As we’re all aware, the coronavirus (COVID-19) has disrupted industries, closed schools and required people to practice social distancing. The current tension between our necessary separation and our innate need for connection is watching itself play out across the world. As social distancing makes us increasingly isolated, the concept of connection takes on new meaning and the role of social media becomes even more critical.
Social media has been driving a lot of conversations around our current global crisis. People continue to turn to social to share their experiences, information and feelings about this unprecedented situation. According to Twitter, COVID-19 related Tweets are being shared every 45 milliseconds and #coronavirus is now the second most used hashtag of 2020.
That communication is powerful, but not nearly as powerful as when the conversation turns into real connection among distant and sometimes disparate individuals. In the past few days, people have used social to reach out, help others and create meaningful relationships during this time of uncertainty.
But what is the role of brands in facilitating this connection? Our recent Brands Get Real report shows that 91% of people believe in social’s power to connect people—and 78% of consumers want brands to use social to help people connect with each other. Those numbers send a clear message to companies as they navigate a crisis that is so much bigger than their brands: create connection through relevance.
- Get a pulse on the conversation
- Understand if there is a place for you
- Don’t turn a global emergency into a platform to promote
- Lead with empathy, not fear
- Turn to your community