How can we continue to do what's best for our businesses while also alleviating some of the public's anxieties, without appearing manipulative?
The current coronavirus crisis sweeping the world poses these and many other questions for content writers. On the one hand, it presents a unique opportunity for many companies. On the other hand, it raises many ethical questions about the role companies should play in times of crisis.
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Below, we’ll explore some strategies around these challenges and outline how content writers can better operate in times of crisis. You’ll also find a couple of examples and tips from expert content marketers in various industries that help illustrate these strategies.
Walk a mile in someone's shoes
All good content writing is centered around a deep understanding of your audience. This is never more evident than in the current coronavirus crisis. As a starting point, you should practice your empathy and try to imagine exactly what your potential readers are going through.
As an example, let's imagine new zealand phone number library someone forced to work from home for the first time in their lives. There are a number of questions that run through their minds:
How do I set up an office space in my home?
How will I stay connected with my colleagues?
How can we ensure efficient inter-office communication while working from home?
How can I continue to balance my personal and professional life?
How can I maintain my mental health in this new situation?
These and many other questions are currently the main concerns of a large part of the public. And the answer to each of these questions is an opportunity for many companies. These companies can help this person overcome their anxiety by providing them with useful and enriching content focused on remote work.
“The most important thing for content writers to have during this time is empathy. If content writers have pre-scheduled content to post, they should double-check the copy and make sure it is appropriate to send – the last thing you want is to come across as tone-deaf. Only include genuinely helpful content when writing about COVID-9. Don’t just share something to share – it should be insightful and helpful to your audience.” – Kelly Andersen
Take some time to reflect on yourself. Once you’ve thought about your customers’ needs, find 2-3 useful messages and stick to them. Tailor your content in the coming weeks and months to these messages and find the right forums to send them to.
Look for win-win situations
Most people are stuck at home right now. This means they are turning to things like social media to stay connected to the rest of the world. The lack of human-to-human interaction means it's more important than ever to help people stay engaged.
Source: www.freepik.com
The need to connect can be an advantage for you as a content writer. People are looking for more ways to feel connected to the world, making them more receptive to conversations and engagement on social media.
All of this means that you need to keep the conversation going on social media. You can give your community the connection they’re looking for while also keeping them engaged with your business. Some approaches you could take include:
Start conversations through social media, leverage the collective knowledge of your audience to share strategies.
Sharing daily tips on how to deal with social distancing restrictions.
Create and share custom resources and blog posts for things like remote work.
Here are a couple of concrete content marketing examples from a content marketing professional:
“I’m working with clients to develop clear, relevant, and empathetic messaging in the face of the COVID-19 crisis. For example, one client has a payment technology that could really help their customers soften the blow of lost sales and revenue, and we developed messaging for them that communicates in ways that sound helpful rather than opportunistic. Another client offers services using distributed remote teams. Now that their clients also need to adapt to remote teams working from home, I helped them by developing materials they can use to share their remote work best practices with the community they serve.” – Dr. Christopher G. Fox
These are just a few ideas of effective ways to engage people through social media during these difficult times.
Don't take advantage of people's anxieties
In times of crisis, it is easy to use people's fears as a business opportunity. Just look at all the fake "miracle cures" that emerged during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.
Of course, there are more subtle ways to exploit people's fears that aren't as direct as selling fake drugs. Judging by a recent surge in Facebook and other social media ads, some companies have taken the opportunity to sell masks, hand sanitizers, etc. at inflated prices.
Such an approach is not only unethical but inevitably damaging to business. In fact, research shows that marketing tactics that people perceive as misleading or manipulative are damaging to businesses in the long run.
Fear and anxiety certainly motivate people to take short-term action (panic buying is a perfect example). However, you should avoid using such motivators during this crisis and instead focus on ways to help your audience cope with their difficulties.
By working to alleviate anxiety and stress, you will build a more sustainable customer base and brand. Here are some thoughts on the topic from an expert in the field of content marketing:
“We need to communicate in a way that combines information and needs, synthesizing feelings and facts. I feel we have a tremendous responsibility because never before has communications had the power to help society as it does now. Words are part of the healing process and we can see which leaders and brands are doing the best job every day with messages that touch not only the mind but also the heart and soul. There has never been a more important time to provide accurate and empathetic communication with transparency, truthfulness and timeliness.” – Paige Arnof-Fenn, Founder and CEO
Add value, not emails to inboxes
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If you've opened your email recently you've probably noticed the flood of emails from companies informing you about their Covid-19 safety measures. While some may be relevant, the vast majority leave your audience wondering why the company needs to share this information.
When thinking about your written content in this current crisis, always ask yourself if it is adding value. People are particularly sensitive right now to any sense that companies are “taking advantage” of the situation. In this case, sending email communications without substance can damage your brand.
Customers won’t forget you if you take advantage of a challenging situation just to sell more products. Alternatively, they will also remember companies that focus on providing truly meaningful content.
Words of encouragement, strategies for coping with the current “stay at home” reality, and resources that can help people are just some of the types of content you should be focusing on right now.
For example, you can specify the most likely side effect of COVID on the specific audience you serve and share tips on how they can accept and overcome it with little effort. From buying a new mattress to sleeping better to adjusting to new at-home workout routines, you can share practical tips to help your audience.
Helping your customers navigate this current crisis is humane and the best way to build brand loyalty in the future.
Injects rays of hope
It helps to inject success stories into your content. Back up the useful information you’ve shared with examples of companies and individuals who have successfully navigated this crisis. This gives credibility to your content and proves that your tips and insights are truly valuable.
Find success stories through trusted news outlets, blogs, podcasts, and statistics. Enter numbers and percentages, especially if your content is targeted at businesses and financial services.
Highlight strategies; Tell your readers specifically how these organizations and individuals overcame the difficult business climate.
Highlight the need for change. One of the biggest challenges for businesses and individuals in this era will be their willingness to adapt. Doing things differently from the norm will initially be inconvenient and perhaps burdensome, but this change is here to stay – ultimately, everyone will adapt to it or remain stagnant. Content writers can help businesses by highlighting the successes that have been catalyzed by operational change.
Help your readers visualize success and the paths they can take to achieve it.
Final words
We are currently in a period of dramatic change, which presents a number of unique opportunities for businesses. You can and should take advantage of these changes by adapting the writing of your content. However, for the good of society and your business, in the long run, focus on adding value and helping people, and avoid the temptation to play on fears. If you do this, we will all be better off for your efforts.
