COVID-19 Social Media Marketing Trends That Are Defining the Future of Selling Online

 COVID-19 has changed social media habits and patterns in substantial ways. As a digital marketing firm, this has opened up major opportunities to feature brands in new and exciting ways.

If you still see social media as simply a communication channel for users to keep in touch with friends, you’re missing out on the multi-billion dollar value platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, and others have.

Shift your priorities. Take control. Re-engage your business. Reinvent, innovate, and earn customers. Here are some of the biggest insights we’ve seen from the past year dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic on social media.

Total Social Media Use is Up

Social media users are always growing, however, year-over-year there’s been a noticeable increase in 2020.

Total social media usage is up 10-12%, in addition to half of the current users of social media now spending more time online compared to pre-pandemic activity.

The fastest growing platform in the social media mix this year is TikTok. They crossed 2 billion downloads in April, adding 12 million US-based visitors alone in March. Their numbers have only continued to grow.

All in all, for the average entrepreneur and small business owner, you’re sitting with a larger audience online than ever before. If you aren’t seeing online sales, likes, shares, and followers rising, you may want to take a closer look at what you’re doing online.

Support for Local Businesses on Social Media

A huge push has been made to strengthen and support local business communities throughout this pandemic.

A recent study found, since the pandemic began, 83% of social media users are now willing to pay more for local products. For local social media marketing in COVID-19, an opportunity exists here to craft local-targeted campaigns and reach people in your community.

Increased Online Purchase Activity, Driven by Social Media

In the pandemic period, 56% of consumers have increased their online purchases. The eCommerce business is booming right now with record revenues.

A lot of users are finding products through Instagram, Facebook, and social media ads. This is a premium chance to advertise to customers you don’t already have yet. Cultivate those leads. They’re waiting.

Facebook is still the #1 Social Media Platform

Facebook still casts the widest net in terms of audience. It has been the most used social media platform during COVID-19 with over 78% of adults active on it.

The second most-used social platform is Instagram with 49% of adults using it. In terms of where to focus one’s social media marketing resources, it is imperative to not only find a platform with the audience but that has your target demographic. A smart digital marketer will dig deeper into these numbers, finding the opportunity.

Video is the Type of Content Providing the Best Engagement

Compared to text-based posts, blogs, infographics, and images, it’s a video that social media accounts have engaged with the most.

Examples of social media marketing videos include how-to guides, explainers, product demonstrations or testimonials, behind-the-scenes content, and interviews. Users are looking to pass the time, buy products online, and ultimately be entertained on social media. A consumer-centric video marketing campaign can satisfy all three of these needs with ease.

The Most Popular Topics on Social Media from COVID-19

By knowing what people are talking about, this opens the doors for your brand to participate in the conversation.

• Talk about finding new hobbies has increased significantly in the COVID-19 pandemic. With so many of us at home, this has meant an increase in posts about cartoons, arts, crafts, photography, screenwriting, and knitting. If you have a product or service well suited to hobby work, feature it.
• There has been a 24-28% increase in social media posts about ‘trying new things’. This narrative features well in image and video as well as blog and general marketing messaging.
• One of the most popular subjects on social media in the pandemic has been parenting. From home-schooling to concerns about how the under-18 crowd is adapting to pandemic restrictions, parents are speaking out in big ways. Posts about parenting have increased by 42-48% on some platforms.
• Mental health discussions on social media have increased by 54-59% on social media platforms. Users are stressed, isolated, and are searching for products to aid them in connecting with others and/or to prioritize their mental health.
• Some areas are still under intense restrictions relating to gyms and fitness facilities. Most workouts are now taking place at home. On social media, there’s been a spike in home workout equipment, fitness, nutrition trends, diets, and fitness challenges between friends.

Users Want Updates, New Content, and In-the-Moment Storytelling

Social media is all about what’s new, current, and ongoing. This challenges brands to create ephemeral topical content and to tell stories within this dynamic through welcome platforms like Instagram.

Showcasing products in strategic and sophisticated ways stokes creativity in ways long-lasting content cannot. For the most benefit, a brand may include a coupon code, make the new content engagement-friendly, and make it more fun. Using GIFs, apps, and filters aren’t uncommon.

TikTok Makes the Most Viral Content

TikTok social media marketing is all about having fun, making others smile, and going viral. A platform built on short video clips set to music, this is most popular among teenagers and adults under 30 years of age.

If you want to reach a younger audience, there are some excellent opportunities on TikTok to reach people that aren’t on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and other more established social sites. It’s a platform built for viral posts!

Every Demographic is Engaged in At Least One Platform

In an effort to keep in touch with friends, the amount of social media activity has increased in every demographic.

From 18-to-29-year-olds to people above the age of 65, social media use has increased by 15-20% in some cases. Hundreds of thousands of people, if not millions, who didn’t have social media before have now created accounts and are interacting with their grandchildren, friends, co-workers, and others.

Most People Want to Make A Difference with What Brands They Support

At a time when there’s so much focus on helping each other and taking care of one another, 72-74% of social media users want to make a difference and they do so by supporting socially conscious brands.

Brands that are supporting charities, particularly local organizations, have received a lot of attention on social platforms.

Supporting local causes or participating in COVID-19 relief efforts communicates a sense of responsibility that social media users welcome.

Users Turn to Influencers When They Don’t Have Their Friends

When the world went into shutdown in March, people were without friends and family. Most took to social media and their favourite influencers on YouTube and Instagram.

Influencers are ‘paid promotion artists’, advertising your products or services for a fee to their followers. Influencers exist in every product and service category and get you in front of your target audience instantly. They are skilled in content creation and understand how to use social media. Connecting with an influencer and getting your brand featured on their channel can prove invaluable.

Increased Competition Among Brands on Social Media

To pandemic-proof their business, entrepreneurs have taken to reducing costs and controlling cash flow, focusing on remote work, diversifying their revenue streams to boost growth, and have taken up-selling opportunities on social media with major jumps in inactivity.

If you want to be successful in social media marketing, you have got to get exceptionally smart at what you do.

A lot of negativity, anxiety, depression, and fright has come with the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, social media’s been a way to pass the time, learn, engage with others, and feel better. Social media marketing in the COVID-19 era can have big rewards when done right. Unlimited Exposure can help take your brand and give it the likes, shares, followers, and sales it deserves!