We’ve been on lockdown for nearly six months now, and this seems to be the new norm, whether we like it or not. Even though consumers are home more frequently now, it can be increasingly difficult trying to capture their attention. However, as social engagements have decreased, use of social media has increased. Users are spending more time than ever on social sites now that they’re forced to be at home. Here are three ways your company can leverage social media to engage your customers at home: 

1. Post Entertaining Content

You want your followers waiting for your content and sharing it frequently. This requires more than just captioning pictures or videos with “Buy Now”; you need captions, pictures, and video that are relatable, consistent, and entertaining. You want them to keep coming back for more. 

Chipotle is a good example of this. They have over 1 million followers on Instagram and Twitter, but instead of directly selling or advertising specials, they produce entertaining content. On social media, they promote sales with clever cultural references or jokes instead of blandly saying something like “Guac is BOGO today.” This is content designed to engage people, and because of this, they receive a lot of retweets, shares, and likes (what is called earned media). 

Earned media, though not always easy to get, is free (as opposed to paid media) and can prove to be very beneficial for your business. Think about how you can engage and entertain your customers. 

2. Go Live

Due to social distancing, mostly everything has gone virtual. Consumers love this because it imitates real-life interaction by streaming in real-time on social sites. Going live has been utilized for everything from yoga instructors teaching yoga sessions to musicians performing live concerts, to celebrities just talking or engaging with their fans, clearing up rumors, or even going toe to toe with their peers. 

If you try to stream online at least once a week or more, your consumers would appreciate you. Many customers are bored and already on their phones, why not entertain them by coming up with weekly or monthly series of episodes relating to your product? For instance, if you’re a clothing company, go live during a photoshoot, show the behind the scenes, and do some Q&A. Or if you’re a fitness coach, you could have previous clients tell success stories, or stream health-centered recipes or workout content. Going live allows them to comment, react, and get that personal feel like they’re really with you.

3. Hire Influencers or Celebrities to Represent Your Brand

We’ve all seen someone wearing or using a product, and think, “Wow, I need that!” Your customers are no different. In the age of social media, you can easily leverage influencer marketing. Instagram alone has over 1 billion active users, and is considered one of the top preferred social apps to use influencer marketing. According to Influencer Marketing Hub, businesses are making $5.20 for every $1 spent on influencer marketing and the top 13% of businesses make $20 or more.

Hiring an influencer may seem intimidating or out of budget, but with such large social networks sprawling over several platforms, you can always find someone with a following that may be in more range. These are what are called microinfluencers. They have slightly lower follower counts, but arguably more influence. They are able to get in touch with their fans and followers on a more personal level. Followers tend to trust them more, and that can make a difference when promoting your product. 

So do your research about who could communicate with your target audience, and don’t be afraid to reach out to them for a sponsored post! Be sure to give the celebrity or influencer leadership and creative direction, but you want them to still have their own twist because you want the post to seem natural and authentic to their loyal followers. 

After trying out these methods, track how sales might’ve changed, or the amount of traffic on your website. Notice what’s working well, and what’s not. Show your customers, that you’re there for them, and how adaptive your product is during anything!