The Return of the High Street
As the UK slowly begins to reopen its retail doors post-lockdown, the question for many retailers who have heavily relied on e-commerce and digital marketing throughout this crisis may be, what happens next? With the general public keen to return back to some form of normality and step foot past their front doors for the first time since March, will this result in a business boom for the high-street shops? After all, there’s a huge opportunity for retailers, with impulse purchasing making up 27-62% of total spending at shopping centres.
However, in light of lockdown easing, it’s important not to overlook and forget about e-commerce and your digital strategy, that has most likely been the backbone of keeping your business alive and afloat amidst this crisis. It’s also important to note that lockdown is still not over, with many individuals across the UK still shielding and others fearful of a second wave of the coronavirus. 48% of UK consumers are intent on increasing the amount they use digital shopping channels; e-commerce has never been so crucial to business growth.
What Can My Business Do?
- Make Your Social Channels Shoppable
According to a GlobalData survey, around 39% of UK online shoppers aged 16-24 have used Instagram Shopping to buy a product. Instagram and Facebook now allow businesses to tag products in their posts, users then click on them which directs to where to purchase the product in just a few clicks. With social media channels understanding and adapting to the importance and demand of e-commerce, if you’re going to operate effectively online, it’s important to incorporate these features into your digital marketing strategy.
- Be Responsive
In light of lockdown restrictions lifting, and the reopening of bars and restaurants, your customers are likely going to be much more cautious visiting your brick and mortar locations than before. You should be prepared for more traffic to your website and social channels; customers might contact you online to gather information or book a table before physically visiting. Therefore, it’s vital to be digitally responsive; good communication is the key to excellent customer service.
- Don’t Abandon Your Digital Strategy
The likelihood is that your business has spent the last 3 months putting everything into your online presence. Don’t let the reopening of your physical store result in abandonment of your new digital strategy, after all, you’ve put in the time and effort to get it to where it is already! While physical advertising is important, a strong online presence is crucial for your business to achieve long-term success, regardless of the reopening of the high-street and customers venturing out for the first time since the beginning of lockdown.
If you’re looking to boost your digital presence with an all-encompassing digital marketing strategy, the team at Colehouse can offer you a bespoke service that focuses on your businesses main goals and objectives. Get in touch to book a free, no obligation consultation to find out how we can best help you!
