How To Engage Your Audience Through The Pandemic
Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been chatting with social media agencies, PR companies, galleries and artists to catch up on what they’ve been working on and to get a sense of best practices when it comes to engaging art-lovers through the pandemic.
Fundamentally, the art of engagement is no different to any other time, it’s about putting yourself in the shoes of your audience and thinking about what they’re feeling right now, what problems they’re facing and what value you can add as a creative through engagement.
The pandemic has however thrown up an interesting new dimension. During a recent webinar with Born Social I was staggered to learn that through this period of isolation people are craving engagement in the same way they crave food when hungry: Your audience literally has an appetite for interaction.
So how can we best serve the current needs? Here are 5 tips to consider…
1. Try Group Engagement
Due to the sense of isolation, get-togethers on Zoom, Houseparty and the use of Facebook groups have gone through the roof in the last few weeks.
So how about a virtual pub session to kick around new ideas with collaborators? How about a group discussion around a particular theme or topic? How about a catch-up with other artists to show and explore what you’ve been thinking and working on? The time is ripe for trying something new!
If you feel a little anxious about initiating your own group activity, why not start off by taking part in other group sessions amongst people you already know to get a sense of what works best (including the Artist Wingman Facebook group of course!)
Join us at facebook.com/groups/thewingmancommunity
2. Try 1-1 Engagement
Video chats and live messaging are also at an all-time high as people aren’t just feeling the need for social interaction in a group setting, but also on a 1-1 basis.
Who can you reach out to directly at this time? Who in your network might be particularly appreciative of a 1-1 chat in the next couple of days?
Also, why not think about reaching out to those curators, business owners and high-profile artists that you’ve been meaning to connect with for ages? In the last two weeks I’ve enjoyed lengthy discussions with professionals who I normally struggle to get 5 minutes with. People are more open to new discussions during these unique circumstances, so make the most of it!
If you’re feeling brave, why not even try something like Lunch Club, an AI superconnector that makes introductions for 1-1 video meetings to advance your career. I tried it last week and had a lovely chat with a marketing expert and music enthusiast!
3. Go Live!
Experts currently foresee a permanent shift towards live content due to a surge in use and the fact that social distancing will likely go on long enough for this form of interaction to become a new habit for those on social media.
Perhaps try a live Q&A? How about a chat with a guest speaker? What about a live demonstration? Have fun and see what works!
In these times it’s important to remember that perfection isn’t a consideration. People are more forgiving than usual when it comes to slickness and are just looking for interesting and engaging social interaction above all else.
Last week I went live with artist Nicolas Ruston in a very impromptu session with Statement Art!
4. Help People Enter A Beautiful Headspace
Anxiety is rife amongst the general population at the moment, quite understandably. As a creative you are in a strong position to take people to a more wondrous place. Whether it’s through a soothing process video, an art class, a piece to camera telling the story of a particular piece of work or your own personal journey, educating people on a specific social mission that you feel passionately about or sharing a particular technique, what can you do to help take people’s minds off things?
Within this, don’t be afraid to publish some longer-form videos and podcasts or initiate longer group sessions. The demand for longer content and engagement is on the up as people look to immerse themselves into something meaningful for large chunks of time.
5. Go For The Soft Sell
Another problem you can help people solve is the need to revitalise the space they’re living and working in by selling your work and new commissioned pieces. People are still buying art, but you need to be careful about how you engage your audience with sales during this time.
The general advice I’ve received on this front is not to go for the ‘hard sell’ during the pandemic or to exploit the situation to try and sell more work in an artificial way. Instead, you can occasionally mention in your posts and discussions that your work is still available to purchase, how shipping & delivery times are just a little different and subtlety give them a link or a handle to click on if they’re curious, the ‘soft sell’ if you like.
Prior to this, why not use the time to refine your online shop by sharpening-up your photographs, videos and, if you’re feeling frisky, why not put together a 360 video or a virtual exhibition. Be ready if a collector comes knocking!
Final Thoughts
It’s ok to have moments of feeling shit during this time, so don’t feel any pressure to change the world, revolutionise digital engagement or radicalise how you do things. Just chill and take things day by day, engage with other people when you feel like it and everything will come together naturally.
Above all else, keep it real. If any of the above feels forced then don’t do it. Only engage in activities that you feel excited about and always speak in a way that comes easily to you; don’t force it.
As ever, give me a shout if there’s anything I can help with or if you just fancy a chat!
Best wishes and stay safe,
Oliver