As the world gradually returns to work after an extraordinary year of COVID-19, the question of how to reboot sales and engage audiences begins to creep into the minds of business owners, large and small. But while Donald Trump is no longer tweeting (or indeed in office), the world is still clinging to social media as a source of entertainment, information and connection.

Stats and trends

More than 4 billion people worldwide are on social media and 99% of these connect to social media via their mobile devices. That’s a 12% rise on the previous year. So one thing COVID has shown us, is that connection is key to surviving crises. And while social media users are concerned about how organisations are using their personal data, they are still willing to engage with brands – to understand brand values, to ensure they have optimal services, and to celebrate their association with products. 

Social media users are spending nearly 2.5 hours a day on their favourite social channels and increasingly it is rich data and streaming services that are holding their attention. And there are new social channels in the mix. Messaging application, Signal, emerged in late 2020, partly as a backlash to Facebook privacy concerns, but mostly because Elon Musk suggested that users of WhatsApp switch to the privacy-oriented alternative. And the drop-in chat application, Clubhouse, has emerged as a kind of chaotic public radio player. Its users are valuing the immediacy and variety of conversations they can either passively consume, or actively engage in.  

Social strategy

But while there’s been growth and shifts in social media use, some of the key methods of engaging audiences remain consistent. And the need for a social strategy is certainly required in businesses, as more and more consumers expect to be able to contact their service providers on social channels.

Understanding how to deploy and sustain social media has become a basic requirement for any business. And while some organisations have managed to avoid the dreaded social vortex for a decade or two, it is now a weakness. And after a difficult year with COVID, it is essential to get back to work in a manner that ensures sustainability.

Brushing up on your social

If you and your business find yourselves a little rusty on social media strategy, or have left it on the backburner, now is the time to get up to speed. Our Social Media: Concepts and Tools course can get you up to speed. Dive into the social media ocean and get your business ship back to sailing smoothly.