Once in a Millennium
So much happened in the past three years. It’s hard to think that my brief college program ended at the start of a global crisis reaching local grounds: COVID-19.
My daily life as I knew it was uprooted. My job, at the time, went on pause because of mandated lockdowns. I hesitated with pushing for commissions, but I had to in order to make extra income when the world stopped. Stress and fear spread like wildfire through the internet, almost as viral as the contagion itself. Authorities scrambled to reimburse people struggling from lack of work, as well as calm the nation down, and also keep everyone informed of what was going on.
It’s something I never would have imagined to happen during my lifetime. COVID has become so deeply embedded in our public subconscious that it’s impossible to talk to someone today who wasn’t affected by it at all.
In the beginning, I didn’t understand why people were protesting about the closure of businesses. Surely, rising prices and safety should be the more pressing issue, right? But, it’s so much more nuanced than that. The people who were out of work were left without income, much like how I couldn’t do my usual job. At least I had commissions and a roof over my head that my parents still took care of. The others running their businesses or companies might not have had any safety nets. Even further, they couldn’t pay for their safety net.
What did this mean for content strategists and marketing professionals? They had to adjust, like many of us did, and they had to do it quickly. It was a challenge they took head-on. In the future, I may have to handle such things for my own content. I’m already considering any sudden curveballs the industry may throw.
Content Strategy Amidst Contagion
Andrea Boland, a content strategist at WestJet, says confidence is key in trying to keep business up. Their company took extra steps with a join application that fliers can use to stay up to date, and the extra avenue of communication and connection with customers is helpful. This way, all parties involved can prepare accordingly.
Hall notes that audiences became less interested in purchases, but engagement was at an all time high — especially online. With everyone staying indoors, they kept watch over the internet. Money was tight and inflation rose. Unfortunately, this is still the case today, and that means lots of people are more careful with their spending.
Another strategy is to continue what worked in the past. Obviously, changes needed to be accommodated for, as the safety of customers is a priority. Pophal recalls opinions from working professionals: developing timely, relevant content concerning the impact of COVID-19 is necessary to hold audience attention. After all, brand comedy became scarce in a time of mass death and panic, and for good reason.
What’s Next?
It’s scary to think about. I’m honestly shocked that we’ve reached the tail end of the crisis, but it’s still definitely a concern in terms of overall health and uncertain events. Still, we have to stay strong, optimistic, and connected even during times of great divide. In an ideal and simple world, everyone, regardless of career or passion, looks out for each other. The one we live in is pretty complex, but I’m sure this ideal is still achievable on an individual level.
