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How TikTok Is Helping Pass the Time During Social Distancing

By March 24, 2020No Comments
TikTok social distancing

TikTok is a viral app that has dominated and changed the landscape of social media in 2020. According to SensorTower, TikTok has been downloaded 1.5 billion times. The app, largely influenced by Millennials and Gen Z, is entertaining, creative, and a hub for trending content.

At Fort Lauderdale and Aspen-based public relations agency Durée & Company, we are aware that we’re living in the digital heart of the social media generation. So, it’s no surprise that social media giant TikTok continues to grow at a phenomenal pace globally, with the app on track for 2 billion lifetime installs. According to Business Insider, the app surged in downloads in February due to the developments of COVID-19. This makes us wonder ― when the most trending topic in the world is a pandemic, how does TikTok remain a source of entertainment while also leveraging itself as a resource for its users?

We took a deep dive into the world of TikTok to learn how the app is supporting its global community during this pandemic. Here are three ways TikTok is helping pass the time during the social distancing of COVID-19:

  1. Source of Escapism

During this time of self-isolation, TikTok is playing a pivotal role in helping alleviate anxiety or deliria that many people may be experiencing.

  • Who said that staying home was a bad thing? According to “The Goods” by Vox, “TikTok has become the most useful place to see how other people are living through this extremely unprecedented crisis. This creates a sense of community during this period of social distancing.” Some trending TikTok hashtags include #HappyatHome and #LifeatHome, which share ideas on how to pass the time at home. TikTok recognizes that the most responsible thing the community can do right now is stay home. Featured content includes working out, cooking, self-care, crafts and more.
  • Current status: working from home. Many businesses have urged employees to work remotely from home during this time. Businesses should use this time to explore TikTok and tap into their creativity. It’s important to create content that best resonates with the audience. This could range from dance tutorials, workouts, product demonstrations, etc. This will give businesses an opportunity to engage with their consumers in an authentic way. For example, businesses can record a #QuaratineRoutine video and show how they are staying on top of deadlines with work, staying active and most importantly, staying safe.
  1. Comic Relief During a Pandemic 

Often times, humor helps make a stressful situation a lot easier to cope with. The 15-second videos may seem short, but their impact on users is everlasting.

  • TikTok: play “It’s Corona Time” by @RedKnight. According to the TikTok 2020 Report, “Part of TikTok’s uniqueness is in the fact that its sounds and music are idiosyncratic to certain challenges or types of content.” This song has been used in 877.3k videos on TikTok, showing how users are coping during the pandemic, reacting to media and the measures they are taking to stay safe.
  • Stock-piling season? TikTok says so. Videos such as panic buying, which show users emptying out the shelves of their local grocery stores, are flooding the app’s discover page. According to “The Goods” by Vox, “A genre of early-2020 TikTok is: the coronavirus stockpiling video. Typically set to unofficial Covid-19 themes.” The community of users find comfort in sharing extreme interpretations of the actions people are taking during the pandemic.
  1. Resource for Safety Measures

While TikTok is predominately used to share entertaining content, the app has also become a resource and reminder for users to follow necessary precautions to feel safe and healthy during a pandemic.

  • Stay informed. “The Goods” by Vox also notes, “TikTok has implemented safety measures in which searches for #coronavirus show videos from organizations like WHO and the World Economic Forum, and videos hashtagged #coronavirus include a notice to contact local health authorities for updated information.”
  • Take this time to master a challenge. According to the TikTok 2020 Report, “Hashtag challenges capitalize on TikTok users’ natural tendency to create and share content. These challenges typically use a theme or piece of music and create content that’s entertaining with an element of a surprise or twist.”

TikTok partnered with WHO to create the #SafeHandsChallenge, which shows users washing hands while singing the chorus of a song for up to 40 seconds. Celebrities are even joining in on the challenge, including Jimmy Fallon, Chrissy Metz, Kristin Chenoweth, Terry Crews and more. The message is clear – washing your hands is key.

While we know social distancing won’t last forever, we do know that social media is here to stay and help users get through this difficult time. Need help tackling the world of TikTok? Our team is ready to help you and your business use this unprecedented time to tap into a new audience and create video content people will enjoy.

 

About Durée & Company 

Durée & Company, Inc. is an award-winning, full-service public relations, marketing and special events firm founded in 1999. The firm has offices in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Aspen, Colorado. Durée & Company serves the corporate, agency and nonprofit arenas for local, national and international clients. Services include public relations, social media, marketing, content development, advertising, special events, branding, radio promotions and more. Durée & Company clients include well-known names in business, fashion, hospitality, travel, wellness and CBD, marine & yacht, art and culture, nonprofit organizations, legal and professional services and real estate. Durée & Company is a member of PR Boutiques International™ (PRBI), an international network of boutique PR firms. To learn more, go to https://dureeandcompany.com/, visit Durée & Company on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DureeCoPR/, Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dureecopr Twitter at https://twitter.com/dureecopr or YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/DureeAndCompany, or call 954-723-9350.

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Five Things That Need to be in Your Resume or Cover Letter

To paraphrase Jerry Maguire, help us help you. As we sift through the paperwork, here’s what we are looking for:

1. What you love to do and why.

In PR, you may love writing, editing, interviewing, pitching the media, researching, coordinating events, networking, posting to social media … whew! While we would love it if you had a passion for it all, we’d never believe you if you said as much.

What part of this zany, crazy, whirlwind, yet meticulous, tedious, detail-oriented, profession calls to you and why? Help us make the connection as to how PR is really for you, and call it your Professional Summary.

2. Something you did that changed something or someone else.

If you never showed up to your last job, what wouldn’t have happened? That’s right. Erase yourself. Now which clients disappeared with you? Which articles just fade away? What press releases cease to exist? How much social media did NOT get liked?

We are just meeting you. So take a moment to spell out your impact, and it will be easier for us to see what you can do for the clients of Durée & Company. Share this under your Job Responsibilities.

3. Anything you created.

Feeling humble? Well, stop it. This is the part where you brag. If you craft a delightful blog, master a mind-blowing website, shoot crazy video or direct wonderful events, show us.

Then tell us a bit of how you did it, so we trust that it was your brilliance and not the intern’s. Let’s dub this Your Portfolio.

4. An indication of why you belong here.

At PR firm Durée & Company, we have a culture. Really, all companies do. To learn about ours, do some legwork. At this point, if you’re on our blog, you are in the right spot to begin learning. Hate pink? Not good with women? Live in Kansas? Low energy? Then you might want to reconsider applying. However, if we resemble a group that you’d like to hang out with, share why. You can do that in the Cover Letter.

5. Correctly spelled words – all of them.

Do more than hit spell check. Know how to spell or ask someone to proofread. Correctly spelled words work everywhere, all the time. Consider them the Little Black Dresses of resumes.

So consider these five tips – we’ve just given you a “cheat sheet” about what we’re watching out for. Even if our position may not be for you, feel free to use our advice for another – it may just get you the job!