The Social Media “Magic”: Virtually Engaging Visitors during COVID-19 Temporary Closures

Brittany Ryder,Nan Hua,Tingting Zhang

doi:10.3390/admsci11020053

Brittany Ryder, Nan Hua + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci11020053

Copy DOI

Journal: Administrative Sciences	Publication Date: May 24, 2021
Citations: 19	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Central Florida

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore what types of digital content cultural institutions implemented during COVID-19 temporary closures and their effects on social media engagement. Existing research identified the role of digital content and social media in cultural institutions, but only in times of normal operations. This study adds to the existing literature by exploring the types of digital content implemented, impacts on social media engagement, measures of social media engagement, and future implications in regard to COVID-19 temporary closures. This study recruited 66 cultural institutions from across the United States to take part in in-depth semi-structured phone interviews to fulfill the research goals. Museums, zoos, aquariums, performing arts organizations, heritage foundations, and historical societies were represented. A qualitative approach was adopted, and content analysis on the interview transcripts indicated that cultural institutions implemented digital content to build communities through live and serialized content, partnerships, fundraising, increased transparency, and increased accessibility during temporary closures. Using primarily Instagram and Facebook with their digital content, cultural institutions increased social media engagement during this time. Although there was no consensus on best practices in measuring social media engagement, many institutions highlighted tracking active engagement such as likes, comments, and shares. As a result of the success of the digital content, cultural institutions planned continued digital content campaigns such as videos, blogs, partnerships, and paid educational content in times of normal operations.

Highlights

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic transformed the way cultural institutions presented their content to visitors
How was cultural institutions’ social media engagement affected by the types of digital content implemented during COVID-19 temporary closures?
Participants were recruited by the researchers selecting cultural institutions that received media attention for the digital content they implemented during COVID-19 temporary closures

Summary

Introduction

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic transformed the way cultural institutions presented their content to visitors. As a result of temporary closures enacted internationally during the COVID-19 pandemic, cultural institutions could no longer engage guests in person. They turned to introducing new digital content or further promoting pre-existing digital content to connect with audiences. Many took advantage of social media to support their digital content during the pandemic. This transformed digital content into their central message and social media into their primary communication medium. Social media allowed institutions to communicate their digital content with a wider audience and receive measurable and significant feedback from this audience

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion