How to Navigate Social Media and Grow Your Audience in the Current Climate
- By Declan McManus
- Jun 29, 2020
With everything going on in the world, social media is a lot to unpack right now. From millions of people using social media to support and educate themselves on the Black Lives Matter movement to sharing coronavirus updates and information, social media is more critical than ever. As we remain socially distanced from our usual social groups and support systems, social media has become a critical part of staying connected in this new normal.
With LGBTQ+ Pride month, Black Lives Matter, and the COVID-19 crisis all intersecting at the same time, it is important to adjust social media strategies to the current climate. Try to be cognizant of these unique circumstances before resuming any form of digital marketing, promotion, or regular programming on social media.
While “reading the room” is definitely necessary to prevent coming off as ignorant or naïve, it is also important to maintain your following and use your platform for good. As we look forward to a time when in-person events can resume, this is a great opportunity to take advantage of a captive audience. As we continue to live through these unprecedented times, below are ways to navigate the current social media landscape and continue to grow your audience:
1. Be Authentic to Your Image, But Be Willing to Go Outside of Your Comfort Zone
If you are a keynote speaker, athlete, or other talent, you are an expert at your craft and have probably used your social media platform(s) to promote your core services. While it is important to be consistent and stay true to your brand image, it is sometimes good to stray outside of your typical content in order to connect with your audience and stay relevant.
As you look to manage your brand and grow your audience, you should consider posting about social causes or information that you care about and believe in. While content about COVID-19 or Black Lives Matter may not be completely related to your specialty or occupation, it is often beneficial to take a stand and show your audience that you care about social issues. However, this content should be authentic and you shouldn’t force it if it doesn’t feel right.
2. Consider Other Social Media Platforms
Being socially distanced and isolated inside our homes has made us more reliant than ever on technology to connect us with others and the world around us. This trend has given new and up-and-coming social media platforms the opportunity to grow and thrive as people are stuck inside.
While TikTok was previously written off as a social media platform for teens and tweens doing silly dances, TikTok has now become a huge platform with millions of users and billions of dollars worth of advertising potential. Even if you have never considered promoting your services on platforms such as Snapchat or TikTok, it is worth considering how TikTok may be reinventing the way that social media works.
From singers such as Jason Derulo to the reigning TikTok queen Charli D’Amelio, TikTok stars garner millions of likes and upwards of 60 million followers. With its intuitive platform and effortless, never-ending feed of content, it is worth considering whether you could promote your brand and grow your audience on a platform such as TikTok. As the app has been described as “a refreshing outlier in the social media universe” that’s “genuinely fun to use,” consider checking out TikTok’s features to see if any of them apply to you.
3. Think 3 Steps Ahead
While there may be no clear finish line to the current COVID-19 crisis, this does not mean that you should stop developing your audience and working on new projects. While there are many challenges and roadblocks associated with the current times, there is also great room for growth and opportunity.
Use this time to rethink your brand and prepare yourself for a return to normal life. Whether it takes 2 months or 12 months, we will eventually come out of this into a new, albeit different, world. You should use this downtime to fine-tune your brand and learn new skills.
To explore our virtual sweepstakes and check out our talent, visit the Engage website at https://www.letsengage.com/.
