Social Media in times of Social Distancing
Our Co-Founder Kate Hamer shares her thoughts on what you can be doing on your social media during these times.
Well what a time to be alive! It’s true that these are unprecedented events and it’s going to take us all time to get into a new routine.
Many of you, our Star members, are going to have had your careers disrupted with the cancellation of sporting events, live entertainment shows and even TV recordings. At this time, the one asset that you definitely have is your following on social media.
I expect that in the next couple of weeks, everyone’s heads will stop spinning and brands will then be starting to look at the best way to communicate with their customers and promote their products. Spend on outdoor advertising for billboards, public transport etc will be less efficient but with the whole world online, there is still potential for you to generate revenue through brand collaborations.
Here are some top tips to think about for keeping your social media presence strong over the coming weeks.
Be careful what you share
There is a whole load of content being created about the Coronavirus situation, choose wisely in what you share with your followers. You are in a position of authority, your followers trust in you and so you have a responsibility to not share things which are incorrect or downright dangerous. Rely on sources like the World Health Organisation and the Government sites in your country to be sure you share the right advice
What should you post?
You may find yourself unsure of what you can be posting now. Perhaps you normally post about upcoming fixtures or shows or your latest performance.
Think about the skills and information that you have which would be useful for your followers right now. Look at people like Joe Wicks who has started doing a 9am PE class for kids everyday on YouTube. Could you share things about your training schedule or perhaps what you eat?
Challenges – people are looking for things to do. You will have seen the press up challenge and the toilet roll kick ups challenge. Is there something that you could do with your peers and followers that could capture people’s imagination?
Archive content – any old videos you have of great matches, performances etc give people things to talk about instead of Coronavirus. This will become increasingly important as time goes on
Everyone is at home and this is an opportunity for you to show what you have in common with your followers. We are all in the same boat. Share some elements behind the scenes in your life such as what you are doing to get through the days
Decide what you are prepared to show
Plan in advance what you will and won’t talk about. Some people are not comfortable showing their kids on camera for example and that’s absolutely fine. You can still talk about things such as home schooling without having to show your kids
Make the most of tools for interaction on Social Media
Q&A & Polls – Use the stickers on Instagram stories or the poll functionality on Twitter and Facebook to ask your followers about different topics and start some debates
Live Streaming – Set a time for a Q&A with your followers – having things to look forward to is really important for us all right now. Use the live streaming function on any of the major social media platforms to be able to answer your follower’s questions in real time. On Instagram stories you can even let a follower join in with you on the broadcast – be ready to cut it off if they say anything bad though!
Use the time to learn more about your audience
On all of the social platforms you can access analytics which show you not just which of your posts are the most engaging, but they also tell you more about your audience and their interests. This is super useful when it comes to working with brands and so if you have extra time on your hands now, it’s worth exploring. That way you can build your audience to be even more attractive for collaborations.
If you want any specific help or advice on your Social Media, you can contact Kate.