It’s times like these when we can all feel the most distant from each other. The outbreak of COVID-19 means practicing social distancing (we prefer to say physical distancing) and staying at home.
For those of you who are not used to working from home, it can be frustrating and lead to feelings of isolation, but unlike pandemics in the past, we have social media to keep us all connected. YAY!
Here are some ways you can connect with people using social media.
Get Active on Your Instagram Story
Instagram stories have always been a great way to see what your friends are up to, and share about your day too.
Now you can use them even MORE, and see that you’re not the only one bored at home trying to think of things to do.
You can use this time to get better at how you share stories, and how you use them to form connections with your audience.
“Social media is fun. Who would have thought?” – The Odyssey
Some Instagram story tools to try:
– Share your favourite song with the music button.
– Get your audience’s opinion by posting a poll.
– Ask your audience a question to get them engaged + talking to you.
– See how much your audience does (or does not) like something with the love meter.
– Use quizzes to see how well they know you!
It doesn’t have to be life-altering, even the simplest things can get people engaged with you and start conversations! Try one out today, and tag us (@likeavosssm) so we can follow/engage and connect with you.
Figure Out Which Platforms Work for You
You can use social media to connect with people like your friends and family, but that doesn’t mean you have to be on every single platform out there.
If you feel more comfortable on Instagram and want to take the time to work on your presence there, then take that time. Don’t worry about Twitter or Snapchat if they’re not for you. It’s much harder to feel connected to people when you’re spreading yourself across too many platforms trying to keep up with everything.
“Take stock of what’s working and what’s not as a way to decide where you need to take your strategy.” – Like a Voss
Go LIVE + Make New Friends!!!
Most platforms have live video options now, so if you’re feeling lonely but you don’t quite know who to talk to, start a live video and let people join themselves.
Need to get some laundry done? Prop up your phone and just do your thing, and when people join you can say hello and engage in conversation. It might seem weird at first if it’s not something you are used to doing – but trust us, it’s fun.
You could also do the same thing while cooking! Turn it into a cooking lesson of sorts, even if your not a professional chef, LOL!
The cool thing about live is that you can see as people join in and actively engage with them in real-time. Followers LOVE a shoutout from their favourite accounts, and you get to feel like you’re having a hangout session because they are seeing what you’re up to.
Plan Video Calls When You’re Feeling Lonely
This isn’t exactly social media related – but we wanted to share it anyway!
We live in a time where we can talk to our friends face to face without actually being face to face. Plan a group video call with a few of your friends or see if your grandparents can manage to video call you.
Some ideas for group (or one-on-one) calls:
– Play charades.
– Find an online game you can play together.
– Share family photo albums.
– Have a read-aloud of your favourite books/poetry.
– Make a craft together.
– Knit and chat!
“FaceTime and Zoom will do much to save us as we shelter in place. We can use them for virtual cocktail parties, and I’m sure many Easter and Passovers will happen with screens on the table.” – Vogue
It can feel lonely sitting at home but the important thing to remember is that everyone else is doing the same thing right now – they know how you feel. They’re all trying to get through stressful and boring days at home just like you, so make it fun and get active on social media.
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