Three Key Truths about Social Media in a Post-COVID world
The emergence of the coronavirus (COVID-19) early last year has managed to drastically change a lot of things — from how we do business, work, to purchasing items and connecting with others. One aspect that has managed to totally change is the way we interact across social networks — demonstrating an increase in time spent scrolling across your phones, tablets and laptops during the time we were all asked to stay at home and shut ourselves from the outside world.
Fast forward to today; a world trying to figure in a new sense of normalcy — we cannot help but ask ourselves how a post-COVID-19 social media landscape will fare across these trying times. Three key questions actually tops everybody’s list — how businesses will try to pick up after this dreadful episode in our history; what role will social media play in our efforts to recover from this crisis and what strategies to employ and implement in trying to return to a semblance of what used to be considered normal.
TRUTH NO. 1: SOCIAL MEDIA RULES THE WORLD
The power that social media wields can be seen in the huge influence it has over all of us. In fact, recent studies have shown that a total of 3.6 billion people utilize social media for various purposes — making it the most popular online activity in the world. This increase in social media activity has also managed to change consumer behavior. People nowadays have expressed key preference in doing online purchases — be it groceries, electronics or just about anything that they would have usually bought at the mall.
TRUTH NO. 2: VIRTUAL INTERACTION IS THE NEW NORM
The world is also currently witnessing an increase in Virtual events, both here and abroad, by more than a thousand per cent. It’s actually a representation of how creative people got to be during the crisis, coming up with widely interactive and first-of-its-kind type of virtual events — something that is bound to continue well into the future.
Is it a good thing? Well, companies are now making the mad rush to utilize social media platforms in their efforts to enhance their customer’s experience. What these businesses should do is to create further focus and attention towards the creation of content that seeks to increase engagement, add more value and show a better understanding of what today’s consumer’s want and need.
TRUTH NO. 3: ENCOURAGING BRAND LOYALTY IS THE NAME OF THE GAME
The demand for social advocacy and the move towards brand authenticity is expected to grow as we make our way to the new normal. Why? Mainly because today’s new breed of consumers have demonstrated strong preference and understanding for brands that stand for social causes. In doing so, these consumers develop a sense of fulfillment and a feeling that they are making a key difference in this world when they purchase these brands.
With this in mind, we can easily assume that this is a more brand-loyal form of consumerism. We have now become more appreciative of companies that are aligned with our values and needs. The virtual marketplace has now become a strategic venue to discuss and address timely issues.
Businesses that have managed to understand these new trends are actively listening — interacting with their respective communities and aiming to become more relevant. These brands know that their efforts to reach out to the customer and enhance their experience will pay off in the end.
