By Lilian Museka
The need for information has never been more important today with the outbreak of an epidemic of global magnitude. Despite the media being at the forefront in the fight against the Covid-19 virus, it has not been spared either.
From the time the first case was reported in the City of Wuhan in China towards the end of 2019, the virus has wreaked havoc across the world leading to massive financial losses. Countries have come up with a raft of measures including lockdowns to contain the highly contagious virus.
A recent survey by the Kenya Private Sector Alliance on Business Perspectives on the Impact of Covid-19 on Kenya’s economy paints a gloomy picture. As reporters work diligently to give the world daily updates, they are equally mulling over the effects of the pandemic on their organizations which are dependent on advertisements.
Social distancing and stay at home aspects have seen increased demand for alternative news sources with digital media filling the gap. This disruptive communication may spell gloom to media organizations but at the same time create opportunities for them. The development in technology which includes digitization of content, upsurge in social media use, and mobile acceleration could be the ultimate game-changer for the newsmakers.
It is believed that media relies on the free movement of people to produce most of their content but during this period, the stay at home directive may as well work for them as the public continuously seeks for factual news. Some of the disruptive solutions offered by Pricewaterhouse Coopers (pwc) include connecting with the audience live online broadcasts and social media as well as transitioning staff to cyber safe technologies.
Since the audience is always seeking for new ways to get content, exploring the use of Artificial Intelligence, a new method that is seen to transform the media industry by increasing creativity may also be the way to go. Paid-up subscriptions may also offer an alternative for media houses, and it is evident many of them are taking up this challenge as sales of print copies continue to dwindle. Using emails to contact prospective clients could also work for them as they need to ensure the consumer is continuously informed.
On the other hand, communication consultants and public relations firms need to rethink the way they communicate with their clients to ensure continuity in loyalty. Thanks to the current social distancing and ban on gatherings that have perfectly ensured minimum physical interaction with clients, companies have to look for ways that still ensure their messages remain interactive and engaging with their clients.
A more secure digital communication strategy that ensures two-way communication may just change the companies’ fortunes during this crisis season. Since clients are still glued to the media seeking information about the virus, experts suggest it would be advisable to tailor messages around the pandemic. They observe that apart from ensuring the audience remains plugged into the current affairs, this also ensures the content delivered is of high quality.
Digital solutions are recommended to avoid an information vacuum. These include, live streaming to show how your business is doing during this period as well as creating short video content that allows feedback from clients through social media. Messaging platforms such as chatbox ensure personalized conversations. They mimic written or spoken speech to help interact with the person.
It is one of the quickest ways of attending to the needs of your clients and this can be adopted by organizations that want to remain in touch with their clients. Creating webinars and live videos that you can post on your social media accounts will ensure engagement with clients. This must be done regularly so that you remain relevant to your clients. Your social media accounts must be up to date with relevant information which satisfies the needs of your clients.
Finally, this is also the best time to get involved in corporate social responsibilities both internally and externally. Getting involved in the lives of your employees and clients through donations brings out the aspect of a caring organization.
Every person wants to be associated with a company that empathizes during difficult times. It may be costly to some extent, but it is a worthwhile investment in the long run.
Lilian Museka is a Communications Consultant and a freelance journalist based in Nairobi.
