Over the past couple of months, we’ve seen the COVID-19 virus impact citizens around the globe with many businesses having to make tough decisions on how to adapt to the ever changing landscape we are currently facing.
Along with other small businesses, we’re already seeing the huge impact that the current climate is having on the economy and business around the world – which is why digital marketing has never been more important. Due to its reactive nature and potential to reach large audiences, social media is a highly valuable and cost effective medium for businesses looking to navigate the current climate and future proof their businesses.
With more eyes on social media channels looking for news and business updates than ever before, now is the time to ensure you are posting thoughtful and engaging content including sharing business updates and showing how you are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and the everchanging government regulations.
Determining the right approach for your social media campaign during a pandemic can be challenging, which is why we are sharing with you our tips on how you can leverage your social media channels during a crisis like COVID-19.
Unsure where to start? We’ve outlined our top tips below!
- Acknowledge the crisis and how your business is adapting or changing
- Keep your audience updated with your business changes. Consumers will be looking at your social media channels first for all of your latest business information including things such as opening hours, service changes, takeaway menu items as well as insight into the measures you are putting in place to keep your staff and customers safe and healthy
- Review all scheduled posts and paid ad campaigns to ensure messaging is appropriate and call-to-actions have been adapted to new business updates. Don’t waste money on running ad campaigns with old information, instead use your paid ads to promote new services such as your new takeaway menu, or online workout program!
- Ask your audience what they want to see on your social media feeds and adapt your content strategy as needed. With more people on social media now, it’s important you give the people what they want!
- Tap into features such as Instagram Live or Stories to provide value to your audience outside of your usual offerings
- Adapt your content to new customer behaviours. As we are all encouraged to stay indoors during work and after hours, ensure your content speaks to this and angle your business or service to fit into these lifestyle and behavioural changes
- Be responsive to your community, provide answers and support them. During a crisis like COVID-19, there’s a lot of uncertainty on a business and personal level, so providing information, educating your audience and ensuring you are fostering relationships is key
- Tweak tweak tweak! We all know that social media is trial and error, so it’s vital to ensure you are reviewing and improving your strategy every few days. Think about new ways you can add value to your customers and enhance their experience with you (eg. Being more responsive to messages and comments, uploading an IGTV on how your business is adapting to the regulations, providing free advice on your service or product, sharing FAQs via stories)
- Add a human element into your content. More people will crave seeing faces and hearing voices as we feel more distant from human interaction due to social distancing and self-isolation. Videos (feed and IGTV) / stories / lives are a great way to add this in.
Need assistance in navigating social media during the COVID-19 crisis? Our team of experts at Melbourne Social Co are here to help you. We can provide a range of services to assist your needs including virtual consulting sessions, copywriting, ad hoc graphic design, digital marketing campaign management and more.
We have a full team with all hands-on deck available to support you.
Get in touch with our team today for more information on how we can help. [email protected]
