NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant turns to TikTok to spread Covid-19 messaging
NSW Health officials have turned to alternative social media platforms to help spread their important Covid-19 messages to a wider community.
Frustrated by their inability to effectively engage with younger audiences during the pandemic, politicians and health officials are increasing their presence on social media platform TikTok to deliver key public health information.
NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant featured in a 90-second video on TikTok that was released on Sunday and also a 30-minute question and answer session in the evening.
This included UNSW astrophysicist Kirsten Banks and many others asking Dr Chant a series of questions about the state’s response to the Covid-19 and how residents could help get the city out of the current lockdown.
Dr Chant explained the importance of minimising contact with others, following stay-at-home orders, wearing a mask and limiting time outdoors.
Jules Lund, founder of online marketing platform Tribe, which helps businesses engage with difficult-to-reach audiences, said there was a whole contingent of younger Australians who did not consume mainstream media such as traditional TV and radio news bulletins.
“You have got to access them some way, and these social platforms have a role to play,” he said.
“The messages can be delivered in a way that’s helpful.
“The government needs to do this to get messages out and the video with Dr Chant is brilliant.
“It’s done with an astrophysicist who is the creator, who can ask her questions.
“You have to fish where the fish are, and you need to reach those audiences.
“Some of these are difficult-to-reach audiences.”
A Roy Morgan poll in December 2020 showed there were 2.5 million TikTok users in Australia – a 50 per cent increase within just 12 months.
University of Melbourne marketing lecturer Brent Coker said using social media platforms including TikTok helped reach audiences that were not easily accessible through other social media platforms such as Facebook.
“The demographics of people using TikTok are older now than what a lot of people think,” he said.
“There’s definitely users in their 20s, 30s and even beyond that.
“Young people aren’t on Facebook.
“Politicians and bureaucrats need to remain relevant to people while also retaining their core values.”
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has an official TikTok account with more than 82,700 followers. Western Australia’s Mark McGowan has 35,600 followers, Tasmania’s Peter Gutwein has 1800 and Queensland’s Annastacia Palaszczuk has 1000.
TikTok’s director of public policy for Australia and New Zealand Brent Thomas said the platform was “giving people access to credible and authoritative information about Covid-19”.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be able to work with Kerry Chant to help get critical public health messages out to communities in NSW,” he said.
“We welcome the opportunity to support governments and health bodies around Australia in this vital work.”
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