Understandably, our clients are asking how they should behave on social media during these unprecedented times.
While it’s great to see big brands giving fantastic support to help around Covid19, for example Circle K giving free coffee for all front line staff, not all brands can operationally make such contributions. However, there are some social media basics they can follow:
1. Be Self-Aware
Check your scheduled content, check your planned content, check your media plan; is any of the content tone-deaf in the face of a global pandemic?
Celebrating days of the week or national holidays with no acknowledgement of the wider global conversation will, best case scenario fall on deaf ears and worse case scenario make you look at odds with national discourse. Shift from “selling stuff” to being there to support communities through service and values.
The landscape changes so fast right now that it’s vital to have social/online listening established (Hootsuite, Tweetdeck, Google Alerts) to notify you if something happens in in relation to your business and Covid19 and is shared on social media so you can plan your response.
2. Be Responsible
Use your social and digital platform reach for good. Educate audiences, even if they’ve seen the HSE guidance hundreds of times, adding your voice to the crowd on this isn’t a bad thing. Explain new business operational changes; social distancing, not accepting keep cups, limiting your opening times or numbers allowed in the store. Be vigilant for misinformation and close down any scaremongering directing social communities to HSE and WHO information pages.
3. Be Human
These are scary times for us all. We want to reassure our customers but there’s no shame in showing some vulnerability around not knowing how things will pan out.
In these unsure times, both employees and customers seek leadership from the top. Put senior team members into focus to show the humanity of your brand or business. Be honest and real with people. Your customers will understand if you have to close your doors, just endeavour to keep them abreast of developments.
For further information contact sean.earley@teneo.com.
