COVID-19 has put the world on lockdown.

Countries are issuing stay-at-home orders. Social distancing and telecommuting is the new norm. Film and TV productions have been shut down indefinitely. And production crews are basically sidelined until we overcome this new pandemic crisis.

But that doesn’t mean your brand has to cry uncle, stop creating content, and admit defeat. As the Late Night shows have proven, there’s always a way to pivot.

And with everyone clinging to their smartphones in self-isolation, desperately looking for ways to pass the time, you have a silver lining to this ominous COVID-19 cloud - crowdsourcing and video collaboration.

Creating With Your Community During Quarantine

People are stuck at home and are going stir-crazy. Brands like yours want new content, but cannot tap traditional production crews. Put the two together with a tool like Cinebody and you have lightning in a bottle.

Your fans and brand ambassadors are spending more time than ever on their phones now, and are scouring the social sites for new entertainment. Not only can you give it to them, you can actively involve them in its creation.

They get creative, you get content, and everyone’s happy. So, what’s the first move?

Start with a gameplan. What kind of content are you looking for to drive consumer engagement during quarantine? What stories do you want to tell? What do you want from your fans?

Remember, with user-generated content (UGC) it’s all about authenticity. You’re not looking for them to produce your next slick commercial. You’re looking for real, raw, and genuine. This spot for Popeye’s is a perfect example of that kind of content. You could even argue that it’s way better than a shoot that would have cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

This spot for Buffalo Wild Wings is also a solid example of the kind of content you can get, but this was the result of scouring the Internet for clips and securing rights. That whole process can be a real pain, and eat up weeks (or even months) of valuable time. With a crowdsourcing tool like Cinebody, the videos come to you.

Once you have your plan, reach out to your fans on your social channels. Now, more than ever, social media is a primary way for people to connect with the outside world, so it won’t take long to get more than enough candidates.

Then it’s time to open the floodgates for these creators. Ask them for their video submissions, and you’ll be astonished at just how creative and enthusiastic your fanbase can get. And with a tool like Cinebody, you’re armed with everything you need to turn that content into crowdsourcing gold.

With it, you can:

• Creatively direct each content creator with a shot list.

• Send real-time feedback with push notifications, ensuring you get exactly what you need.

• Receive the footage as soon as it’s been shot, in its original format and without file compression.

• Share the final video back with fans, who will share it with their followers for organic growth.

Yes, there’s no doubt we’re in uncharted territory here with the COVID-19 crisis. But a strategy shift to UGC and crowdsourcing can get you the content you need to engage your fans. Not only is it the perfect solution for a country on lockdown, it’s also faster and more affordable than a traditional production. And when budgets are being squeezed, that’s yet another reason to tap video collaboration tools.