Adapting your social media during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our entire lifestyles. Which means it has (or should have) also disrupted your social media content.

The conversation online is heavily coronavirus related information. Therefore, putting out “normal” marketing content could be a huge misstep. The last thing you want to do is look insensitive.

I love how this social media manager explains the online environment during COVID-19.

So, what should you do to adapt during this time?

1. Listen

Monitor your social media accounts and see what your audience is saying. What questions are people asking? Social media can be your biggest customer service avenue. It’s a great way to converse with people and address their concerns.

You can also search for keywords and phrases related to your industry and look at the broader conversation. This could help spark new content ideas.

2. Re-evaluate

Now that you have a better idea of the conversation happening online, does your content mix still make sense? You might need to raincheck any upcoming campaigns or promotions. Make sure your scheduled content and paid advertisements are re-evaluated to the current online environment.

3. Ask

Fueling the content beast is tough. Then add in the sensitivity of our current situation and it becomes immensely harder.

If you’re unsure about content ideas or how you can help your audience – ask them. Use Twitter polls, Instagram questions or a Facebook post to get feedback. Have an idea? Run it by your followers and see what they think.

A popular ice cream shop in Durham had to close because of the stay-at-home order. So, they went to Instagram and asked their audience if they would be interested in purchasing a recipe book and how much they would pay for it. Now they know people are interested and how much they’re willing to pay. What a great idea!

4. Be transparent

These are hard times. People are facing financial hardships with no clear end in sight. Use social media to be transparent about your struggles. People will appreciate your honesty.

If you’re looking for funds, you can consider setting up a fundraiser or donation button on your social media platforms. Facebook offers the option to create a fundraiser. Instagram also just launched the ability to sell gift cards as a feature inside stories. Definitely leverage the assets social media offers to fundraise if needed.

5. Rise to the occasion

In this time of uncertainty, how can your brand do good or make people feel good? Now is the time to step up. People will associate your brand in a positive way.

With social distancing in place many businesses have pivoted their business models. Knowing that people are feeling anxious, scared, confused, bored – how can your business offer value?

My next blog post will dive into social marketing ideas during COVID-19, but in the meantime here are a few great examples I’ve seen from local Durham businesses. What creative ideas have you seen on social media?