From September 1, Ukrainian schoolchildren will return to traditional classroom education. This was stated by acting. Minister of Education of Ukraine Serhiy Shkarlet.
Distance learning will be introduced for regions that are in the “red” zone, and a mixed type of education is recommended for cities in the “orange” zone. The overall situation with the coronavirus pandemic remains unpredictable and it is difficult to make far-reaching forecasts. At the same time, the main task of marketers is to adapt to the new reality and continue to increase the profit of their company no matter what. We have reviewed the situation and would like to provide some useful recommendations to help you refocus and prepare for distance learning if this scenario is reintroduced.
“Distance learning” is the leader in search queries on Google
Parents, students, and teachers faced unusual distance learning challenges during the March-May 2020 period. As the new school year approaches, they decided to prepare, and since the beginning of July, distance learning searches have multiplied. Users search Google for timetables, curricula, and other useful remote-related information.
Analysts also recorded an increased interest in various online courses, such as Coursera, Udemy, and others. Compared to last year, the growth in the number of search queries was 197%.
Along with the interest in online learning, the demand for goods necessary for an effective learning process has also increased. For example, the demand for home desks, computer chairs, and tablets has increased. American analysts note a 10-fold increase in weekly search queries compared to the beginning of January.
What should marketers do?
We strongly recommend that absolutely everyone reconsider their content strategy and use trending keywords in SEO and PPC to attract additional traffic to the site and increase the target audience. This is especially true for those whose services and products are targeted at the aforementioned user group.
Also, the interest in distance learning and the possible transition to it can be used in public rhetoric or for advertising campaigns for brands selling specific goods and services. Examples, video surveillance or fire safety systems for the home, mobile applications with the function of planning a day, babysitting services, tutors, etc.
In addition, now is the best time for brands and companies to share their experience and knowledge online – start blogs, arrange webinars and online conferences, sell courses, shoot useful videos for YouTube, improve the quality of email newsletters, share checklists and guides with clients.
Coping with stress in distance learning
Parents and children have a hard time, so they use the Internet to relax and deal with the accumulated stress. This is evidenced by the growth in search queries for homeschooling memes by 45 times since the beginning of quarantine, and now – 20 times more than in January 2020.
What should marketers do?
If your brand or company sells goods or services necessary for distance learning, or things that are relevant only in connection with the constant stay at the home of adults and children, then it is worth presenting them to your audience with ease and humor. Products should evoke positive emotions in customers, and not exacerbate the stress that they are under quarantine.
It is also worth noting that children and parents spend more and more time on social networks, where they come for light entertainment content. This is a great place where you can communicate in an unobtrusive way with the audience and debunk their negative attitude towards everything “remote”.
Conclusions: digital advertising is a priority
Against the backdrop of the current quarantine measures, Ukrainian companies continue to adapt to new norms and meet the needs of their customers. As part of the start of the school season and online learning, experts recommend betting on digital advertising and increasing budgets, despite the decision to save. It will work most effectively for E-commerce, which is quite logical. Therefore, it is worth revisiting the strategies and concepts of contextual and adaptive display ads. Separate campaigns for the target audience interested in getting more information about distance learning and products that will make it easier to stay in isolation will help increase turnover and profit.
For a better understanding of business processes after quarantine, we also recommend reading our article on how the Ukrainian E-commerce Market Will Change After Quarantine: Analyzing Incoming Data. In it, our experts examined the dynamics of consumer demand during the period of strict restrictive measures, and also dismantled new consumption trends that are emerging among buyers.