Have We Changed How We Use Social Media During COVID-19?

This week’s question is all about how has the pandemic changed our use of social media.
Or, has social media changed?
For better or worse?
Let’s discuss this!
The pandemic of 2020 has certainly changed a lot in our lives.
Social media was changing a lot in our lives prior to the current state that we find ourselves in.
The confluence of both of these trends is only going to add more change to our lives.
The emergency locked us down and kept us at home.
Sheltering there, we’ve been working from home (those of us fortunate enough to do so); ordering groceries and other staples online; binging on Netflix, Prime, Hulu, or whatever your particular entertainment fix is; learning remotely; and our social lives seem to be restricted to social media and Zoom.
Oh, and don’t let me forget virtual worlds like Second Life which are having a resurgence now.
(Shameless plug, yours truly is debuting The Mystery Hour with Con Sweeney at 6:00PM Pacific | Second Life Time this coming Monday, July 20th! Hope to see you there!)
While I personally feel that the pandemic is an aberration that probably will never be repeated in any of our lifetimes again, I can’t say the same about the changes taking place with social media.
Like the Black Death in the mid-fourteenth century, there will be considerable changes to society going forward from our current situation.
(No, don’t worry, I’m not predicting the same loss of life as those poor folks had back then.)
While social media was firmly entrenched in our lives before the virus raised its ugly head, its pervasiveness has only been accelerated.
Retail shopping malls were already under siege before all this began, now many may reopen only to shut down permanently.
Employers are wondering why do they need large, expensive office buildings when everyone can work from home.
School districts are asking similar questions.
See where I’m going with all this?
The lines connecting the dots in all this are all digital.
The names of a few of these lines are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Don’t forget Amazon, Microsoft, and Google either.
Why do I tell you all this?
Because when we come out of this mess that we’re in now, and we will come out of it, our world is going to more digital than ever before.
If you’re not actively on social media, either personally or professionally, then I recommend that you start now.
Otherwise, the world is going to pass you by!
And, I’m not talking about just setting up profiles and walking away.
Let someone else write your obituary for you.
I’m talking active engagement, and content creation and sharing.
Fortune favors the bold, they say and it’s certainly true in the brave, new world of social media that’s facing us.
That’s it for now!
Please check-out my 8 step approach for developing a social media program to get some more ideas on how to use social media.
Also, never forget to reach out to either ask questions or to ask for help from someone like myself!
In the meantime, thank you for following and reading my blog!
I look forward to any and all comments that you may have. I will reply to any comments made to this blog post as promptly as I can.
And, remember!
I do this for a living and if I can be of any assistance to either you or your organization, please feel free to call on me. Our initial discussion will be of no charge to you.
I can also be reached at conpsweeney@someddi.com.
My Twitter handle is @conpsweeney.

Stay well!