Using Social Media for Good. COVID-19

Social media: dividing opinions, helping businesses, and strengthening communities. 

The Coronavirus emergency has pushed businesses and services into crisis, and with new provisions and measures being put in place almost hourly it’s understandable that anxieties are running high.   

The next several weeks are likely to be crucial in slowing the spread of the virus and flattening the curve of infection, with this threatening to cause an economic recession for majority from the top down.  With social distancing about to be actively put into place, the threat of a social recession is also imminent. 

So, how can we best utilise our social platforms for our future? 

If, like me, you’re a strong advocate of social media marketing then chances are you and your business are changing your social strategy accordingly.  You’re making amendments to your KPIs and how you intend on achieving them. Actively engaging with potential customers in the online space should now be even higher on the list of priorities than it was before. 

If, however, like so many, you’re on the fence about social media marketing- or you’re even just too busy- then it’s probable that during times of worry and uncertainty hanging around on social media is the last thing that you intend to be doing.  After all, Facebook just perpetuates the cycle of angst and toilet roll memes, right? Wrong. 

Facebook is being used as a main method of communication.

From community groups to online tours, Facebook is being used to tackle a coming loneliness epidemic.  The foreseeable changes to our routines and practises here in the United Kingdom are being met with a tense response, and when placed alongside the concerns about the health and well-being of our most vulnerable, people are turning to social media to digitally ease the burden. 

With a 70% increase of internet traffic over landline networks, it is good that people are finding ways to socialise while in isolation. 

Social networks were born promising to make us feel more connected, and when used correctly that is what they do.  Local Facebook groups have emerged in light of COVID-19 to make sure that street’s elderly residents are cared for, WhatsApp groups have been formed to highlight where people can gather their essentials when supplies are running low.  Even fresh-faced Tik Tok is being used as a news source for younger social users.  The level of real-time information available at our fingertips can give us the tools needed to make smart decisions rather than become anxious about what’s to come.    

Being active on social media is now more important than ever. 

In the same way that the general public are posting about their own experiences and how their communities are changing, businesses should also be engaging with their customers online and keeping them up to date with new methods.  It’s important to be connected to others in times like these, and creating a community around your brand helps to keep people feeling optimistic when the news is relentlessly dire.  Going in for the hard sell just isn’t going to work right now (if it ever did). 

Whether you’re the CEO of a large company or a Sole Trader providing small contract services, you need to be moving even more of your efforts online.  For some simple tips on how to make a start you can make contact here.