We’re spending more time online as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. Figures show that social media usage rose by 21% in March – and it’s fair to assume the trend has continued, or even increased, across April as we all adjust to life under lockdown.

This presents both an opportunity and a challenge for business owners and marketers. On the one hand you’ve got a (if you’ll excuse the lockdown pun) captive audience spending more time scrolling on their phones. But on the flip side, it can be really hard to stand out on increasingly crowded social media platforms.

Here are five ways to ensure your marketing message doesn’t get lost among the social media clutter:

1. Post regularly. Sounds obvious, we know, but you’d be surprised how many companies neglect their social media presence. If you’re struggling to find time for social media – particularly when you’re working from home and entertaining bored children (and maybe even bored partners!) – consider outsourcing it.
2. Offer a peek behind the scenes. Businesses of all shapes and sizes are having to adjust how they work, so don’t be afraid to show how your business is adapting. Have you come up with innovative new ways to serve your clients? Has your cat become the company mascot? Behind-the-scenes glimpses are a great way to show off your company’s personality.
3. Solve people’s problems. Offering genuinely useful solutions is a sure-fire way to win the hearts and minds of your audience. It may be that your product or service could help solve their lockdown-related challenges (for example, if you’re a tech support business). Alternatively, why not share some helpful hints and tips, important industry news, or creative ideas to get things done during lockdown.
4. Mix it up with light-hearted content. Give your followers a much-needed smile, using things like entertaining memes, funny videos, or inspirational quotes. Keep it clean, though…
5. Interact with people. We like to say that social media is a two-way street, so if you’re not chatting directly with your audience, you’re missing a trick. Be sure to follow people back, say hello, reply to comments, and hit ‘Like’ on other people’s posts.

Want to get more out of social media? Chat to OCTOPUS. We’ll proactively manage your social media updates and help your business stand out.

[1] Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1106766/media-consumption-growth-coronavirus-worldwide-by-country/