sees sweatshirts, messing up hair, poor lighting, and in the background you see their laundry on the floor.

Now imagine making the same call with someone who has taken the time to wear a nice shirt, brushed their hair, has a clear light on their face and a whiteboard with a company logo on the background so that they Can write things and brainstorm. During the meeting, you will know your digital marketing strategy.

The conclusion

COVID-19 seems almost untrue because of the magnitude of the impact it has on the world, but we will get through it and be stronger. It is important to adapt as we progress - and agencies are no exception. For agencies, think about your new customer needs, employee needs, and communication strategy. For those who use agencies, we as agency owners appreciate you.