Digital Marketing 2022-Evolution of Internet usage during Covid-19

The world of marketing moves at lightning speed. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, digital marketers embraced digital transformation as they adapted to constantly changing virtual and hybrid business landscapes. With the evolution of digital marketing, keeping up with these changes isn’t always easy. However, to succeed and sustain in the fast-paced marketing world, it’s essential to maintain a sense of relevancy with your audience.

How Search Behavior Has Changed Since COVID-19 ?

According to Google, these are the major five shifts in consumer search behavior

• Assembling critical information
• Discovering new connections
• Adjusting to changes in their routines
• Glorifying everyday heroes
• Taking care of themselves and others

Think with Google stats confirm that there has been a 27% increase in voice search data, including visuals while writing the content since the outbreak of Covid-19.

Digital media consumption has seen an enormous increase since the pandemic. Here are some stats to consider if you’ve been thinking about leveling up digital marketing during the pandemic:

• Gen Z (16-23-year-olds) has seen a 51% increase in online video consumption and a 38% increase in streaming since the outbreak, according to Global Web Index.
• Searches for online grocery delivery and online grocery shopping were up by 23% over last year.
• Telemedicine searches have seen the highest growth, with more than 150% increase.

Every business is distinct in acclimating to the ongoing pandemic, especially with the constant consumer, government, and medical transitions. Nonetheless, leveraging a custom digital marketing strategy during the pandemic is necessary. Let’s look at the evolution of internet usage and the importance of online marketing during the pandemic:

1. The Evolution of E-Learning

COVID-19 has resulted in a temporary closure of schools, so over 1.2 billion children are out of the classroom globally, causing the education system to change dramatically. With the unparalleled rise of e-learning, teaching is undertaken remotely and on digital platforms. Research suggests that online learning has been shown to increase the retention of information among children. In 2025, the worldwide e-learning market is projected to be worth $325 billion since the evolution of online education during the pandemic. Businesses are encountering an increase in digital learning and training as they gain agility and better track their workforce’s upskilling and reskilling through digital learning options.

2. The Use of Social Media

While the coronavirus outbreak continues to cause mayhem worldwide, people are now spending most of their time on the sofa instead of cruising around malls or attending live events. Social media, not only acted as a medium of entertainment for people, but it was also a medium to spread awareness, help communities. People ultimately used social media to pass the time while stuck in a four-walled room. According to the Global Web Index research, over 80% of consumers in the United States and the United Kingdom consume more video content via YouTube,with TikTok serving as the primary medium across all generations and genders since the epidemic. Digital adoption has risen during this time to adapt their operations and keep up with these new consumers’ needs. Because social media plays an essential role in the economy, businesses must embrace change for short and long-term growth.

3. The Boom of Web conferencing

Without web conferencing, many industries, including education and international business, would be paralyzed during a pandemic. Video conferencing apps received 62 million downloads in one week during the early phases of the lockdown, the most significant number ever. Companies are adopting this technology because they see the advantages of allowing a mobile workforce to work locally, nationally, and globally. Companies are now pursuing a unified communication strategy based on seamless integration, efficient technology, and software to enhance and amplify their video conferencing strategy.

4. A New Era of OTT platforms

In this covid-19 epidemic, the entire world is on lockdown; those of us who are fortunate enough to be able to stay at home are doing so and aiding in the reduction of coronavirus spread. While people, the government, and business owners have no idea when things will return to normal with everything shut down; however, everyone is doing their best to make the best of the current situation. The lockdown has significantly impacted the movie theatre business, especially when we don’t know when things will return to normal. On the other hand, OTT platforms are heavily investing in content creation, and one might argue that this is a novel entertainment well-received by the general audience.

5. Online shopping boom

The rise in popularity of eCommerce is nothing new. In recent years, Alibaba, Amazon, Walmart, and other major competitors have quickly expanded. On the other hand, the COVID-19 epidemic has hastened the rise of the online shopping convenience movement. Consumer loyalty to specific brands has declined for a variety of reasons.

• According to eMarketer, more than 80% of customers reported purchasing from a different brand than usual in mid-2021, a tendency that began early in the epidemic.
• During the pandemic’s peak, 20-30% of businesses went online.
• Emarketer published an article stating that by 2023, online grocery sales will make up 11.2% of total US grocery sales.

Shoppers are more inclined to order from online merchants, specifically with the expansion of product categories. Walmart increased its digital grocery business in 2021, and eMarketer predicts it will outsell Amazon in that area this year. In 2020, online income ascended by 44%, and in the first quarter of 2021, it increased by 39% year over year. There’s a reasonable probability that this trend will continue in the post-quarantine era. Even when brick-and-mortar stores reopen, the benefits of internet purchasing remain.

Conclusion

Maintaining a robust and influential digital presence through SEO and content marketing will be one of the most crucial things firms take to stay relevant to their target clients throughout the epidemic. It’s time to upgrade your internet presence for most firms. Before the epidemic, most consumers made their shopping decisions online. Even still, some people rarely leave the house, putting businesses that rely heavily on foot traffic and word of mouth at risk. As the online world has ascended, importance of having a digital marketing strategy for your organization has become increasingly important. The internet has become a lifeline for most businesses due to the pandemic. It’s never been a better time for your business to invest in digital marketing than today. Through 2021, the demand for digital marketing will continue to climb— Vidushi Infotech can serve you with all the digital marketing solutions that can help your business grow in this evolution of digital marketing.