The Power of Positivity in Social Media

The need for positivity in social media has never been more important.  When Covid-19 spread across the globe, the world was thrown into a state of uncertainty and fear as quarantines began and our way of life evaporated.  Now, more than ever, users need a more positive social media message that inspires hope and fosters a sense of community. With many social-distancing laws still in affect across the globe, people are spending more time indoors and thus engaging more on social media platforms. DataReportal’s “Digital 2020 July Global Snapshot” found that media users have grown by more than 10 percent over the past year, taking the global total to 3.96 billion by the start of July 2020. The report also showed that 83% of internet users surveyed reported that internet-connected technologies have helped them cope with covid-19 related lockdowns. (DataReportal).  Businesses have a golden opportunity to capitalize on this increased social media usage by injecting positivity into their social media posts and public communications. There is no rulebook on marketing during a pandemic, but here are a few useful tips to inspire positivity on social media during these challenging times.

Ask Questions

Adding a dialogue with your user base does two things: it creates great engagement opportunities as well as creating opportunities for meaningful connections.  The best thing about this strategy is that you can ask virtually anything – preferably something that inspires some positivity or excitement.  Some examples could be “What is something positive that happened to you today?” or “What are you looking forward to do once the pandemic is over?”  This will get users engaging and interacting, and dreaming of the things to come.  Creating this dialogue with your users shows that you genuinely care and doesn’t come off as an advertisement.  Users do not want to see advertisements that ignore what is going on in the world or are off message in a simple attempt to monetize your engagement.  It is extremely important to let your followers know that you are listening and acknowledge a new normal.

Airbnb’s business as a vacation rental online marketplace has certainly taken a hit during the pandemic with far less people traveling than normal.  Airbnb’s marketing acknowledges the new “work from home” norm while also highlighting some of their locations to do just that.  To go even further, Airbnb asked its followers to choose which ones they liked the best, bringing in user engagement and keeping the dialogue flowing.

Add Some Humor

Depending on your brand and the message you want your brand to convey, humor may or may not be in the cards for your marketing strategy.  However, creating funny graphics or amusing memes/videos helps lighten the mood, and gets people smiling and laughing.  Jokes and laughter have long been known to have therapeutic value.  Humorous posts also have the best chance of making your posts go viral, if that is a goal of your business.  There are a myriad of options to choose from to create this content such as imgflip, Canva, Wordswag, Typorama, or Tumblr.  It is important to note that when creating humorous content, you shouldn’t ignore the current pandemic altogether, but rather use the pandemic to fuel your humorous message.

One of the most coveted commodities during 2020 were undoubtedly toilet paper.  Charmin, the toilet paper company, is a perfect example of a brand that uses the pandemic to supplement their already humorous marketing strategy. Their marketing message acknowledges the current shortage of toilet paper while also adding a humorous video to help lighten the mood and get people smiling.  Charmin’s trending hastag #tweetfromtheseat is just another example of their ability to use humor that is consistent with their brand.

Ask for Help

It is never a bad idea to lean on your community for help.  We encourage you to get vulnerable in the content you post and share your story, whatever that may be.  This idea helps foster an even stronger sense of community and show your followers that we are all in this together.  You can also communicate to your followers how they can support your business, even if the doors are still currently closed.  An example would be committing to donate a certain percent of online orders to charity.  Whatever your situation is, it is important to be “real” with your followers.  When users see you be upfront about your own narrative, it makes your brand more relatable and users are more willing to engage and share your story with others.   After all, people want to do business with people they trust and like.

“Food with Integrity” is the motto of the fast and casual Mexican restaurant chain Chipotle, and their recent marketing strategy highlights just that. Allowing their followers to host local fundraisers digitally, Chipotle promotes positivity, a sense of community, and social responsibility – crucial themes during these negative and ominous times.

With these helpful tips, we are confident you can grow your social media presence and take advantage of the current business climate.  No matter what your business is, using positivity in your marketing message can truly make a difference in social media engagement, how your brand is perceived, and ultimately how much revenue you generate. The world needs these inspirational messages more than ever, and we believe now is the perfect time to lead the charge.