The Covid Effect on Social Media
When left to our own devices, we turned to…well, devices.
It’s no secret the Covid-19 pandemic has caused our screen time to go up, but by how much? Here we’ll touch on some of the impacts of Covid on social media usage that just might shock you.
How much are we talking?
Pre-pandemic social media was already thriving, and most people already had an account on at least one platform. Nonetheless, covid threw a curveball making social media usage soar to new heights.
Facebook reported for their third quarter of 2020 that their daily active users (DAUs) increased to 1.82 billion while monthly became 2.74 billion, both a 12% increase over 2019’s third quarter. Furthermore, Facebook reported in their third quarter that their social media app counted 2.45 billion users and was reported as the second-most used app in the world.
Twitter in 2020 had 1.3 billion accounts and reported in their fourth quarter that their DAUs were 152 million while MAUs were 330 million.
Tik Tok & Instagram
Instagram threw in a new feature called “Reels” to compete with the new app Tiktok, which became the most downloaded social media app with 82 million downloads in 2020.
Disney Plus
Besides scrolling through Facebook or watching Tik Tok videos, during the covid lockdowns, people clung to entertainment in the form of online streaming. Most noticeably, the new pride and joy of online streaming is Disney plus. Their exclusive shows like Wanda Vision and The Mandalorian surpassed 100 million subscribers in just less than a year and a half, and their social media app had 22 million downloads in the first four weeks.
The common theme
Social media provided users with an escape from reality, while Disney Plus provided the warm and fuzzy nostalgia of our childhoods. The common theme? These platforms all provided comfort and distraction during a time of very little human interaction.
So, consider this
Take a look at how far we’ve come. This time last year, we were confined to our homes and disinfecting our groceries. Now we are on the horizon of “normalcy” as vaccine rollouts take place across the country. But even new habits die hard. Over the last year, we have used social media as a coping mechanism and will likely continue to do so in the near future.
The reality is that no one is quite sure where the pandemic will leave our collective psyches. So, while your customers or clients may still be seeking comfort and nostalgia, it’s just as likely they’re not and have moved on. Understanding your consumers’ mindset should be your top priority when it comes to social media marketing, especially post-pandemic. It’s okay to ask your customers questions, pick their brains, and understand their current emotional state so you can offer up content that meets their needs.
Here at James Ross Advertising, we’re constantly identifying and catering to customers’ mindsets in order to appeal to customers more effectively. Reach out to us today, we’re all ears.
