The Impact of Covid-19 on Social Media Platforms

You know that our world has significantly changed due to the spread of the coronavirus. We are facing a global pandemic that has had an immense impact on our everyday lives. Safety measures put in place are refraining us from doing what is innately human spending time in the company of others. These measures have caused a shift in behaviour as more people spend more time on social media. 

Increase in social media usage

It’s not surprising that this health crisis has generated an increase in social media usage. Social media use in 2020 increased at the fastest rate in three years. There are 4.66 billion people around the world now use the Internet. Of those users, 316 million new users have come online within the last 12 months. 

After spending many months in isolation, people miss and need support from family and friends. Social media has been an avenue for many people to stay connected. Some are spending time on social channels due to concerns around COVID-19 while others are using it as a distraction from what is going on in the world. Of course, others are using it to discuss the pandemic; there have been over 628 million tweets about coronavirus/COVID-19.

The increase in usage has caused social media channels to quickly add new features and enhance their platforms to benefit users. For example, Instagram Live videos can now be viewed on desktops, making it easier to follow workouts on this medium. As well as helping users, platforms have been adding new resources to assist businesses during this time, such as YouTube’s Video Builder in its beta stage now available to even more businesses.

These improvements may be temporary so if you are thinking of trying a new social platform to market your business, consider whether it’s right for your audience. Overall, the increase in social media usage gives businesses more opportunities to connect with their audience and build brand awareness further.

Change in brand strategies

As many professionals suspected, the global pandemic would have a continuous effect on brands’ social media strategies and performance. The key question is, is it a sensible time to advertise? 

According to the IAB, 24% of brands have paused all advertising activity, and Facebook has reported that 89% of their advertisers have taken action with their budgets. There are currently fewer advertisers on social media, which gives brands a greater chance of reach, lower costs, less competition and more potential to grow. 

Not only is there less competition and higher usage, but costs to advertise are also low. According to Statista, Worldwide CPC on Facebook have decreased by 18% (March vs Jan 2020) and CPM is 56% lower in March compared to November 2019. It is a great time for companies to invest in social media advertising to expand their reach and generate leads. With many businesses pulling ad spend during these difficult times, there is lower demand for paid ads making it cheaper to advertise. 

However brands that continue to advertise should rethink their approach, ensuring they are sensitive and do not exploit the current situation. People are spending more and more time on their phones, so it is a perfect time to build relationships with your target audience and encourage them to engage with your products or services. If you come across as too opportunistic or exploitative, it could damage your brand. 

User and brand behaviour has changed

Both users and brands have changed their behaviour in terms of social media usage. Users have increased the amount and type of social media activity and content they are consuming and engaging with. Brands behaviour has changed by adapting to stay relevant to what their customers want. They must be more careful in the way they advertise to make sure they do not harm their reputations by being inconsiderate of the current conditions and being regarded as inappropriately opportunistic. Many are focusing on building and investing in consumer relationships.

Are you looking to fine tune your social media marketing strategy? 

We can help by:

• Setting goals that make sense for your business.

• Researching your target audience.

• Improving your most important metrics and key performance indicators.

• Creating memorable and engaging social content.

• Analysing what’s working and what isn’t and how to keep improving.

Contact our social media experts today!