With the outbreak of the COVID-19 novel Coronavirus, many of us are under mandatory social distancing and are working from home. Stepping away from our normal in-the-public lives once again brings the importance of social media to the forefront.
People around the world are using social media to stay informed, stay connected, and stay sane. It is in these moments of upheaval that we realize that our need to stay intertwined makes social media more relevant than ever.
Distributing Critical & Timely Information
The Coronavirus outbreak is an unprecedented event and one that we as a country and as a world are navigating through together.
To say that this situation is rapidly evolving is an understatement: in the last few days, the federal government has enacted travel restrictions, states have closed schools, large gatherings have been banned, and bars, restaurants, and other public gathering places have been closed to curb the spread of the Coronavirus.
With a fluid situation like COVID-19, immediacy is key. Government, NGO, and other safety personnel are utilizing live streaming video on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Periscope, and other social networks.
Why? Because social media has become the place for people to get news ASAP. Over 62% of American adults say they get their news straight from social media. Every major news network and most likely every minor news network has a variety of social media networks that they distribute to, providing Americans and beyond insight on national and local updates. And when people you follow go live, you receive a notification to watch.
When the White House goes live, people take notice.
Connecting With Our Community
At its core, social media centers around your community: your family, friends, work buddies, club acquaintances, and others in your primary or secondary social circles. With individuals exiting their communities and going into quarantine, social media is relieving some of the anxiety of the situation.
We’re seeing amazing examples of this across the world: neighborhoods in Sienna singing together from their own houses; Facebook groups starting up for communities to share ideas, shows, stories, and more; friends simply sending a quick message to let each other know they’re there.
Alongside social media, video calls are also helping people stay connected. Those of us with family and friends around the world have been using FaceTime, Skype, Facebook Messenger, and other video chatting software for years; however, with the quick need to quarantine, these platforms are critical to staying connected to those who are local to each other.
Thanks to social media, we can all be doing our part to flatten the curve, and nobody has to go through it alone.
Entertainment and Social Interaction
This goes hand-in-hand with Community, but in a quarantine, you’re isolated from everyone except those with whom you live. Major sports institutions have shuttered their doors. Broadway has cancelled it’s shows. Restaurants and bars are closed, or doing to-go only. Even James Bond had to retreat for the sake of humanity in the face of the Coronavirus.
A large percentage of entertainment for the foreseeable future, in some way, shape, or form, will have a digital aspect to it, and social media is and will continue to evolve into the place to be to consume it with friends.
With major movie studios releasing their current movies for at-home viewing on Fridays, the Netfilx Party Google Chrome extension, and this list of 10 apps to watch videos online with friends in another area, (on top of your basic video calling apps), there are a variety of ways to be in the same room while not being in the same room (or the same country).
Managing The Digital Conversation
With an increase in online activity comes an opportunity for your organization, company, school, or brand to enhance your online conversation.
Content advocacy tools like SocialToaster help you to more effectively manage and direct the conversation, regardless of the message. SocialToaster uses the unified voices of your strongest, most vocal supporters to extend your content’s reach, providing more engagement, sharing, and awareness than simply posting content.
Additionally, our software has an optional integrated artificial intelligence, that matches your supporters to content that they’re likely to engage with, ensuring you’re receiving the maximum ROI on the content you’re creating.
In these times of uncertainty, we must work together to support our communities, and often, that support comes in the form of effective communication. If you’re ready to add content advocacy to your distribution strategy, don’t hesitate. Call us today or sign up for a free demo now.