There is no limit to the layers of challenges that are being brought on by COVID-19. We wanted to share some of the lessons that we’ve learned over the past week from our work creating content and communications — both for us and for our clients.

There is no limit to the layers of challenges that are being brought on by COVID-19. For all of us in the marketing and communications world, we’re faced with our own set of challenges:

• How can we support our organization and audiences when events—major conferences or even local small-scale events—are canceled?
• What role should we as marketers play in the development of our organizations’ response to this pandemic?
• What communications need to be put on hold and which ones do we move forward with?

We wanted to share some of the lessons that we’ve learned over the past week from our work creating content and communications—both for GLC and for our clients.

1. Fact-checking has taken on a more vital role than ever before. Information on COVID-19 is evolving by the hour, if not minute. So any content published related to it has to be re-assessed for relevancy and accuracy on a daily basis, if not more frequently. We helped one health care client publish a blog post addressing some of the common misperceptions of coronavirus. One of those misperceptions was around international travel. The day after we published it, the State Department issued guidance that no American should travel to any country, and all Americans oversees should come home. We quickly updated our piece to reflect that, but it drives home the importance of making sure your coronavirus content is up to date.
2. Virtual events and live-streaming can be your lifeline especially if your organization has had to cancel an event or more than one event. You can roll out a live-streaming plan quickly and inexpensively with channels like Facebook Live and Instagram live. Virtual events like webinars are also effective ways to deliver the same content you would have in person. Plus you get the added bonus of a wider reach. More people can attend virtual events than in-person ones.
3. Find your corner. In other words, find your unique perspective and point of view when it comes to coronavirus-related information. If your organization is a real estate association, for example, your member aren’t looking to you for content around COVID-19 symptoms or what to do if you think you’ve been exposed to the virus. But they will be looking to you for advice on the unique issues that coronavirus presents to the real estate industry: resources for property owners during this time and tips for swapping in-person showings with virtual ones.
4. If you’re thinking of killing content during this time, hold tight. Your audience needs consistency from you during this time. So if your audience is used to receiving a print magazine from you in the mail every other month, they want to see it during this time. Your messages are more important than ever right now. Your audience has the appetite for, and in some cases more time for, trustworthy, relevant, credible content to empower them and reassure them.
5. Most, importantly, roll with things. Our team at GLC is working 100% remotely right now. So we’re jumping on video chats with each other to get some face time. We’re sending each other ridiculous memes to make each other laugh. When one of us is getting overwhelming with work and home life, someone else is jumping in to lend a hand. We’re checking on one another. We’re trying to approach these times with empathy, patience and inspiration.

We encourage to keep checking out our blog, as we’ll be posting more resources and tips for content in the time of coronavirus. And until next time, stay safe and healthy.