As the economy of the world has turned upside down, businesses across the world are collapsing. Small companies or startups have faced a terrible setback and are drowning in the oceans of hopelessness.
If there is a challenging situation, then there are also a number of ways to emerge out of this.
Social Media platforms are helping small businesses to survive and grow in this pandemic.
Let’s take a quick look at it.
Facebook launches Shops
Facebook has declared the launch of a new feature called Shops, which will help businesses sell or advertise their products on the platform. This step has been taken because the lockdown has forced many retailers to close their brick-and-mortar stores. The option left with them is to sell online.
Shops allow retailers to create their digital stores free of cost so that customers can purchase the products of their preferences from Facebook or the retailer’s website directly. This feature will also come on Instagram, helping users discover Shops through Insta Stories or Ads.
Along with the launch of Shops, Facebook has entered into partnership with eight third-party shopping platforms. Shopify is one amongst them that has announced the launch of a new unified Facebook Channel.
You Tube’s Video Ad Tool
Creating content of quality is not a child’s play as it involves the right skills and budget, which small businesses tend to lack at times. Moreover, there can be no video shoots as well in these challenging times. As a result, YouTube has launched its ‘Video Builder Tool’ that allows users to create video content for free.
Users can create and customize short videos (of six or 15 seconds in length) that can be shared via YouTube or use it in a YouTube ad campaign. One of the benefits that the tool offers is that videos integrated with the Google Ads Program will serve the relevant viewers.
Pinterest Shop creates visibility to small and sustainable brands
Pinterest has reported that searches for ‘support small business’ have drastically increased by 351% on platforms as users come out to lend support to small and independent companies.
Simultaneously, the searches for ‘zero waste products’ and ‘eco-friendly’ have risen by 93% and 108%, respectively.
Coinciding with Earth Day on 22 April 2022, Pinterest has added new products from sustainable brands onto the Pinterest shop from 21 small and medium-sized businesses in the United States. The purpose is to increase visibility and exposure to these businesses on social platforms.
Facebook’s business resource hub
According to the statistics, there are 90 million small businesses on Facebook, which generate a significant advertising revenue for the platform. Facebook strives to support small businesses through ‘Automated Ads’ and ‘Appointment.’
In the times of this COVID-19, Facebook has launched ‘Business Resource Hub’ to provide a helping hand to the businesses that are affected on a large scale. The hub is free, and it offers solutions to cope with the business disruptions.
Moreover, Facebook has also offered businesses free templates to communicate the quintessential messages related to COVID-19 to customers and words of gratitude. Like ‘we are still taking orders’ and ‘we wouldn’t be here without you.’
Instagram’s stickers for small businesses
Instagram has developed a new feature that can support businesses and escalate their sales. They have created gift cards, food order, and fundraiser stickers, which they can share on their profile or in Stories.
After tapping on the stickers, they will take customers to a website to do further purchase online or onto a dedicated fundraising page on Facebook. Customers can also share stickers in their stories to showcase support to certain businesses in their area.
If you feel your business needs support in this pandemic, then check out the above strategies of social media. Don’t wait for a miracle to happen.
For more information about support and help, you can visit Propel Guru and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
