Understanding the shift in your audience’s digital path
Observations:
According to a recent eMarketer study, 74.6% of internet users will avoid shopping centers, 60.4% will avoid restaurants, and 40.7% will avoid entertainment venues as the COVID-19 outbreak is expected to worsen. As public health officials continue to warn us about the dangers of in-person contact, consumers are learning how to entertain themselves and complete important tasks within the comfort of their own home.
Implications:
This shift in consumers’ digital behavior leaves businesses with a unique challenge. Can your channel strategy be pivoted to follow where your core audience is heading? At MX, we’ve picked out few trends we’re seeing to help your business prepare for an uptick in digital media consumption:
Less Out of Home
Self isolation, restrictions on public transportation, and cancellations of large gatherings have reduced the number of eyes would potentially see OOH ads.
Less Event Promotions
Similar to OOH, large scale events where businesses saw opportunity to place vendors or make in-person connections will most likely be impacted. Think music festivals, trade shows, summits, and conferences as some of the many examples.
More Social Media
When asked how they receive their news on the Coronavirus, 34% of US internet users turned to social media as a resource. Also, consumers are utilizing social media platforms as a means of communication with their family and friends as social distancing continues to be encouraged.
More Streaming Video (and Connected TV)
More Platforms favored by younger people
Due to school closures and cancellations of social gathering, platforms normally reserved for younger audiences are expected to see a spike in activity. Gaming platforms like Twitch and Fortnite may see an increase in traffic as younger audiences seek virtual entertainment. As TikTok is expected to hit a user base of over 50 million users within the next year, we can expect younger audiences to spend a lot of their newfound free time on this platform as well.