How to Manage Your Social Media Amidst COVID-19?

Ever thought of revisiting your social media strategy amidst the crisis?

It has crossed the minds of many because the outbreak is unlike anything we have seen since World War II, one of the popular views in the global arena.

In the words of Governor New York, Andrew Cuomo, and I am paraphrasing it, 9/11 was nothing compared to what damage this virus has caused us.

The virus has brought countries like the United States and other developed countries with established safety nets down to their knees. However, there is no point in giving up, but to have our feet on the ground and fight on.

When social distancing and isolation are the new norms, social media is the perfect getaway for people to seek closure. They get to interact with business pages, speak up if they want to, or simply absorb the information they see and move on.

So, to have a social media strategy in place now calls for some thoughtful interventions.

Expert Opinions

Tech Crunch writes Facebook and Instagram see a 40% surge in usage during COVID-19, with twice the number of views on Instagram Live and Facebook Live.

One of the Instagram experts said, and I am paraphrasing it, that this is not the season to be quiet but to communicate. However, it is time to be vocal with the right choice of words and emotions. Because we have people in homes grieving for their loved ones and those who are still suffering from coronavirus and haven’t recovered. Keeping all the excruciating factors in mind, we should carve out a supportive, reflective, and objective social media strategy moving forward.

Strengthen Your Bond with Your Audience

Since most of the audiences are in isolation and prefer social media to interact with people, it presents you with a unique opportunity to strengthen your bond with them. Moreover, brand awareness can simply go to the next level these days.

That being said, stay mindful of the situation at hand by not being overly involved in your sales pitches. It may make you appear tone-deaf to people with increased anxieties and sensitivities.

We are passing through a difficult time, but instead of fearing it, we must be embracing it. It is time to reflect on the human side as much as possible. You never know what each person has to go through each day, who needs support, hence, words of kindness, empathy, and encouragement can be the difference. Look for the right balance between business and healing emotions, that is what’s required on social media.

Remember, we are all new to this pandemic, so in that sense, social media management in such times is news to all of us. Behold! We are in this together literally.

Listen and Accept

Ignoring COVID-19 or pretending that nothing has changed on social platforms can come across as insensitive or selfish to some people. Others might think you are tone-deaf. Therefore, let your followers know that you are well aware of the situation and you accept it.

To post something like: “It feels weird to post about business at this time, but we don’t want our employees to lose their jobs” can go a long way in showing that you have eyes and ears open. Such a message sends a caring vibe across the board that is subtle enough to penetrate the heart. And winning over hearts is winning in real, right?

For instance, IPS USA provides business process outsourcing services to several industries; if we stop them, it will be wrecking our business with our bare hands. Despite doing that, if we choose to promote our services – digital marketing services, SEO services, or call center outsourcing services – not as explicitly as before, we are sure to have a good impact on our audience.

Kristin Cavallari, a celebrity and a business owner did a great job explaining why she was promoting a sale on her brand Uncommon James, by stating that she has 100 employees, and she will do everything in her power to help them keep their jobs.

It sounds simple, but she appears honest and aware of the current climate with an acceptable reason to keep looking for customers.

Keep Sharing 

It could be quotes, words of encouragement, or product images that you should keep sharing on social media. Your followers spend a lot more time on it, and you want to stay connected to them.

If you are unable to sell your products or services at this time, focus on ideas that reflect your brand values instead.

How you word your captions is crucial now to an extent that your audience will recognize your intentions through them.

For example: posting someone sitting by the pool with a caption saying “Today’s daydream: sitting by the poolside on a lazy afternoon. (shop through the link)” can put things in perspective.

@anthrolopogie on Instagram does that to good effect, generates decent customer feedback in the form of likes and comments.

Empathize

The next buzzword to follow on social media is empathy. COVID-19 has affected our lives in different ways. Remember to think about everyone, especially those most affected by the coronavirus, adding compassion and empathy in day-to-day posts.

With that being said, think twice when posting memes!

While there is no need to mention COVID-19 explicitly in all your content, the tone of your content should consider the sentiments of people passing through a different state of reality.

Remember that some of your audience members may just be trying to work from home with a baby; caring for an elderly at home, or fighting coronavirus as a patient themselves.

With all the above situations in the backdrop, create content that is satisfying to all. Unless there is a product you are about to promote, create content that reflects your brand’s depth as a habit.

So, there you go, now, you have a list of things with situational examples to follow. Another recommendation is to follow @shopbando on Instagram if you are an e-commerce business trying to make big. Not surprisingly, the best place to follow on Instagram is us @ipsusanet. 😊