What Do You Post, Where?

I looked around the internets this morning to see what really changed to our social media habits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s what I found:

• 📱We increased our global social media use by 21% (LinkedIn)
• 📹 YouTube viewing has increased by 500%
• 🗣 We increased video conferencing use by 2,284% (Webex)
• 👂 Consumers actually want to hear MORE (not less) from brands in the following spaces: Grocery Stores, Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, Household Goods and Food & Drink (eMarketer)
• 🎙 Podcasts nosedived right after the start of lockdowns, but listening is now back up in several categories, including design, food, and music interviews (Voxnest).

I concluded my search around LinkedIn with a tiny call to action: that if you’re in any of these wheelhouses right now, it’s time to ramp up your social media presence if you haven’t already.

Then, I thought about my own social media use — and I suffer from one of the biggest marketing faux pas of all (also a topic that came up on my training yesterday on How to Get A New or Better Job During a Pandemic): I’m not consistent with my brand and channels, because I care about too many things. To wit, an audit of what I discuss & share right now, and where, led me here:

(The ghosts represent that I’m not posting there right now. But maybe I should be…? I’m still on the fence about Tik tok. The only thing worse than me on camera is me on camera dancing….)

Here’s my controversial conclusion at this point when it comes to social media: I think being yourself right now and posting about what you’re passionate, even if inconsistent, trumps consistency across platforms.

People don’t want to be sold to right now…they want and crave inspiration and helping one another. That, and let’s be honest: everything during COVID-19 has accelerated: the news, the jobs, the posts, and our communication. It’s like the pandemic has just poured gasoline on an already out of control fire.

Bottom line: keep talking on and through social media. Have the uncomfortable conversations if you feel like that is important to you, and consistent with your authentic self.

Inconsistency isn’t a bad thing. What is bad is not being a part of the process or discussion at all….

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Erin L. Albert is an author, pharmacist, and works for Apex Benefits. Opinions are her own in this article. She also firmly believes that social media is the glue holding us together right now as a planet.