Virtually communicating or communicating virtually? 5 tips for developing your online communities

It is now more important than ever to keep in touch with each other and maintain “business as usual” operations as we weather the global pandemic that’s upon us, and without being able to see each other in ‘real life’ online communities have become crucial in how we run our businesses and our day-to-day lives. Social media and its online communities often receive negative attention, but in recent years it’s been enlightening to see how supportive it can be in times of crisis. Examples of this include Facebook’s innovation of ‘marking safe’ during terror attacks and natural catastrophes and Twitter’s fixed ‘explore' timeline stories during the Australian wildfires.

During the pandemic, online communities have often been a source of positivity and support that has in many ways, helped to unite us. From elderly community LinkedIn support groups to YouTube tutorials on how to wash our hands properly, to the viral #Clapforcarers campaign - the digital response to Covid-19 has been one of solidarity and community, and we’ve seen a willingness of brands and individuals to adapt their content to keep us supported, informed and positive.

Although lockdown measures have been ever so slightly eased, it’s clear that we will be relying on our digital communities for some time to come, so here are our top 5 tips for keeping in touch with and supporting your online communities during the pandemic:

1)   Take time to listen: With many industries and organisations being challenged by the current pandemic and their responses to it, it is important to take time to nurture our online relationships, particularly those with our clients. With more time spent at home and less chance to interact face to face, social media listening exercises can help us to take stock and develop our understanding of our customers to ensure we recognize the challenges they are facing and identify ways we can help them. 

2)   Get creative: Lockdown has given us the opportunity to get creative in the ways we connect with our friends, family and customers and has even inspired older generations to overcome their fear of technology and embrace digital communities as a way of staying in touch with loved ones.  Zoom has become part of our daily life now with everything from school to church services going digital to keep their communities together.

3)   Be supportive of others’ communications: Whilst we are currently unable to meet with our networks in the real world, we must leverage opportunities to connect with our communities and support each other via online mediums. Likes, comments and shares are now our simplest form of communication, but they can go a long way to reinforcing positive relationships.

4)   Find new ways to connect: Whilst working from home, we’re all missing those spontaneous opportunities to meet up with clients and friends just to ‘chew the fat.  I can’t remember the last time I had a good working lunch or pint at the Lamb after work, business meetings now have become exactly that, scheduled meetings to discuss work for an hour before logging off.  We rarely hang on just to chat and we’re missing that social aspect that we know our industry depends on.  We’re all using Zoom in our private lives now, doing online quizzes and sharing drinks with friends, so why not extend these activities to your business connections?  Try setting up a fun half hour quiz, or glass of wine over Zoom and just enjoy a bit of respite from your home-working bubble!

5)   Keep increasing touchpoints: The effects of lockdown, social distancing and ‘furlough’ have forced businesses to review its operating procedures and provide new ways of supporting its customers and clients.  Social media channels have helped by allowing us to communicate directly with our audiences and increase the touchpoints we have.  We are seeing more organic content being shared, greater use of email communications and campaigns reaching out to audiences, and businesses are looking at different ways they can improve their websites to offer more online support functions such as live chat or remote video support.

Whilst the current situation facing us is difficult, and is undoubtedly presenting fresh new challenges to all businesses, from a digital perceptive one shining light is the excellent opportunities we have to adapt and make use of the innovative digital solutions available to help us to keep doing business and keep communicating.

So, whether you’re Slack-ing, Skype-ing, Zoom-ing, or setting up Teams with your colleagues and clients, Covid-19 has shown us that digital communities are thriving and are proving to be the glue holding us together.