The past couple of months have seen an incredible shift of campaign strategy, content, and social media strategy for brands. Much as the posts have varied across social media based on changing user patterns and response, Greenroom found a variety of changes in how audiences are interacting with brands during April 2020 compared to the first three months of the year.
From greatly increasing the average time spent on social media to reconstructing how we use and approach social media platforms, here are some social media statistics in the past couple of months showing just how quickly COVID-19 is changing social media.
1. Social media’s overall usage has gone up by 44% globally in March and April
According to an online survey by Statistica conducted for online users aged 16 to 60, about 44% of internet users had increased their use of social media (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) just in the month of March and April.
In direct correlation, social media messaging apps (e.g. WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, etc.) also saw a slightly greater uptick in use. As anticipated, due to lockdown, people and families are depending on social media and messaging platforms to stay in touch with each other.
2. YouTube has 20 – 40% more views and an increased engagement
YouTube influencers have seen a spike of a whopping 40% in terms of channel viewership. A lot of YouTubers have touched the million mark making it the platform where users have the most amount of followers/subscribers. Across popular YouTube categories, fitness and health video views increased by 63%, while arts & culture videos saw a 29% increase in views.
So many videos with content focussed on lockdown and cooking have seen immense traction even in terms of engagement.
3. Influencers are creating 50% more content and seeing an increase in engagement
While there are three main ways influencers are responding to the pandemic, a new study shows 50% of influencers are creating more video content than before coronavirus. As a result, more and more brands are working with influencers to create entertaining content for their followers.
The opportunity for brands to use/re-purpose influencer content is especially appealing due to the lockdown obstacles brand channels face to produce original content.
Influencer-hosted IG Live Takeovers and Stories are also on the rise during quarantine, the content focus on Instagram is now more towards routine and normalcy – fitness, cooking gardening and other influencer live sessions one can pursue from home. Charity and NGO organizations’ appearance is also on a rise on influencers’ feeds.
4. TikTok saw an incredible number of 315 million downloads in March
TikTok which has been seeing incredible growth for the past couple of years with over a billion users has seen a 22% spike in their app usage in the past month. Not only are the existing users spending more time on the app mindlessly scrolling through content, but there is also a 12% influx of new users. New content creators have popped up with more audience availability as well.
TikTok influencers are leveraging their social clout by making content that is also educational and inspirational for their audience.
5. Instagram’s sees a 48% increase in IG Live
Instagram usage has also grown during COVID-19. Instagram users are taking to the platform’s live streaming function, IG Live, as brands and influencers share every day streaming content to appease audiences stuck at home.
Some Instagram influencers are amping up content (some as much as 50% more) in order to entertain, engage, and connect on new levels with their followers.
What are your views on the social media statistics presented by us? What ideas do you have for readjusting to influencer marketing collaborations right now? Do let us know below in the comments or visit our website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages to reach out to us.