These are excerpts from the article “Dowagiac businesses turn to social media to boost business,” written by Max Harden, published by the Dowagiac Daily News on December 17, 2020.
Laura Odenwald, owner of Odenwald Strategies, LLC, spoke to small business owners and professionals about 2020 social media trends in January, before the pandemic impacted the country. In the months since, she has seen local businesses adapt to and embrace social media during these times.
“I have been keeping track of a lot of businesses in town,” Odenwald said. “Local businesses have been putting more emphasis on social media. Some have set up online stores using social media. I’ve seen businesses do curbside pickup, where customers shop online and pick it up. This pandemic has forced a digital transformation, for better or worse. Many businesses have set social media as more of a priority.”
According to Odenwald, more than 50 percent of people are saying they are spending more time on social media during the pandemic. She encourages businesses to continue to engage consumers on social media even when the pandemic ends.
“The pandemic has forever changed the way our workforce looks and behaves,” Odenwald said. “Remote work will continue past the pandemic and businesses can expect that changes in consumer engagement will continue. Brick and mortar stores will always have in-person consumer presence, but I encourage them to continue to utilize social media going forward.”
