In recent years, the story of social media was all about cutting down time on social media and spend more time outdoors, spend less time on websites, be more aware of the actions of social media.

Under lockdown, however, things changed very drastically. As recorded in our coronavirus study, at the beginning of April, just under 50 % of consumers said that they have been spending more time on social media.

Levels are starting to stabilize from the initial increase, but because of the outbreak, 43 percent still confess to logging in for longer, and 19 percent today say they will spend longer on social media. Old theories about social media have to be re-examined because of this.

News consumption on these media has been slowly increasing since we started monitoring social media habits back in 2014, but the pandemic has placed this behavior at the center of attention. “Doomscrolling” (reading a long stream of disheartening social media headlines) may soon join our dictionaries, confirming how powerful it has been during the crisis as a news source.

In the initial stages of the crisis, the need for up-to-date data was overwhelming, with social media offering easy and quick access to important updates.

This is the world of social media that we are constantly living in today. The third most important reason we go on social media these days is found amusing or entertaining content (33%), only behind filling up spare time (34%). This unique motivation is often cited by our youngest generation, Gen Z (40%), as seen in the chart above, but it is also very common among millennial generation (35%).

There is nothing new about the concept of social media transforming into entertainment outlets, but the outbreak has changed the emphasis from actively content consumption to producing it for consumers.

Among the few internet habits intensified by COVID-19 that has experienced increased interaction since April is to build and upload videos on channels like TikTok. Gen Z is at the frontline of this trend, as we might predict, with around 3 in 10 developing more videos due to the outbreak, a rise of eight percent on average between April and July.

More significantly, an increasing majority of this group claim they intend to do so when asked if they will continue doing this once the pandemic is over.

Social media has long been under the microscope for its effect on consumers’ wellbeing, with the digital detox trend exploding around 2019. 

This time last year, we found that 29% in the UK and 23% in the U.S. felt social media negatively impacted their mental wellbeing.

However, being locked indoors and purposefully avoiding social channels hasn’t been an easy feat, with social media proving instrumental in keeping us connected during the crisis. The very platforms consumers were detoxing from turned out to be beneficial for their mental health, in helping to combat widespread feelings of loneliness stemming from extended periods of isolation and social distancing.

We’ve also witnessed a reversal in consumer sentiment. Those most concerned about the time they spend on social media have derived the most benefit from visiting social channels at this time. Previous digital detoxers are more likely than other internet users to say social media has helped them feel less lonely or anxious during the pandemic.One reason for this is that people have felt more comfortable being themselves on these channels amid the outbreak.

Before the outbreak, social media’s role in encouraging sharing, connecting, and socializing was gradually being replaced by more passive and purposeful activities, like researching brands and consuming content.

To put this into perspective, back in 2014, people were using social primarily to stay in touch with what their friends were doing and to share their opinion or details about their personal lives.

Today, all these purely “social” activities have seen around a 40% drop in engagement. But in the absence of social interaction elsewhere, consumers have once again started seeking community connection via social channels.

What does this mean for brands?

Currently, 24% of consumers across 18 markets discover brands on social media, and 55% approve of brands running “normal” advertising. Now is the time for marketers to tap into consumers’ changing social media habits and adjust their messaging accordingly. And now, because of the pandemic, all the brands started choosing Social Media Advertising more than the Normal advertising. Because their potential customers are now spending half of their time on Social Media Platforms and this attracts their customers with attractive advertisements and eye-catching posts and contents. 

According to our research, consumers will respond most favorably to messaging that demonstrates value for money, reliability, and care. On a practical level, consumers are looking to brands to provide financial aid via flexible payment terms (approved by 81%) or promotions and offers (approved by 84%). At this point, they need to feel reassured about where their money is going, especially when 67% are concerned about a potential second wave in their country. But with 47% of consumers also expecting brands to show support about the Black Lives Matter movement on social media, businesses can no longer afford to shy away from taking a stance on important issues either.

We’re still experiencing the primary effects of COVID-19, but the ramifications for social media may go well beyond how much time is spent on it. If brand purpose hasn’t been front-of-mind for companies pre-COVID, it should be on their immediate radar. Strengthening this will enable brands to cut through the noise and make a positive impact in this new social media landscape.