This year has been everything but predictable and, as we all isolate, our phone screens have lit up more than ever. We have all turned to social media for some form of support as we isolate making it an important communication tool. If you are a local business, a startup, a service or basically any form of business, today more than ever you have to have an online presence and communicate adequately to your customers. Here we break down how to communicate properly in your social media channels in times of crisis.
1. This Is Not A Marketing Opportunity
We’ve seen it all these days, from tips on how to work from home from startups, free memberships from exercising apps, restaurants for the first time doing delivery, fashion brands launching the most used product of 2020 — face masks. With the indefiniteness of all this situation, as a brand, every post, campaign, and ad you run needs to be taken with care and empathy. It’s okay to market your products but not necessarily to focus on how to capitalize over the situation.
Publications mentioning instagrammable #fashionmasks have risen in volume by 600% compared to the previous months. Following the DIY trend (Do It Yourself), the hashtag #handmademask has also considerably grown (+425%) in the same period. The #diymask, originally intended for face care and beauty tutorials, is definitely moving into the fashion sphere. With that said, you need to listen to your consumers, identify their needs, and create them.
2. Adapt And Adjust To The New Norm
Before the pandemic hit, as a marketer, you probably had campaigns ready to run on your social media for the coming weeks and even months. Realizing that those campaigns and marketing projects weren’t relevant to the situation anymore. Instead of staying silent and waiting for the storm to pass you need to realize that this is the new norm and your brand HAS to adjust to it. Consumers are turning to their favorite brand’s social channels and seeing how each one is reacting and adjusting to the situation. Here, being creative and having empathy go hand-in-hand. Even the brands in the industries that have been heavily hit by the situation have adjusted and stayed to your needs. We’ve also seen airlines offer flexible tickets, at no added cost, to reflect the realities of travel right now.
3. Clear Communication
Over-communicating and being informative is key these days and staying silent really isn’t your best option. Many brands have run successful campaigns that have helped and supported us and others...well, not so much.
Google was quick when adjusting to the new norm and taking action by banning ads that mention the coronavirus to prevent profiteering and spreading misinformation. Instead, it focused on providing its users with the most accurate, up-to-date, and useful information about anything COVID-19 related.
In response to the growing concern over the spread of the virus, Coca-Cola put up an ad in Time Square to send a social distancing message. The ad from Mercardo McCann immediately received backlash, with people calling it an attempt to capitalize on the crisis.
While this ad doesn’t stray too far from McDonalds Brazil’s similar logo campaign, Coke made the mistake of running the ad before announcing its response efforts.
Focusing on how you can assist your customers and workforce during this time and contribute to the cause may not improve your cash flow, but it may just be the only way your business can make it to the other side.
