The year 2020 has been one for the history books. So far we’ve had a global pandemic, a presidential impeachment trial and election, a worldwide movement for equality and, maybe the most wild, Tiger King. Pop culture has had plenty of content to post about this year and, unsurprisingly, social media has been at the forefront of this sharing.

Fighting Misinformation

Now more than ever, fake news has been one of the top discussions and social platforms are responding with new protocols to keep users accurately informed.

• YouTube has banned videos that falsely claim 5G next-generation mobile networks cause symptoms of COVID-19.
• Twitter labeled some of President Trump’s tweets as “potentially misleading” shortly after the social network announced they are updating their approach to misleading information.
• Facebook and Instagram are making information sharing easier for healthcare organizations, like the CDC, to reach people online. Facebook has even implemented a COVID-19 Information Center that provides the latest news and updates.

Connecting From Afar

In March, much of the world shut down. Quarantine began and many isolated at home, leaving them physically alone for weeks with no end in sight. Zoom and Facebook worked to combat the loneliness by connecting family and friends through virtual hangouts and happy hours. There were virtual weddings, gender reveals and even some graduations enjoyed from the safety and comfort of the living room. Netflix introduced Netflix Parties where users can watch movies and shows together. Even dating apps like Bumble and Hinge created virtual dating programs so finding love is still possible, from afar, of course. Today, social media is much more than sharing funny memes or posting about the avocado toast you had for breakfast, it’s now a space for users to virtually connect with the world around them.

Creating Meaningful & Diverse Content

The biggest thing we at R&R try to achieve with our own social media is to create meaningful content that will check at least one of these boxes: teach, inform, entertain or inspire. Social media users scroll through their feeds so quickly that there isn’t any time for sub-par content, especially during COVID-19. Between Coronavirus and Black Lives Matter, social media has created a place for conversation and activism, yet there are still many brands that could be doing more when it comes to sharing diverse and meaningful content. It’s about more than posting a hashtag or black square; it’s about changing the ways we show support.

Looking to improve your social media strategy for 2021? Send us a note! I would love to chat through all things social media!