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As more states lift stay-at-home orders and restrictions, businesses across all industries are starting to open their doors once again. For businesses that rely on in-person services and settings, the customer experience will likely be very different.

Leveraging more digital marketing tactics is becoming exceedingly crucial for small businesses this summer, as our country recovers physically, socially, and economically from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here are eight digital marketing trends that will be hugely important for small businesses this summer. Although adapting all of these strategies may not be the answer for you, it’s worth it to spend some time considering which of these tactics will work best for your business.

Video marketing is essential.

If you’re not incorporating video in your digital marketing efforts, make this summer the time you start. Videos are an easy way to convey information and are proven to perform better on social media. For example, a 2019 study by quintly reports that videos receive 49% higher interactions on Instagram.

When people are hanging out on social media, their attention span may not always be able to carry them through a long text or blog post. A video is more likely to grab their attention and keep them around longer to see what your business has to say.

Plus, with video sharing platforms like TikTok on the rise, adopting a video strategy can help you reach a wider audience on new platforms. You can even repurpose or cross-post these videos to duplicate your efforts.

Authenticity is king.

As younger generations—who have been bombarded with ads their entire lives—enter the workforce and start making more purchasing decisions, we’re seeing consumers flock to brands that are more genuine in their messaging.

Making a shift to more authenticity in your marketing will pay off for your small business, especially if you cater to a younger audience. We already know that this shift has been paying off for brands on Instagram, but how else can you adopt this strategy?

One way to start is to think of your brand’s social media presence as that of an easygoing friend. Stay professional, but don’t obsess over every single picture or creating the perfect sentence. Focus on making connections and building relationships.

AI is the future.

Yes, I’m talking about artificial intelligence! AI is more commonly used in marketing than you might think. AI is present in the algorithms that show related products or videos on YouTube, Google, and eCommerce websites.

How can your business implement AI in its marketing efforts? One word: personalization. Even something as simple as personalizing the marketing emails that you send to your customers can go a long way. 

If you have a widely used website, chatbots might be a good idea. Chatbots are website add-ons that allow customers to ask questions 24/7. The application automatically performs tasks or answers questions according to keywords your website visitors use. This is a great way to improve your customer experiences and convert more sales in a more automated way.

Social proof pays off.

I think a lot of small businesses still underutilize the power of social proof in their marketing. As a refresher, social proof is the psychological phenomenon that people will adopt the same behavior that they see from their friends and peers. 

Social proof exists in forms like customer reviews, influencer marketing, and earned media. Even word-of-mouth marketing is an example of social proof in action. 

Make sure to respond to reviews (good and bad), share customer testimonials, and send a “thank you” to customers that refer your business to their friends and family. You’ll see that these simple changes require very minimal effort but can make a huge difference in customer acquisition.

Corporate social responsibility creates stronger relationships.

It’s impossible to ignore everything that is happening in the world, and we’ve seen how big companies taking a stand has paid off in creating stronger advocates for their brand. We also know that younger generations value social responsibility. As stated in Deloitte’s Global Millennial Survey:

Millennials and Gen Zs start and stop relationships with companies for very personal reasons, often related to a company’s positive or negative impact on society.

Even something as simple as a strong statement of support can go a long way. For example, in Reebok’s response to the recent protests against police brutality across the nation, they even stated “We’re not asking you to buy our shoes. We are asking you to walk in someone else’s.”

If you haven’t already, and if you’re financially able, make this the summer your business gives back. Choose a cause that aligns with your brand’s mission statement and get involved.

PPC is out; SEO is in.

When was the last time you clicked on a Google search or display ad? Unless the content of the ad included information you were looking for, or an unbelievable promotion that you couldn’t pass up, it’s unlikely that you have clicked on one of these ads in a while. 

It has become increasingly easy for internet users to tune out pay-per-click (PPC) ads, whether it be through the use of technology or just being able to ignore them. As consumers see more and more of them, interruptive digital ads just don’t do it anymore.

Search engine optimization (SEO) however, which aims to rank your website first on search engines organically, won’t be going anywhere. In fact, over 55% of marketers surveyed by HubSpot for their 2020 State of Marketing Report say that SEO is either “very important” or “extremely important” to their overall marketing strategy.

Focusing on your small business’s SEO efforts will help you bring more traffic to your website over time. Plus, this traffic will be more prepared to make a purchase from you.

Content marketing isn’t going anywhere.

Along the same vein of SEO is content marketing. Creating content that aims to help your target audience answer their questions will create trust, boost website traffic, and ultimately help you build stronger customer relationships. 

It’s obvious that people won’t stop using the internet as a resource for helpful information, and the more your business aims to be helpful, the more success you will see from your marketing efforts. Start with your small business’s blog. Blogs don’t need to be updated constantly to be effective. Focus on quality over quantity, and you’ll see your traffic (and quality of customers) improve.

Less foot traffic doesn’t have to mean less sales.

This summer, it’s likely that people will still be practicing social distancing, at least until a vaccine for the coronavirus becomes widely available. If your business relies on foot traffic and in-person interaction to make sales, it’s time to get creative. How can you bring these important interactions to the digital world instead?

Look to new digital methods that aim to attract more of this “foot traffic” to your website instead of your brick-and-mortar location. It can be any of the aforementioned techniques, or something new like a virtual event. 

As far as other customer experiences, what are some things you can implement on your website that will make their lives easier? If you’re offering something like a speedy online reservation or checkout system and your competitor isn’t, which business do you think your customer is more likely to want to support? 

Summer 2020 will be very different from summers that we’ve seen in the past. In order to adapt, small businesses will need to adopt more digital strategies for customer acquisition, engagement, and retention. I may not have a crystal ball to see exactly which trends will excel and which will flop, so make sure to stay agile in implementing these efforts!