As people continue to practice social distancing measures and stay at home amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the amount of time spent on social media platforms is also seeing an increase. However, the increase in engagement levels are not all equal or growing at a steady rate. 

According to a forecast by eMarketer, the average time spent on Facebook on a daily basis pertained to 4.3%. This percentage pertained to the April 2020 forecast. It should also be noted that previously, eMarketer predicted a 2% decline in the average amount of time spent on Facebook back in November 2019. 

Debra Aho Williamson, who is a principal analyst at eMarketer, also noted that they believed some users with increased time spent on Facebook in the recent months may revert back to their previous usage patterns by the end of 2020. 

“As stay-at-home orders slowly lift, we expect total social time among users to drop slightly going into 2021, but it will remain above 2019 levels,” Williamson explained. “Some of the increased time on social networks will stick around, driven by TikTok, Instagram Live, Snap Originals and other Discover content.”

The Instagram prediction was also amended to a 13.8% increase compared to the 1.5% in November 2019. This significantly higher percentage increase can be attributed to how users on the social media platform are engaging with others. 

For example, the Instagram Stories and Live features not only offered a way for users to share content, but also allowed them to interact with their followers and community. In addition,Williamson noted how content creators, publishers, and celebrities used 

Instagram to showcase how they were dealing with social distancing measures. 

In the case with Snapchat, it also saw a difference in predictions. While November 2019 was at a 1.7% increase, that percentage soared to 12% for the April 2020 forecast. It should be noted, however, that while the increase could be explained by the worldwide pandemic situation, Snapchat was already experiencing an increased amount of time spent on it due to AR Lenses, Discover page content, as well as original shows. In addition, Williamson added how users are spending time on the application for the sake of communicating with their friends.

As social media platforms experience changes when it comes to user engagement, businesses should factor this into their marketing campaigns and overall goals. An effective way to do so would be with the help of Find Your Audience. 

Find Your Audience is a team of professionals who is experienced with conducting thorough market research and delivering performance-based results. By working closely with clients across the globe, the team is able to develop customized strategies and help business leaders reach their goals.

To get in touch with the team, call 647-479-0688 or email hi@findyouraudience.online.