The world is going through a huge crisis due to Covid, some countries have completely recovered, but some are witnessing its deadly form. The pandemic has hit us hard, not only has it proven dangerous to human lives but also shattered our economy. 

How to survive in this? It’s a prominent question.

When the world is adjusting to the new normal, businesses are coming out with creative ideas to market products or services. Staying connected becomes ultra-important, be it with your family or your customers. So, people are dependent onsocial media during Covid to stay in touch with loved ones, business partners, or (and) their prospective customers. 
 

There is an abrupt increase of 42.2% of social media usage amidst this pandemic according to Rannkly’s survey.

Why is Social Media Essential in Covid-19?
 

Let’s analyze some of the stats below.
 

• As pereMarketer, Facebook witnessed a 70% increase in the usage of all its apps in March. While spending most of the time at home, people are using these apps to keep them connected and informed. 
   
• Dating apps likeTinder,Bumble,OkCupid, etc., saw a terrific boom last year. In 2015, the revenue generated by these dating sites was $1.69 billion, and in 2020 it reached $3.08 billion. People are not going outside to date and meet new people, so they get a considerable amount of time to use these apps.
   
• To rejuvenate, people are turning to channels like TikTok for making funny and entertaining videos. In 2020, TikTok gave tough competition to all other online platforms, with850 million downloads.
   
• As per the statistics, theadvertising revenue of Facebook in 2020was 84.2 billion US dollars, a 21 percent increase from 69.7 billion US dollars in 2019. In the second quarter of 2020, Facebook touched 2.7 billion monthly active users.

These are just a few points to highlight that this is the right time to choose social media for fostering relationships with new and existing customers. You need to craft new marketing strategies, keeping social media at the center of everything you do.
 

70.8% of users showed interest in buying products advertised on social media.

What are thesocial media strategies you need to follow to keep your business thriving in the wake of COVID-19? Let’s dig deeper in this blog!

5 Focal Points for Social Media Marketing in Covid-19

Business owners and social media experts are finding out ways to keep their business alive through online channels in this critical situation. Below are 5 guiding principles for Social Media Marketing to help startups, medium-scale businesses and corporates to cope with the current situation. 
 

1. Show that You Care

Just to sell, we can’t be ignorant of the current situation and pretend everything is normal, which is definitely not. Acknowledge the ongoing circumstances and let your followers know that you’re listening.

Write an empathetic post on Instagram or Facebook and show that you care. You can go ahead with something along the lines of,

Hey Guys, 
 

“With this pandemic affecting the world badly, everything has turned upside down. Our hearts and thoughts go out to the people who've been affected severely by this unprecedented event.

We hope you are keeping healthy and taking all the precautionary measures likesocial distancing and self-isolation to fight this COVID-19. We encourage you to be Safe and Stay at Home.”
 

2. Post Frequently

To curb the spread of the virus, people aren’t stepping out of their houses, so they get ample time to surf the internet. You have toseize this opportunity! 

Create content that synchronizes with your brand values and get it published sooner.

Rannklyis a Social Media Management tool that can help you in myriad ways to unload your social stress during this pandemic. Publishengrossingcontent on all your social media channels simultaneously and analyze the performance of your campaigns to boost engagements and conversions.
 

According to Rannkly’s survey  99% of the respondents use at least one of the social media apps.

3. Empathize with Your Audience

Covid-19 has affected almost everyone across the globe in one way or another. We ought toput ourselves in their shoesand have empathy and compassion for our followers. You can’t just post funny memes and advertise your product without considering the emotional state of your audience.

There is no need to mention Covid-19 in all your content, but it is prudent to take care of the tone of your captions.Your followers experience a different reality than you. Some of them might have lost their jobs or their loved ones due to Covid, while others are sick or experiencing mental health issues. 
 

4. Maximize Engagements

Don't focus on sales right now! Try to enhance engagements instead of driving traffic, by educating people through videos, posts, captions, etc.

Another way you can do this is by bringing some changes in your content strategy and highlighting more about social distancing, wearing masks, etc. Provide followers what they want to read right now.

You can use hashtags like #BeSafeAndStayAtHome# #WeAreAllTogetherinThis#, etc. You ought to present your content in a way that you care for them.

5. Be Vocal and Request for Help

If you’re struggling, you can ask for support from your online community. Get vulnerable, share your story, and communicate how your audience can support your business right now. 

The times are tough for everybody, so people will understand and come out to help you. You just need to be vocal about your issues and be honest about your story.
 

How to Engage With Your Audience on Social Media

The million-dollar question is, how can you engage with your existing audience and connect with a new one?
 

As per Rannkly’s survey, around 59.8% of social media users chose Instagram as their favorite social media tool.

The benefits of Instagram for businesses during pandemic are mentioned below:.  

•  Discover  your target audience 
•  Multiply your followers by right advertising 
•  Create fascinating ads to attract the desired customers
•  Highlight your business through Instagram Stories
•  Maximize engagements

(From providing sample opportunities to meet your target audience to gaining followers and creating fascinating ads, the platform offers a host of options for substantial brand growth. Moreover, you can use Instagram stories, reels, and more to highlight your business and maximize engagements.)

You don’t need to worry when Instagram is here! The social media giant shared prominent tips for establishing a genuine connection via Instagram stories.
 

• Let Your Customer Support Your Brand

Advertise your business through Instagram’s new gift cards and food ordering stickers. Save your stories as Highlights to ensure they remain on your account for more than 24 hours.
 

• Share Positive Stories

Instagram encourages brands to share motivational stories from trusted sources  like “We are all together in this.”, “The virus is not stronger than You.” 
 

• Share Your Story 

Let your audience know what you are doing to help your community through your business in this COVID-19. What new things you have to offer your audience in this pandemic.

• Strike a conversation

Use question stickers to initiate a conversation with your customers. Ask them how they’re feeling and what they would like to see from you.

• Answer Questions

Highlight answers to common questions in your stories to keep your customers’ interest alive in your business and keep them abreast with the latest trends.

Social Media Marketing After Covid-19
 

It is difficult to predict what changes will take place in social media after the pandemic. We can’t be 100% prepared for the future as we’ve seen this in 2020. It is essential to develop trends, strategize and plan, but we ought to be flexible in shifting marketing strategies at any time.

The pandemic has a considerable impact on the marketing landscape. Work from home is the new norm and communication with loved ones becomes total digital. In this Covid-19, some businesses suffered serious setbacks because they have not adapted well to the changing scenario. But, there are others who strategize to cope with the present situation by bringing commendable changes in their marketing strategies and adapting to the ongoing digital transformation, with the use of new communication channels.

Therefore, it becomes important to keep abreast of the new tools and technology. People are confined in their homes, spending a lot of time indoors, so it is imperative to connect with the outside world digitally. For these reasons, investing in social media during Covid-19 becomes indispensable.

Brands andSocial Media Marketers have made fine adjustments to their social media marketing strategy during the pandemic.

Therefore, it becomes fundamental to craft strategies keeping in mind the latest events and trends. We need to be more focused on two important elements of social media marketing strategy for the future, which are empathy and commitment.

As per Rannkly,87.4% of people think that social media’s role has been increased in our lives during this pandemic.

You can plan and implement effective social media marketing strategies for the post-pandemic future. Here are some recommendations.
 

Explore New Channels and Features

Social media experts should always be vigilant about what’s new happening on existing platforms. For example, Instagram Reel and TikTok offer you a medium to create short and interesting videos. Facebook’s gift cards For Business are also another example to connect with your audience in creative ways. These latest tools help you to foster a unique connection with your customers. An effective social media marketing strategy will include a process to quickly identify new features and channels for creating immersive content.
 

Align Social Media Strategy with Your Overall Marketing Strategy

As Social Media becomes the need of the hour, businesses should include it more seamlessly with the company’s broader marketing strategy. Top-level executives should plan how to integrate social media strategy with their marketing strategy to maximize engagements and conversions. 
 

Choose the Best Talent

Social media managers are expected to hire the top talent for their marketing teams. They need to think carefully and select skilled professionals. Pick up the Content specialists, SEO experts, Graphic designers, etc., who can help you achieve the desired results in the best possible way. 
 

Try Influencers and Creators

People take the words of influencers seriously. If their favorite celebrity is using a particular product or service, customers will surely think about purchasing it. So, influencers are a great way to create meaningful relationships with your customers. So, brands have to put effort into finding the right influencers who can attract the target audience.

These recommended post-pandemic strategies will surely help you in many ways. Try them out!

Erstwhile Social Media was meant for fun, but now people use it to do a lot of meaningful things. Whether you are spreading messages of hope, offering free services, supporting your social community in these tough times, social media has a pivotal role to play. 

Listen to and empathize with your audience, and establish a meaningful connection with them in these uncertain times. 

If you’re looking to improve your social media presence, connect with us immediately.