Addressing the COVID Customer’s Content Needs: yes, they’ve changed and you should too

​If ever there was a reason to increase and alter your social media and blog posting, it’s COVID. At first, with so much of the workforce at home, there was a lot of traffic online. You may have been happy with the number of reactions and shares you were getting.
 
But let's face it, people were bored or they were stressed. Either way, they were looking for an outlet and entertainment. Some wanted to use this time as a way to advance themselves professionally and they launched into all sorts of personal development. But months in, you're likely seeing a drop off in participation, shares, and interactions.
 
 Why?
 
In most cases, it's fatigue. People are tired of the same old chatter.
 
So how do you get their attention again?
 
You do so by altering your patterns of communication and working on what you share. Here are several ideas that can help jump-start your business posts whether it be on your blog or on social media.

Business Blog Advice for Getting More Shares During COVID
Since fatigue is largely the issue in content consumption these days, you might want to change some things up on your blog such as:

• Move to shorter posts. Unless you are writing an ultimate guide or doing a resource post, you may want to move to shorter, more poignant posts. People have less time balancing work and distractions at home. Shorter posts mean they can read them faster and get the gist of what you're saying without a lot of time investment.
• Share personal things. While we talked about being human in your communication for some time, blogs took a turn from “day in the life” types of content to becoming more of a resource for the audience. Now you may want to consider reverting back to “day in the life”  types of stories because people are missing that human connection.
• Use bold, larger fonts, and images to highlight your main message.
• Consider video messages and tours. Your blog posts needn't be written. You can easily take your phone and walk people around your business. This can be an excellent way to illustrate the precautions you're taking to keep customers safe. Some potential customers are using that knowledge to make buying decisions.

 
How should your posting change on social media?  Yes, people are spending a lot of time on social media right now but there is also a lot of disturbing news out there. Some people are leaving platforms because of arguments. 
 
You may want to consider this when you decide which social media platform to spend most of your time. Sites, like Instagram, don't invite arguments because their platform is largely visual. You may find more of your customers migrating to platforms like that. Poll your customers and find out where they are. There's no reason to spend time fishing somewhere where there aren't the types of fish you're hoping to catch.
 
Social Media Changes During COVID
People access social media to be entertained, inspired, and educated. And there certainly is a lot of “education” going around. People are growing fatigued by bombastic opinion posts. Instead, you might want to consider posting entertaining and inspiring content instead.
 
In addition to these things, post content that:

• Makes people laugh. Look for (or create) posts that nearly everyone can identify with.   The more people the post applies to, the more shares you'll receive.
• Makes people nod their heads. Again, in this contentious time, you want to build consensus. Look for content that does that.
• Helps people see who you are. For instance, if you are a dog lover share photos and stories of your dog. If you adore cooking, share recipes and cooking ideas occasionally. You are more than just your business and that's what people will connect with.
• Shows we're in it together. Show them that you understand. For instance, if you want people wearing masks in your business, share pictures of you and your staff wearing them. Host a creative mask contest. Post the prettiest mask you've seen all day. Look for ways to help people feel good about the bad things that are going on.
• Causes people to smile. Post the types of things that make people smile. These could include a beautiful rainbow outside of your business, an embarrassing story that happened to you yesterday, or a nice thing a customer shared with you. Share things that make your audience want to get to know you better and/or come back to see the types of things you post in the future.
• Show how they can purchase from you in the easiest ways possible. These posts should not be sales posts but they should show how you changed your business model to make life easier for your customers. Focus on ease, safety, and what's in it for them.  Sometimes people are just looking for the easiest way to spend money. If you provide it you'll be the one they give the money to.

 
This pandemic and time of protest have been stressful. In fact, it’s common to hear people say they have given up listening to the news altogether. They go online these days to escape more than ever. Take that into account when creating content for your audience right now. If you do, they're more likely to share your content and stick around to see what you have going on.
 
 
Christina R. Metcalf (formerly Green) is a marketer who enjoys using the power of story and refuses to believe meaningful copy can be written by bots. She helps chamber and small business professionals find the right words when they don’t have the time or interest to do so.
Christina hates exclamation points and loves road trips. Say hi on Twitter or reach out on Facebook.
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