Content Contributed by Creative Works
It can be difficult to know what to post on social media when times are good. But during a pandemic, it’s even harder. How can you leverage social media right now without coming across as tonedeaf or crass?
Before we dive into some examples of what to post during the COVID-19 crisis, let’s first review some general best practices for these platforms. Too often, businesses use social media purely as a way to sell. But that’s a mistake.
Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook
Social media is supposed to be “social.” If you use it as a billboard to just show your specials and birthday party packages, nobody will pay attention. Think about your own feed. How often do you follow accounts that only post sales-related content? Probably not often.
Gary Vaynerchuk, a marketing expert who runs a large social media agency, has a book that explains a better method. It’s called Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook. In his philosophy, a “jab” is a piece of content that’s valuable for your followers: something funny, cute, entertaining, etc. And a “right hook” is an ask: a request to sign up for an email list, buy a special, book a game time, etc.
He recommends posting 8 or 9 jabs for every 1 right hook. This means you need to focus on giving value at least 80% of the time before you try to sell something.
What Should You Post Right Now?
So, with that in mind, what should you be posting right now during the pandemic? People are home and spending a lot of their time scrolling through their feeds. If you use jabs correctly, you’ll be able to create a stronger connection with them. And this will make it easier to bring them back in the door with a right hook when your center reopens.
Here are some examples of entertainment businesses using social media jabs to engage and connect with their customers.
Spot The Differences
Urban Air Adventure Park has been creating some “spot the differences” photos of their facilities facilities to keep guests engaged.
Challenges
They also have posts with fun challenges for kids and families. The DIY warrior course keeps the kids active (even when they are in the house), and it fits perfectly with Urban Air’s brand and mission.
Spotlight Team Members
Skate Tiffany’s is doing a good job of humanizing their brand. In the first post below, they talk about one of their team members and her love of farm animals.
Ask Me Anything
And in this next post, Dennis and Melinda (the owners) have an “Ask Me Anything” live stream. As owners, they are the face of the company and this allows them to get to know their community on a more personal level.
At Home Activities
Jake’s Unlimited has a series called #jakesathome where they encourage families to create home versions of their favorite arcade games and attractions. For each post, they have a link showing exactly how to build the game.
Use These As Inspiration
There are hundreds of other entertainment businesses doing great things with social media, and it would be impossible to do an exhaustive list. These are just a few examples that can hopefully inspire you to create your own that match your brand, your voice, and your mission.
Bonus Info
When you reopen your center, it will likely be a great time for some social media advertising to expand your reach and generate some sales. Cash will be tight, so Facebook is giving out $100 million in cash grants and ad credits. Learn more here.