The pandemic and the resulting stay-at-home restrictions have meant that we are spending more time online than ever. Screen time and social media usage have soared as we look for connection, entertainment and information beyond our home environments. As consumption changes, old assumptions around social media are being re-evaluated as platforms play a crucial role in people’s lives.
According to a GlobalWebIndex survey, July 2020 saw a rise of 10.5% in social media usage, compared with July 2019. Some 46% of women and 41% of men said they've spent more time on social media during the pandemic, making it the second-most popular digital activity.
Businesses who understand both how their customers behave on various platforms and the way each platform can be optimised will boost engagement and impact, ultimately driving more traffic and sales.
Facebook Groups build a community around your business
While the organic reach of Facebook brand pages are in decline, Facebook groups have become a more important part of Facebook’s business. A group is a place where customers can join as members to engage with your brand and with other customers.
Groups can increase engagement as members are now visible on each other’s feed encouraging more interaction.
There are many ways to use Groups for businesses; to connect with customers on a one-on-one basis, provide Customer Support, receive feedback and share exclusive content and offers. You can also share your page posts in your business group to allow customers to communicate and exchange ideas there instead.
Need to improve your performance on Facebook? Read our blog Five Facebook Tips.
Instagram Reels offer organic reach for your business
There are a lot of new opportunities rising for business growth on Instagram. Instagram launched two new features in 2020 which have dedicated tabs on user’s profiles.
Guides is a feature which enables businesses to highlight recommendations, tips, and other content.
Reels is a TikTok like video feature where users can make 15-30 second long videos and edit the video with augmented reality filters. With Reels, you can generate reach organically, which through feed publications is harder to achieve.
LinkedIn’s new features
LinkedIn has seen surging engagement during the pandemic as more people look for work and utilise it as an online networking tool. With the platform’s growth comes new features that are perfect for businesses to capitalise on.
Live video streams provide an opportunity for businesses to engage with their audience in a more personable way and build a stronger sense of community.
LinkedIn Polls is a new feature for driving quick engagement on the platform and can help you test new ideas or receive feedback on your business.
Following in Instagram and Snapchat’s footsteps, LinkedIn Stories is a quick way to share updates on LinkedIn with your audience.
For businesses and founders, LinkedIn offers huge potential. A 2020 Hubspot study found that traffic from LinkedIn resulted in a higher visitor-to-lead conversion rate than traffic from Twitter or Facebook.
Take advantage of other free marketing channels
As customers tune into Twitter for up-to-date news during the pandemic, the platform is a great opportunity to get your business out into the world and keep an eye on the competition; just keep in mind why you want to appear on the platform. It may be that Twitter is good to share news, events and blogs, but not so great for your every day posts.
TikTok is another platform that has evolved during the pandemic, from a place for self expression to a place for businesses to shout about their services. The key appeal of TikTok for businesses is the rate of growth and volume of users on the platform. It is the perfect place to advertise and reach out to a younger audience.
Apple have also recently launched ClubHouse; their exclusive social media platform for Apple users. Pitched to rival Facebook and other similar social media platforms, this certainly suits businesses who like doing lives on Facebook, reels on Instagram and TikToks.
With new features coming out all of the time, there’s never been a better time to connect with your customers in authentic ways online.
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For help with your social media contact us today or find out more information in the social media section of our website.
Author:
Darcy S - Eastop-Scopes Virtual Assistants Associate
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