Recently, Chits UK welcomed students from the Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School to join us on a short work experience placement. As part of the programme, the students engaged in SEO optimised blog writing to build on their knowledge around the sector of Healthcare Marketing. In the blog below, Remy Sanders explores the methods businesses can take to grow their brands using social media during lockdown.

Lockdown is the perfect time for Social Media

Along with lockdown, comes plenty of free time to spend on social media to pass the time at home, and it’s important – as a brand – to take advantage of this. ISPreview states that “UK homes in lockdown during the COVID-19 crisis are spending around 41 hours online a week, up 29% since pre-lockdown”, this shows how perfect lockdown is to capitalise on building an online following.

Boosting customer engagement

Interact, interact, interact.

During lockdown everyone is missing out on connecting with others. Thankfully on the internet there are more than enough ways to solve this and capture attention towards your brand; Live streams, giveaways, contests, TikTok challenges, Instagram face filters, Snapchat stories as well as GIFs. Just to name a few. These will not only engage your initial users, but it will also attract the attention of users beyond your initial following. Especially whilst in lockdown as there is a demand for entertainment by more people.

It is always important as a brand to consider relating to your users, so during this time ‘home-made’ looking content with a few imperfections may appeal more to your users as they are stuck at home and still in their pyjamas at 2pm. By humanizing your brand it will enable your audience to develop a deeper and trusting bond with you – this can lead to a more positive relationship between brand and audience.

Live streams are great for creating this ‘home-made’ relatable engagement. They can be easily accessed by anyone for free through either Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or TikTok. Depending on the brand these interactions may be be different – Online interviews with public figures, Q and As, previewing upcoming exclusive content or tutorials.

Check out Joe Wicks for a perfect example of a brand taking advantage of social media during lockdown as he hosts YouTube live streams in which millions of people all over the world watch and follow his free online workouts to stay healthy during lockdown.

Playing the part and helping out

Brands can use their influence on social media to benefit others this could be through giving back. Not only is it ethical to do so, it will also associate your brand with good causes and will help others see your brand positively and are more likely to do business with you and your brand.

• We are working with Feed The Workers who have now raised over £25,000 to feed front-line hospital staff. To read more about it our efforts, find out more here
• Oddono’s are giving free ice cream to NHS workers
• Disney have donated 1 million masks to families in need
• Adidas have donated just over £2.5 million to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

We urge all brands to take this opportunity to do good and play your part during this hard time for many.

Creating a Community

It is important to try and get your users to feel part of a community. This will help your audience feel as if they’re part of something valuable, by connecting with others who also enjoy your brand. Lockdown provides you with more time to connect and interact with your audience and build your community. Again, this can be done through engaging content; live streams, giveaways, challenges. Engaging content will help involve your customers causing them to stick around for longer.

We suggest making the extra effort to engage with your audience to build stronger brand loyalty as it has long-term benefits. Make the most of social media during lockdown whilst you have time to do so.