How To Be Social During Social Distancing
The COVID-19 pandemic has well and truly engulfed the globe, there is simply no escaping from it. With hour upon hour of news updates every single day, staggering statistics and heart-breaking deaths in their thousands, we are navigating our way through epidemic history, watching it all unfold from the safety of our living rooms. No more are the coffee shop meet ups, nipping to a friend's house for a glass of wine or going to your favourite restaurant at the weekend with your partner. So, in a socially distancing global crisis, how do we keep social?
The simple answer is social media. Social media platforms have seen a huge surge of users and downloads across the board since the 'Stay at Home' message was branded across the world. More of us are communicating through phone, video calls and apps for instant, easy, fun (and free) access to loved ones. So, what do we recommend?
Well, there are always apps of the moment and right now it has to be TikTok. Fairly new to the UK social networking scene in comparison, this highly addictive app allows you to recreate videos that other users have already posted or start fresh and create your own. With funny sounds to lip sync to, songs to learn choreography to, even our favourite celebs are having their arms twisted into joining the viral video-sharing TikTok. Be aware, there is a very real danger that you will be scrolling through this app for hours before realising and learning dances with your whole household, (or on your own, whichever suits!), WILL become your norm. You can then comment on, like and share your hard work with your family, friends and followers. The actual setup of TikTok is very Instagram-esque in that respect so if you’re familiar with that, it won’t take too long to get the hang of this new app.
Speaking of which, of course, who could forget the old classics in Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. We are seeing more and more 'live' videos where your followers can interact with you in real time. This is proving especially popular for Q+A’s and live chats between celebrities on Instagram as they start their own 'talk shows', drafting in other famous faces to be guests. Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus are two of the more regular uploaders. Even actual talk shows and TV shows are doing Instagram versions so that you still get your favourites whilst normal production is ceased. US staples ‘The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon’ are now online based as is ‘Late Night with James Corden’. IGTV is also a really good feature for posting long pre-recorded videos such as make up tutorials, music sessions etc. where the users/audience don't necessarily need to be live.
This is also a really great way to interact with your customers/clients/audience from a business perspective. In fact for the majority of companies who are currently closed, social media is the ONLY way to reach a large audience at once so it is important to keep your finger on the pulse and keep your brand alive. Let people know what you're doing working from home, post competitions with prizes that can be redeemed at a later date, post ways your company is helping others during the crisis; it encourages your audience to do the same. Post that you're updating your website; audiences WANT to know. It also keeps the old imagination ticking over as you constantly think of new ways to make things interesting. We’re all on our phones and devices now more than ever before so you really are only missing out if you don't use this gifted opportunity to connect with them. Plus, who doesn't want to see your cat helping you WFH?!
For a more serious approach, Twitter has become THE social media version of the House of Commons over the course of this pandemic. #Coronavirus, #COVID-19, #coronaviruspandemic trend daily and with such attention from the media, your Twitter feed will light up with new updates and explode with opinions minute by minute, from all over the globe. Again, take the opportunity to spread some positivity, whether personally or professionally here. People want to see some positivity right now. Competitions, silly animal photos, a cat riding a skateboard, a GIF, a Twitter poll; that light-heartedness is desperately needed now, and honestly, your audience will thank you and remember you for it and most importantly, come back for more. Yes, be serious but also maintain a level of joviality and remember, your page may be the only source of human contact that someone has. Let them know you acknowledge them. Check out what's trending near you or globally and then use lots of the trending hashtags to encourage maximum exposure.
WhatsApp and Facebook remain the old faithful comfort blankets to keep in touch with loved ones over this period. Use WhatsApp for voice and video calls, free wherever you are in the world so there is no excuse. (This is probably the easiest app for those less technically minded so get them on it so you can regularly keep in contact; it benefits you all!) Facebook similarly has video calls if you prefer the F2F approach as does Google Duo where you can have more than 2 people in a conversation. If you are having a meeting sized chat or have a mahoosive family, go for Zoom used by professionals for video chats with up to 100 people. These are all free applications and should be taken advantage of, especially during isolation.
Snapchat and YouTube have their own offerings too with even full-length musicals now being broadcast via YouTube so you can enjoy the thrill of the opera with a few clicks of a button. Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals are currently on including The Phantom of the Opera and Jesus Christ, Superstar [correct at time of writing]. You can quite frankly find videos of anything on YouTube. Watch music videos, dance videos, relaxing ASMR videos, animal videos, make-up videos, vlogs, behind-the-scenes, watch a how-to video on that niggly thing you’ve been putting off doing, learn a language. Now is the time to go mad in the search bar whilst we can’t get to the cocktail bar!
More and more multi person social apps are becoming increasingly popular too as we all try to adapt our very much missed ways of socialising. There are apps to watch films and videos at the same time as other households, apps to play games in the same time as others such as HouseParty and Bunch, leaving SURELY no stone unturned when it comes to communicating with your nearest and dearest. You can still have that family Friday night game night! Ask your friends what they're using and keep checking your app store for what's trending and/or most popular. After all, what else are you going to be doing?!
These are just some of the ways that the digital world is keeping you entertained and in touch with your loved ones in a time where we feel more apart than ever. Even if you are on your own, please try out some of the things going on out there, there really is something for everyone. Cooking, baking, make-up, gardening. There IS something for you. Encourage others to do it too and maybe, just maybe, if any positives come out of this horrific ordeal, it will be that more people feel connected, albeit digitally, and less people feel alone.