Twitter says Corona pandemic not a ‘marketing opportunity’ to capitalize on

In times of crisis, people look to leaders and institutions for guidance, reassurance, and information.

Twitter on Wednesday said that the platform is witnessing a COVID-19 related Tweet every 45 milliseconds and #Coronavirus is now the second most used hashtag of 2020.

Sharing tips on how brands could bring their customers, employees, and the broader ecosystem together in a positive way in the time of crisis, Twitter said "This is not a 'marketing opportunity' to capitalize on, and we do not recommend brands opportunistically linking themselves to a health scare. We also know that Twitter is a platform that plays a significant role in crisis communications, and can be a powerful tool for you to communicate with your customers, employees, and the broader ecosystem at times like this."

According to Twitter, verified people on Twitter are about 2.4 times more likely to participate in COVID-19 conversation than non-verified people, and 75 percent of COVID-19 related Tweets are actually Retweets.

These volumes reflect the huge appetite for seeing and sharing news and information related to this virus as it unfolds. In times of crisis, people look to leaders and institutions for guidance, reassurance, and information. Increasingly, they also look to businesses, the social networking platform said.

Twitter advises brands to:

• Understand the unique role your brand plays in people's lives and how your brand can help or be useful during this crisis
• Keep a close eye on the news and conversation, and be sure to consider the context before replying or broadcasting.
• To show empathy, understanding and even certain types of humor, rather than being snarky or sarcastic
• Anticipate consumer behavior changes to support changing needs
• Listen and understand the concerns your customers have and address them, as best you can.
• Continue to connect with and celebrate events, trends and occasions from #IWD2020 to sports, TV premieres and culture, as and when appropriate.

"So long as you are thoughtful with copy and tone, you can contribute, and remember it's better to stay in your lane and be true to your brand than to associate with the virus," Twitter said in a blog post.