The positive impact of Social Media during the Coronavirus pandemic

In the wake of the crisis, it seems that people have been turning to social media for a sense of community. We’ve bonded as a community, introduced ourselves to neighbours, posted our contact details on groups to those in need, filled the streets with rainbows to comfort children on their daily walks to not feel so isolated, contacted long lost friends, supported independent businesses by setting up community groups and pages, offered free services to other thriving businesses, the list goes on. All of this would not be possible without the raw power and influence of social media.

 

For once, let’s explore and celebrate the  positive  outcomes social media is having on society, not only nationally, but globally:

 

Keeping us connected 

In the real world, we’re social distancing which means that social media and technology has never been so important to keep us connected with friends, family and colleagues. People are turning to social media for a sense of community. From video calls and community group chats on Facebook to finding out what your loved ones are up to via Instagram stories, we’re relying on these platforms more than ever to avoid loneliness during lockdown.

 

Keeping us active and educated 

In the past few weeks, an unprecedented amount of online resources and social media material has been released to help keep young people active in the home. For example, Joe Wicks (The Body Coach) providing online physical education lessons at 9am each weekday in the form of  High Intensity Workouts via Youtube. Another great example is BBC’s SuperMovers programmes focused on integrating movement with academic learning in Maths, English and Science.

 

Keeping Doctors connected 

By the tens of thousands, doctors are joining specialised social media groups to develop answers in real time. One of them has 30,000 members worldwide. Specialists are giving video lectures, sharing experiences and crucial data which is resulting in breakthroughs. In what may be the first pandemic of the social media age, doctors are trying to fill an information void online. According to one of these Facebook group admins,  Dr. Nisha Mehta, a 38-year-old radiologist from North Carolina, they have already saved a large number of lives: “…just by sharing information about social distancing, propagating stories from the front lines, helping with diagnosis and treatment and connecting physicians to other sources”. How amazing is this? 

 

Keeping businesses in touch with their customers 

Businesses of all sizes are utilising social media platforms to keep customers up-to-date with regulations they have put in place due to the current climate, changes in opening hours and in service such as delivery and takeaways, which has proved incredibly popular and successful for restaurants and other food and drink based businesses.

 

Bringing the Nation together

We all witnessed something truly special on Thursday 26th March at 8pm. Millions of Brits took to their doorsteps, windows and balconies to collectively applaud frontline NHS staff battling the Coronavirus. The Clap For Carers campaign, which started online was shared by thousands across social media in the lead-up to the event. Many live streamed from their homes and social media was flooded with videos of people clapping, using the #clapforNHS and #clapforourcarers hashtags. Thanks to social media platforms, the word was quickly spread and resulted in the entire capital cheering out for those on the frontline. Amazing.

To sum up, social media is a pretty great tool if we use it responsibly and purposefully. We love it for the positive impact and support it brings to society, especially during difficult times like these. So go forth and connect, engage, inform, learn, inspire and encourage!   During COVID-19 our marketing team in Exeter is working around the clock to support our clients. If you need some social media or digital marketing help/advice to help your business fight through the current economic climate, get in touch via email: hello@dirty-martini.com.   Sources: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-24/covid-19-mysteries-yield-to-doctors-new-weapon-crowd-sourcing