Snapchat has this week published some new insights into how Snapchatters are feeling about the ongoing COVID-19 lockdowns, and the impact of the pandemic on society more broadly.
Snapchat's predominantly younger audience is in an interesting position here - while research shows that, in general, COVID-19 doesn't affect younger people as severely as it does those in older brackets, young workers are also likely among the most impacted by the lockdowns, with many retail and hospitality staff being laid off as a result of the mitigation efforts.
That means that while they're healthy, their immediate income and employment prospects may be limited.
So how do Snapchatters feel about the current situation and its ongoing impact?
First off, Snapchat notes that the vast majority of its audience is anxious, at some level, about the outbreak - though, understandbly, they're more concerned about their connections in this respect:
"Snapchatters are most concerned about the health of their family and friends (46%) and society in general (24%), whereas only 7% are most worried about their own health. As social distancing guidelines and economic pressures take their toll on classrooms and workplaces, Snapchatters are also worried about their education and employment. This feeling is especially prominent among 18-20 year olds - 20% of them are most concerned about the impact to their education or employment as a result of COVID-19."
In terms of day-to-day impacts, an interesting note here is that the majority of respondents say that they're actually getting used to the COVID-19 lockdowns.
That does make sense - do anything for long enough at you'll normalize it - while it also bodes well for the ongoing containment of the virus. If people are getting more used to staying at home, it won't feel like as much of an imposition - though, of course, many businesses still need to get back to normal ASAP in order to maintain their operations.
On that front, Snapchat users also predict that the lockdown will be in place for a while yet:
"40% [of respondents] expect to feel disruptions for more than 8 weeks, compared to nearly 1 in 3 Snapchatters from our previous survey, and 38% of Snapchatters are expecting to feel impacted for the next 4-8 weeks."
In terms of how they're spending their time, Snap says that cleaning has become a priority for many.
Snapchat also notes that 68% of respondents are also streaming more shows, and 22% are viewing more live-stream content in order to stay connected.
In translating these responses into insight for brands, Snap says that authentic communication is key:
"Empathy resonates with Snapchatters, as 27% say they like ads that show brands helping others. 17% like seeing ads that allow them to escape, whether through stunning visuals or a silly scenario. Brands can also score points with consumers by taking their shelter-in-place needs into account - 16% of Snapchatters like seeing ads for products used at home."
These are some interesting trend insights - maybe not revelatory, as most of these shifts would align with expectation. But still, some interesting trends to consider in your outreach, and how to connect with audiences during the pandemic.
You can read Snapchat's full "Covid-19: How Snapchatters are adjusting to a “new normal” report here.