Since March 2020, many of us have been bored in the house in hopes of flattening the COVID-19 curve. With so much extra time on our hands, it has been no surprise that we’ve seen a spike in digital trends over the last nine months. In the article, COVID is Changing How, Why, and How Much We’re Using Social Media, Bazaar’s SVP of Marketing, Suzin Wold, notes that social media consumption grew 73% during COVID. Furthermore, she goes on to say, “Respondents used Instagram the most (44%); that platform also is where respondents increased their overall consumption most during quarantine (69%)” (Wold, 2020). Although the pandemic has led to more screen time for many, the truth is that social media usage was growing prior to the enforced lockdown era of 2020.

In the past, social media was primarily used for sharing personal life snippets and keeping up with long lost friends. Today, social media is a key success factor for strategic online marketing plans. Many businesses use social media to build brand awareness, but some operate and sell solely on these platforms. In the article, Social Media Usage is Both Increasing and Changing in the COVID-19 Era, Victor Snyder notes, “July 2020 saw a rise of 10.5% in social media usage, compared with July 2019, according to a GlobalWebIndex survey. Some 46% of women and 41% of men said they've spent more time on social media during the pandemic, making it the second-most popular digital activity” (Snyder, 2020). The data suggests that online activity is increasing as the demographics of online participants are widening. Perhaps now more than ever businesses need to implement strategic online marketing plans.

As the world increasingly shifts towards a digital framework, so will the standards and regulations set by the industry, which is ever-evolving. Social media and other digital platforms are incredibly flexible, pivoting effortlessly with changing demands and trends. For example, COVID-19 brought to light several digital trends that will certainly have a lasting impact. We’ve put together a list of the top 10 digital trends that developed over the course of the pandemic:

Social media platforms are often seen as an escape from reality — a moment to avoid today’s troubles by transporting your mind to cerebral happiness. This year has tested everyone’s mental stability and sheer will to carry on. As 2020 has been such a fearful time, it’s understandable that social media, an outlet for happiness and creative stimulation, has become increasingly more popular. According to Business Insider, a poll conducted between late March and early May found that between 46% and 51% of US adults were using social media more since the outbreak began. These numbers are profound; however, more notably, 34% of those ages were 65 and up (Samet, 2020). It’s important to keep in mind that these figures reflect all social media platforms, including common messaging services like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Apple iMessage. Regardless, these figures prove that social media and other digital applications aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Sources:

“How COVID-19 Has Changed Social Media Habits.” Business.com, www.business.com/articles/social-media-patterns-during-the-pandemic/.

Samet, Alexandra. “2020 US SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE: How the Coronavirus Is Changing Consumer Behavior.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 9 June 2020, www.businessinsider.com/2020-us-social-media-usage-report.

Sherman, Alex. “TikTok Reveals Detailed User Numbers for the First Time.” CNBC, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2020, www.cnbc.com/2020/08/24/tiktok-reveals-us-global-user-growth-numbers-for-first-time.html.

Snyder, Victor. “How COVID-19 Has Changed Social Media Habits.” Business.com, 10 Aug. 2020, www.business.com/articles/social-media-patterns-during-the-pandemic/.

“The 20 Biggest TikTok Statistics: Key Facts, Figures & Data [2020].” Mediakix, 11 Sept. 2020, mediakix.com/blog/top-tik-tok-statistics-demographics.

“Top 12 Digital Trends for 2020 Mid-Year-COVID-19, Content, Google's Updates.” Milestone Inc., 5 Sept. 2020, blog.milestoneinternet.com/google-update/covid-19-top-12-digital-trends-2020/.

Wold, Suzin. “COVID-19 Is Changing How, Why, and How Much We're Using Social Media.” Digital Commerce 360, 17 Sept. 2020, www.digitalcommerce360.com/2020/09/16/covid-19-is-changing-how-why-and-how-much-were-using-social-media/.