Is it time for a COVID-19 refresh?
How agencies can help hospitals start a new content strategy during COVID-19.
Nothing about life is the same as it was before COVID-19. So your content plan shouldn’t be either.
The ever-changing nature of the pandemic means that individuals and communities need real-time information from trustworthy sources to make the best decisions. That makes effective communication more crucial than ever.
If it feels like you aren’t getting your message across—or that there’s room to do better—it may be time to give your content strategy a COVID-19 overhaul. Here are some ways to get started.
Define your needs and your strategy
Is your marketing plan and content strategy still operating in a 2019 (or even 2020) framework? If so, it’s time to revisit them.
Start by looking at what your community needs in the context of the pandemic today—and the most effective ways you can deliver that to them.
Maybe it’s time to replace the COVID-19 banner you stuck at the top of your page last April with a dedicated landing page. Perhaps you need content that helps your audience weigh their personal risks and benefits for getting back to participating in certain parts of daily life. What about building a customized vaccine scheduling module instead of fielding nonstop phone calls?
Keep your content fresh
Your website and social media pages are the first places most people will go to get the information they’re looking for. But that digital presence can backfire if they aren’t updated regularly.
Seeing a page that hasn’t added anything new in a while can send the message that your brand or organization isn’t tech-oriented or forward-thinking. Or worse, that you’re inactive altogether. And that can cause visitors to pass you by for a competitor.
Aim to post on social media most days and set a schedule for frequent blog posts or newsletters. Talk about what’s happening with the pandemic right now. Look at case counts in your area, share updates about local testing and vaccination efforts, or discuss changing restrictions. Keep a tight focus on what your readers need to make the best decisions today and what you’re doing to serve them.
Seek out support
Marketing teams are often overburdened, even in normal times. Right now the added demands of COVID-19 mean that many organizations are stretched thinner than ever. But an outside agency can give you the support you need.
An agency can put fresh eyes to your marketing and content strategy and look for ways to make it stronger and better curated to your audience. They’ll take the job of content development off your plate too. That could mean prescheduling social media posts written specifically to your community, creating custom COVID-19 articles for your blog or wellness library, or sending out e-newsletters and updates.
Outsourcing content development doesn’t just free up your team’s time. Relying on a skilled agency also ensures that your COVID-19 content is accurate, trustworthy, and reflective of the latest World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. So you can rest assured knowing that the messaging you put out has been fully vetted and verified.
Here at Coffey Communications, we’re dedicated to helping our clients create the COVID-19 content they need to keep their communities informed. We’re here to support you—so you can fully do what you need to support everyone else. Call 888.805.9101 or email us to get the conversation started.
