With another probable lockdown looming on the horizon, it’s essential to use this opportunity to maximize the potential of social media marketing to sustain your business.
It may be tempting to think: If the doors of my store are closed, why should I concern myself with social media? But that would be an error. Due to Covid19, your customers are spending more time online than ever. Instagram and Facebook saw a 40% increase in usage, and web traffic increased by 20%.
People are consuming more online content, so this is the time to be increasing your online social media presence and use social media to grow your brand. According to Megan Pratt, who writes about social media marketing during Covid19, it is “time for marketers to double-down on social media to build relationships with new and existing customers”.
More than ever, people are looking for virtual ways to connect while respecting social distancing. And during these uncertain times, people are looking for comfort, inspiration, a little bit of distraction and a sense of community.
In short, people are turning to social media and searching for some authentic positivity. If you cater your social media to the changing times, you can grow your following and increase your customer engagement.
We can’t ignore the fact that there is no precedent to our current experience, not even the experts know how to run a social media campaign in the middle of a pandemic. Steph Gilbert, a social media expert, explains;
“This presents brands and social media managers with the unique challenge of embracing an unsettling time—becoming as human as possible on their social media channels—while juggling the necessary bit of marketing and selling needed to stay in business.”
But instead of proceeding with uncertainty and caution, why not put a positive spin on it instead?
Use this time of uncertainty to be brave, be more creative, try something new, and most importantly, to grow your brand through new social media channels.
Megan Pratt’s article 4 Steps to a Social Media Strategy During Covid19 offers a few suggestions and some helpful advice;
- Try new types of social media content medium.
- Expand your use of social media by trying new functionalities. For example, start using Instagram Stories instead of just using Instagram.
- Listen and respond to your customers. Your social media channels should be used for two-way communication, not just as one-way advertising.
- Don’t just get customers interested in your social media — get them engaged — in fun, creative ways.
- Look for new opportunities to invest in social media, and know that these efforts will pay off down the road.
Business owners are learning what a younger generation of online-based entrepreneurs already know, social media can be a very powerful tool. Even before the pandemic, Instagram has been a popular online platform for selling second hand clothing. Although it initially started as a way to avoid start up costs and storefronts, it continued to be a valid option for continuing to safely sell clothing during a lockdown.
Facebook, and more specifically Facebook live, have become a useful social media tool for businesses during Covid19. The Cincinnati Zoo started using live Facebook events as a fun and educational way for children to virtually visit their favourite animals without leaving the house. The Toronto Zoo also created educational, online content to allow visitors to continue to stay connected, even if they can’t go to the zoo in person.
Yoga studios and dance studios and music studios in Mississauga and Toronto have also gone virtual, offering their classes online instead of in person. Old Town Books, a small, independent bookstore in the state of Virginia had the bright idea of offering free virtual book clubs to increase their book sales, which serves the dual purpose of creating community while boosting their business.
Social media can keep your business going even when you have to close your doors. Want to get some expert advice on social media marketing? Contact 6ix Developers today.
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