What COVID-19 Means for the Future of Social Media Marketing
Over the course of 2020, we have seen the COVID-19 pandemic wreak havoc on lives and economies all over the world. In the United States, it has been an uphill battle to reduce the spread of the virus, keep loved ones safe, and protect our livelihoods.
It has been quite the year, to say the least.
But, there is hope on the horizon. As scientists across the globe continue to learn more about coronavirus and work on vaccines and therapeutics, we will be able to return with strength on the other side!
What will that return look like? The one certainty we have is that life will not be exactly as it was before. Brands and marketers have had a difficult road to navigate. Many have been forced to make a hard pivot at the height of the coronavirus pandemic and now that we are shifting back into a new normal, many are left wondering what comes next.
One area that has continued success during this time is social media. Social media marketing has been a valuable tool but for it to continue to be effective, marketers need to understand the changes that have occurred and where things may go in the future:
COVID-19 Impacts on Social Media Marketing
With so many people stuck at home under widespread shelter in place orders, social media usage has gone up. The month of July alone saw a 10.5% increase in usage when compared to July 2019. And other research has predicted that adults will spend 82 minutes per day on social media, a 7-minute increase from 2019.
But despite this surge in use, platforms like Facebook saw a marked downturn in ad spending on the platform during the first half of the year. Restrictions imposed on health-related keywords caused a short term speed bump. Now, recent reports indicate that ad spending on social media platforms in Q3 has increased by 56.4% compared to spending in Q2.
These increases in daily users, however, have not been equal across each platform. Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok have seen significant growth while Twitter set a record for growth with a 34% increase in Q2.
Interestingly, despite other platforms outperforming Facebook in growth and engagement, 61.9% of all brand posts were published on Facebook, indicating that the platform is still a major player in the advertising space.
So, in a nutshell, 2020 has seen social media use increase, and digital marketing spend decrease dramatically, only to see spend rise astronomically in the latter part of the year.
What does this mean for a brand or marketer? It means the time has come to reinvest in social media marketing and develop a real plan for the future!
Predictions for the Future of Social Media Marketing
2020 has been difficult for just about every living human. Navigating these uncertain times has, understandably, led to a decrease in ad spend. However, as we all start to adjust to our ‘new normal,’ we are seeing parts of the economy beginning to recover and marketers are noticing trends that are helping to predict the future of social media marketing.
Some predictions worth noting include:
People will use social media to shop
In 2018, 55% of shoppers reported making purchases directly through social media channels, and in 2020, 54% of people browsing social media do so to research a product or brand.
With Facebook Shops rolling out on Facebook and Instagram this past May, these trends are only going to increase.
The easier it is for users to make purchases through social media platforms, the more likely they be to will do it. The pandemic has forced people online; it will be up to marketers to find a way to take advantage of the numbers.
Authenticity will be key
Social media users are tired and they want to see themselves reflected in the brands they choose.
Authenticity in marketing is not a new idea but our experiences as of late have been raw and far more exposed than normal. So as we rebuild and repair, brands need to show their human side and reflect these experiences in their marketing campaigns.
Community engagement will be more important than ever
Since the pandemic struck, it has been important for brands to focus on the needs of their consumers.
Post-COVID, social media will act as a consumer-focused social platform where brands and buyers can engage with one another. Brands will want to check in with their base and find out what can be done to make their lives and buying experience better.
Content creation will reflect this social media trend by putting customer feedback at its center.
Video content will continue to grow in significance
Video content has been on a steady rise for some time and the growth of video dominant social media platforms like TikTok point to this trend continuing well beyond COVID-19.
This growing trend toward video can be seen in the recent rollout of Instagram Reels.
Social consciousness will matter
An increase in authenticity and community engagement goes hand-in-hand with an increase in social consciousness.
Aside from fears and uncertainties surrounding the pandemic, there has been a rise in civil rights and social movements. Brands will no longer be able to stay silent.
While it is not necessary to take a stand on some of these issues, empathy and compassion will be required. The buying audience is becoming increasingly aware of the social and political ramifications of where and how they spend their time and money. Brands and campaigns that reflect an individual’s social perspective will gain the most traction.
How to Leverage Social Media Marketing During the Covid-19 Pandemic and Beyond
With a raise in daily users, social media platforms have become more important to digital marketing strategies than ever before.
One of the best ways for a brand to reach its audience is to advertise to them where they spend their time!
It is not enough to just say you are the best in the industry or niche, you will need to demonstrate it. Similarly, it will not be enough to have one social media marketing strategy. You will need to develop unique content plans for each of the social platforms you will use.
Here are some tips for leveraging social media marketing during the pandemic and beyond:
Offer Advice
With so many people stuck at home, the desire to connect and build community is high. Depending on your product or service, you can meet this need by offering useful tips and advice. If you know something that could improve the user experience or make life easier in these trying times, create content that speaks to that.
Everyone loves a good life hack or unexpected how-to. People are looking for ways to survive and thrive in a strange circumstance. Turn your social media platform into a helpful resource.
In general, try to remain relevant to your brand and/or the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. Provide a Break From the Every Day
Life is tough and everywhere your audience turns they are being hit with difficult and complicated news. Give people a place to escape with fun activities or smile-worthy content.
Holding contests and giveaways or online games and quizzes is a great way to provide an escape. Get your audience involved by asking for submissions or stories about experiences that relate to your brand and then feature these stories on your pages.
Do you work with social media influencers? Give your influencer marketing a boost by collaborating on content or some sort of giveaway. Depending on the influencer, the opportunity to win a meet and greet may be enough to kick start a response from your base.
Look around for fun content to post. If you’re a brand that specializes in pet care products, share posts featuring your own fur family. Again, enlist your followers to do the same.
3. Consider Geography
Different parts of the globe, and even different parts of the United States, are having their own unique experiences with COVID-19. While cases are surging everywhere, some regions have fared better than others.
Consider these differences when developing your social media marketing strategy. Use PPC campaigns to direct different messages to different target markets.
While you never want to completely ignore the virus, you will want to tailor your message to better connect with certain communities.
4. Offer Training Opportunities
Depending on your industry, you may be able to provide your base with interesting and unique educational experiences.
Again, with so much time spent at home people are looking to learn new hobbies. Craft-based brands, for example, can offer online knitting classes or teach people how to sew cloth masks. The pet care brand used as an example above could consider offering virtual puppy training classes or tips on how to trim a cat’s claws.
Similarly, with unemployment and economic uncertainty looming large, this is a good opportunity to offer skills training. If you have industry expertise or can offer an avenue to certification, share these opportunities on your social media channels. If you already provide these things, consider offering them at a deep discount.
5. Do Good Works
Do right by other people and let your social media followers know how they can do the same.
As a brand, it’s a fine line to walk. You do not want to look like you are taking advantage of a situation, virtue signaling, or just trying to get attention. But, you also want to draw attention to your acts because it really is good PR.
Find a cause that is close to your brand, industry, community, or audience. Make a donation, sponsor an awareness event, or just get involved. Create content for your social media pages that encourages your followers to the same. Don’t necessarily emphasize all that you have done as that will come off as boasting; you can, however, indicate the causes that are important to your brand, the ones you have acted in support of, and provide resources that that will allow others to do the same.
Be authentic in these actions. Your audience will see through you otherwise.
6. Go Live
Instead of just posting static content to your pages take advantage of Facebook Live, Instagram Live/Reels, and even YouTube Live. You can use this time to talk about how you are doing and check in with your followers to see how they are making out. The opportunity to see a real person behind the brand will help people connect in a deeper and more meaningful way.
It is a chance to share your authenticity and create community through shared experiences.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult to navigate for most industries and the marketing industry is no exception. While the initial response to this upheaval saw ad spend decrease, brands and marketers have started to make the necessary adjustments and are reevaluating marketing budgets. Social media platforms have grown in daily users and provide valuable opportunities to connect with the target audience in a very real way.
Creativity, understanding, and perseverance will be what helps brands through the pandemic and in their post-COVID social media strategies.
COVID-19 has forced us to distance from one another but you do not have to explore this changing social media landscape on your own. At Wise Collective, we offer many services that can help you strike the right chord and grow your business now and into the future.