🔊 The return of retail stores, maybe?

Plus, Facebook introduces new features to highlight small businesses. May 12, 2020 Good morning Marketer, will customers return to stores when it’s time to open back up? Surveys seem to suggest that customers will be hesitant. But foot traffic from regions that have already opened up [seems to indicate that the novelty of in-store shopping will bring people back](. A survey from the Washington Post and the University of Maryland found that while a majority of consumers (56%) are comfortable shopping in a grocery store, 67% aren’t comfortable with the idea of going into a retail clothing store and 78% don’t want to go into a restaurant for a sit-down meal. Another survey from Fluent found that only 34% of respondents said they were comfortable with governors lifting stay-at-home restrictions. Yet another, seemingly contrary finding in the survey is that 60% of the audience is “calm and collected or neutral” about COVID-19, while 38% are “nervous or very nervous.” The bottom line? People will go back into stores – but it’s a waiting game until then. The retailers that are able to provide an integrated, omnichannel experience will have advantages over pure-play digital commerce marketers. There’s more below, including LinkedIn news that could be useful for businesses planning to take live, in-person events online. Taylor Peterson, Deputy Editor Social Shorts Facebook’s new features for small businesses, LinkedIn announces ‘Virtual Events’ Facebook support for small businesses. Facebook yesterday [rolled out several new features]( to help people support and discover small businesses, along with new tools to help businesses stay connected to customers. In addition to a new “Support Small Businesses” sticker for Stories (which gives users visibility into who is using the sticker), Facebook is heavily encouraging people to use #SupportSmallBusiness to raise awareness across its platforms. As a complement to the existing Business Resource Hub, businesses will now be able to access real-time in-app information related to COVID-19 from the shortcuts tab on Facebook or the business profile on Instagram. LinkedIn Virtual Events. In another move to keep people connected to their communities, LinkedIn has introduced Virtual Events, a new feature that allows brands to [bring live events online]( via their Page. With Virtual Events, brands on LinkedIn can target a specific audience and design a more personalized experience. LinkedIn has also added a new Video tab to streamline the process of organizing, archiving, and sharing video content – which is especially useful when creating on-demand virtual experiences. Webinar: What to Expect When Migrating Marketing Automation Platforms Many marketing leaders are evaluating whether or not their current technology stack provides the right foundation for their marketing strategy. Often, those contemplating a move fear that migrating to a new marketing automation platform will jeopardize their ability to drive revenue. While this is a valid concern, you can keep your revenue engine humming while making the move to a platform that’s right for your business now (and into the future). Attend this webinar to learn how. Don’t let your current marketing automation platform hold you back. [RSVP here »]( What's "next" in search marketing? SMX Next! Log on June 23-24 for actionable SEO and SEM tactics that can drive more traffic, leads, and sales — and learn how emerging technology and advancements in search platforms are changing what it means to be a tactical and effective search marketer. [Register for free »]( What we're reading We've curated our picks from across the web so you can retire your feed reader [Three Ways Marketers Can Apply Agile Principles To Adjust Quickly During The Crisis]( – Forbes [Pepsi and Frito-Lay want you to buy all these snacks online with their new DTC websites]( – Fast Company [Facebook and Instagram launch a week of grad-themed events and features]( – TechCrunch [The new class of CEOs at Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile]( – The Verge [As States Reopen, Conversion Patterns Point to Early Programmatic Recovery]( – Street Fight [Yes, websites really are starting to look more similar]( – The Conversation [‘A’ is for ad money oddly gone missing: Probe finds middlemen siphon off half of online advertising spend]( – The Register [Marketing Land] []( [Want to advertise?]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. [Unsubscribe]( [We respect your privacy.]( This email was sent by: Marketing Land - a Third Door Media, Inc. publication with headquarters at 279 Newtown Tpke. Redding, CT 06896 USA © 2006-2020 Third Door Media. All Rights Reserved.