Everyone wished for a happy new year on the 31st of December, 2019, but 2020 had other plans. With the outbreak of the coronavirus, and the #stayhome movement, we have seen some changes in the way content is created & shared on social media, and this new way of creating seems to be here to stay. Here is what has changed since staying home has become the main activity.
1- Throwback, Throwback, and more Throwback!
It’s a good thing we have our phones, cameras, and friends who are willing to shoot more than one photo during a trip. With the absence of flights and travel plans, we are seeing more throwback photos (and more “homesick for travel” captions) on Instagram these days. It’s a wonder when this will end, but it also seems like we have been caring less and less about those perfectly staged “candid” photos lately, which takes us to the new trend.
2- Living in the Moment
As scary & unprofessional as it sounds, in times like this, you (or an influencer) have to share some photos & content that otherwise wouldn’t fit into the feed to stay active on social media. However, it’s also a good reminder to your audience that you are not always perfect as in those “candid” photos, and to you that you don’t always have to have that perfect lighting and your body to cooperate to have a nice photo.
3- Natural Filters & Home feelings
It’s unknown if this is due to spring coming or wanting to feel good, but so many influencers are turning to natural-looking filters instead of those high contrast, high vibrance, live-life-to-the-fullest presets. And we also see more of their living spaces, of course, which actually results in feeling closer to the influencer. With the new trend of using natural light and not tempering with the photo a lot, maybe it is time we put the
hundreds of beautiful lights to the shelf, and face the sun more. After all, we can only see it from inside until this lockdown ends.
4- Fewer ads, more self-promotion
Now, this one might seem odd, as the whole concept of being an influencer is self- promoting in a nutshell. But there is a twist. With the airlines halting their flights and stores & workplaces that do not provide our basic needs are closing, we are seeing less ad content on social media nowadays. Besides not having any launch parties, traveling in first class, or trying out a new hip place, influencers are also not receiving as many parcels & products that they need to promote, which results in influencers actually doing more with what they have on hand & finding creative ways to self-promo while still keeping their engagement rates.
What do these changes mean in financial terms for both brands & influencers?
Well, it seems like the high fees that brands have to pay for certain influences are going down. With at least 40% of influencer reporting a decrease in the fees, it seems like this outbreak is changing the economic side of projects as well. Especially in the travel sector where influencers earn money through an airline, a hotel, or a touristic destination, they are forced to find new creative ways of collaborating so that they can keep their income steady. For the brands, it means not having as much exposure, which leads to not being able to create brand awareness, and thus not selling as much. Overall, it seems like influencers and brands will be forced to find new ways to continue marketing so they don’t suffer the consequences of staying home.
Let us know through our social media accounts if you have noticed a big change in social media content these days that we may have missed here!
