We’re all officially at least a couple of weeks into social distancing practices, and as of just a couple of days ago, we know we are going to be holed up until at least April 30. With distancing becoming the new norm, we’ve seen some trends already with the consumer journey changing. It should come as no surprise that the online numbers have seen a big spike.
Digital Marketing Insights
Our team took a deep dive into the numbers, and what they found was pretty amazing. When comparing month-over-month data from the 2020 President’s Day sales period (Feb. 13 through Feb. 27) to just one month later after the spread of COVID-19 (March 12 through March 26), we found that:
- Intent to purchase actions were up 14 percent but cost was down 35 percent
- Calls from ads were up 19%
- Online orders from ads alone were up 81%
- Chats from ads are up 140%
- Add to Carts are up 34%
- Overall, there’s been an increase of 393% in online orders
What Can You Do?
If you aren’t already, you should be adjusting your digital tactics to focus on the new consumer journey.
- Check your creative and call to action.
Add banners to your website that call out whether you are open, if your store hours have changed, how they can shop online, or what you are doing to ensure the safety of your employees and customers. - Eliminate wants-based messaging, reflect a needs-based purchase process.
The most important message right now is when you are open, what items you have in-stock, and how soon you can deliver your products. Your customers aren’t shopping for new products right now because they want them, they need new items, and soon. - Consider what metrics are more relevant right now.
When analyzing website or campaign performance, know that because the consumer journey has changed, so has the way you need to analyze it. If you’re wondering why some numbers look different than they have in the past, connect with your account executive to really dive into the metrics.
