How Instagram and other websites can help you and your business during COVID-19
In these uncertain times where we are all stuck inside (apart from all the incredible essential front line workers), it is important to decide whether you want to become defensive or offensive in terms of making sure your brand lives on through this crisis. If, like us, you plan of pushing through and posting content there are some helpful and handy ways Instagram (and other platforms) are making that possible.
Over the last month you may have noticed a range of self-isolation related stickers popping up on people’s Instagram stories. What started with just “thank you hour” and “stay home” stickers we now have fundraiser, gift card and food ordering sticker options that allow businesses to work remotely and generate income while their stores have to remain closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. By allowing you and your business to share gift cards, food orders or fundraiser stickers on your Instagram story and on your profile, it gives customers the opportunity to make purchases via online ordering or be directed to a Facebook fundraiser page. With so many “support your local” campaigns going on, these additions to Instagram are a fun, visual way to go.
Other websites and platforms helping out businesses during this time are Shutterstock and Snapchat. Shutterstock is a stock image website that most of us already know. During the shutdowns they are trying to support businesses by launching a new resource hub for COVID-19 related content, allowing free use of a selection of images. This resource hub has curated images and collections for media partners (this includes stock photos, infographics etc.). Alongside the resource hub, they are also providing small businesses with free images; music and videos that will help them continue to communicate on trending topics, including the current “stay home” status of most people within the community. All the resources provided are of high quality, and they are even providing people with free zoom backgrounds for all your meetings to maintain a professional look while working from home.
Snapchat has similarly launched a business hub of their own. It includes insights and links to help marketers as well as many different resources to help manage the COVID-19 shutdowns and help you maintain a connection with your customers/audience while being unable to see them face-to-face. The “mini-site” provides a range of data points on changes to the usage of Snapchat while everyone worldwide is in lockdown. It highlights what you need to do to keep your company running, they do this by using examples that have been shown to work. Snapchat are continuing to expand on this original “mini-site” by adding more tools that you can use to help your business while working remotely.
While we are apart it is important to stay connected, utilise these tools that the technological era we live in has granted us, and remain positive and hopeful about what the future may bring. By implementing the use of these websites and apps into how you promote you and your brand, you could see a very bright light at the end of this seemingly dark tunnel.