Content tips to see you through COVID-19
Chaos is all around us at the moment. Never have we been so close, but so far apart. If you’re looking to guide your brand through this turbulent time, we’ve put together these handy tips to set you on the right content course and get your brand through the eye of the storm and out again safely.
Content, content and more content
Do not go dark. Non-essential businesses have unfortunately had to close their physical doors, but that does not mean your social offering should diminish. It may mean you have to be a little more imaginative in what you put out, but there are lots of ways to ensure engagement remains high and your followers do not forget about you.
Some suggestions:
Take people on a journey through your past and teach them things they might not know about your brand – Premier League football teams have been great at this in the absence of live football. They’ve been looking at their heritage, with some even holding polls on which old match to stream on their website.
Create a competition. This is a great organic engagement driver, competitions may even offer a glimmer of joy to people in these uncertain times.
Put out content that is interactive, fills time and helpful e.g. daily tasks, challenges, puzzles, activities, brand trivia etc.
Video content
Video marketing is the norm now, and is an ideal format on social.
If you can’t communicate with your customers face to face, why not up your video content game by:
Hosting a live product demo
Have your community submit questions and have a Q&A session
Explore the trend of Watch Parties on Facebook – a way of lots of people watching the same piece of pre-recorded content all at the same time.
At Mighty Social we have been really impressed by the amount of people in the entertainment industry hosting “off the cuff” gigs from their living room. Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor’s nightly tuition videos on IGTV have been a great source of entertainment in this writer’s household, that’s for sure.
Vlogs are another great way to communicate in a candid and engaging way with your audience. If you’re a chef who has had to close the doors to their restaurant, why not host a cooking vlog over the coming weeks (or months…) to whet people’s appetites and keep up momentum until you are able to re-open.
Community Management
Now is the time to get out there and interact with your fans you’ve worked so hard to attract. Reassure them that you’re still there and listening, and that you’re confident we’ll get through this crisis. Tell them about measures you’re taking to keep your staff safe, and any initiatives you’ve taken on to help the wider community or your customers.
Tone of voice
Keep it light, respectful and above all considered. Do not make light of the situation, but do not shy away from it either. We are all in the same boat, we’re all in this together. The tone of voice you choose depends on your audience and your brand; but letting your fans know you’re human (even if you are a brand) is one way to ensure their loyalty if other aspects of your business are quiet.
Don’t post that!
Whilst you’ll want to keep the content going during this time, it’s important to know what content not to post. A lot of this will be common sense - content related to airports, travelling, human contact etc. It can be easy to forget the obvious sometimes. If it feels insensitive, it probably is.
SEO
Not strictly only applicable to social media content but it’s very worthwhile thinking about. With everyone at home, the chances are people will be Googling a lot more; therefore it’s important to make sure your content is SEO focused.
Make sure your:
Keywords are defined
Search intent is determined
Content is build around this intent
SEO is thereby optimised
Above all, think about what your users would be searching for and focus on what they’ll want to read.
These are our topline social media tips during this uncertain period. Please contact us if you have any further questions about optimising your content while we stay at home - and please stay safe everyone.