With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, companies are forced to make changes to the way they operate on a continuing basis. What may have worked last week, may not work today due to new government regulations or recommendations. Here are 5 ways to keep your customers informed and up to date on the changes you’re making to your business:

 

Website

The first place most people will go to find out more information about your business is your website. Have your COVID-19 related updates front and centre on your homepage and make it easily distinguishable from the rest of your website. You can also consider adding a pop-up notification or a banner running across the top of your website about the changes you’ve made.

You may also consider adding a dedicated page to your website or a blog post that will cover all of your COVID-19 updates. You can then link to it from different pages on your website, your social media and any e-mail newsletters you send. This allows you the space in one central location to compile all the changes to your business and share safety measures that have been put in place. If you do decide to go this route, remember to include a last updated date so customers can be certain they have the latest information.

 

Google listing

Google My Business has added a number of tools for business owners to include COVID-19 related information which will appear in your Google search results and Google Maps listing. You can update your customers with updated hours, extra services you’re providing, or even if your business is temporarily closed. You can also select what type of safety measures you’ve implemented at your business like if you require masks, temperatures check, or if you’re open by appointment only.

There are also special features for specific industries. For example, restaurants can select if they’re offering take out, dine in, or delivery options.

Additionally, you can also make posts to your Google business listing much like you do on other social media networks. You can use this to provide additional details and more information to your listing.

 

Social media posts

Another place customers go for information about your business is social media. Keep information about changes to your business front and centre on your pages by pinning posts to the top of the page. Facebook and Twitter allow you to do this. On Instagram, you can create an Instagram story and then turn it into a highlight that sits at the top of your content.

When posting updates to your social media feed, be sure to include an image that makes it clear that you’re sharing important information about your business. Customers who are just scanning through your social media channels can easily spot the information they’re looking for.

Also, don’t forget that social media allows you to have conversations with your customers. Be sure to reply to any comments or questions about your changes that get posted on these networks.

 

Messenger apps

Depending on how you’re already connecting with your customers, using messenger apps like Whatsapp, WeChat or Facebook messenger can allow you to directly communicate with customers.

On your Facebook page, you can set up your business Facebook messenger with a bot to help customer get the answers to frequently asked questions. It can also help to free up your time to manage other business tasks instead of answering what your hours are for the 100th time in day.

 

E-mail newsletters

E-mail is a great way of communicating directly with your customers and during the pandemic is no different. These customers have already opted in to receiving correspondence from you and likely are customers who want to continue supporting your business during this time. Instead of leaving it up to social media algorithms or the customer themselves to seek out information, email allows you to get in contact with them directly. It is a quick way of communicating changes to your business and where else they can find the latest information.

 

Utilize multiple channels

The best way to ensure your customers are seeing your business updates is to post the information in multiple places. Regardless of where your customers are accessing your information about your business, they will receive the same updates.

Use the above digital tools to your advantage to help aid your communication strategy during this time. With clear communication and consistent updates, your business and your customers can navigate this uncertain period safely.