5 Social Media Facts About This Thanksgiving
With more than 85,000 coronavirus patients hospitalized nationwide, Thanksgiving this year has been transformed from a beloved holiday into a potentially super-spreading event; turning what already is a public health crisis into an even worse situation. To help get a better picture of how the social media audience is feeling about the holiday this year, here are 5 social media facts you need to know about Thanksgiving in 2020.
Fact #1. The Social Audience Is Talking A Lot More About Thanksgiving Travel This Year
Between November 1-22, 2020 there were 134,950 Tweets that mentioned both Thanksgiving and Travel, which was a 842% increase from the 14,320 Tweets mentioning both Thanksgiving and Travel together between November 1-22, 2019. Sentiment around the Tweets that mentioned both Thanksgiving and Travel between November 1-22, 2020 was 46% Negative and 12% Positive with many of the Tweets complaining about people still planning to Travel this Thanksgiving. For example, comedian Rachel McCartney got 194,927 responses to a Tweet complaining that 47% of Americans still plan to travel this Thanksgiving.
Fact #2. Thanksgiving Dinner Has Always Been About Crowd Size, That Just Has A Different Connotation Now
Between November 1-22, 2019; the most popular Tweet discussing Thanksgiving Dinner generated 140,782 responses and talked about how someone’s family is so big that the dinner spills over into the backyard and the street. This year, there are even more Tweets talking about the size of Thanksgiving Dinner, it’s just around the opposite extreme. For instance, a Manhattan podcaster received 5,529 responses to a Tweet announcing this Thanksgiving he’ll be defying a New York state restriction on indoor gathering of more than 10 people. Meanwhile, a Tweet accusing California Governor Gavin Newsom of being hypocritical about his guideline that no more than two households celebrate Thanksgiving dinner together received 5,471 responses while a Tweet saying people can do Thanksgiving dinner via Zoom received 3,796 responses.
Overall, there were 444,885 Tweets mentioning Thanksgiving and either the word Food, Meal, or Dinner between November 1-22, 2020 which was a 78% increase from Tweets with those same terms between November 1-22, 2019. In both years, the pre-Thanksgiving conversation was more around the guest list than around the actual food people would be having.
Fact #3. Zoom May Become The Brand Most Associated With Thanksgiving This Year
Largely around Zoom’s announcement that they’d lift their 40 minute call limit on free calls for Thanksgiving, between November 1-22, 2020, there have been 77,818 Tweets mentioning both Thanksgiving and Zoom. Along those lines, there have been a lot of “a Zoom Thanksgiving is better than…” Tweets leading into the holiday, for example saying it’s better than an ICU Christmas, better than a Zoom family funeral,and better than a RIP on Christmas.
Fact #4. Most Businesses Will Be Closed This Thanksgiving
Between November 1-22, 2020, there were 15,996 Tweets talking about being Closed on Thanksgiving up from 7,752 Tweets mentioning being Closed on Thanksgiving between November 1-22, 2019. Given that brick and mortar stores are for the most part not even attempting to compete amid social distancing considerations; expect more people than ever to spend Thanksgiving on their computer, shopping for holiday sales.
Fact #5. Getting A COVID Test Has Become Part Of The Thanksgiving Ritual
Between November 1-22, 2020, there were 16,075 Tweets mentioning a COVID Test and Thanksgiving, with the number going way up the closer we get to the holiday. The Tweets range from warning people to get a Covid Test before leaving campus so you don’t kill your grandmother, reminders that a negative coronavirus test doesn’t make it safe to gather in person on Thanksgiving, and someone worrying that her mom who tested positive will still try to host Thanksgiving dinner. This holiday season, getting tested before headed home and the debate on if you should be around people regardless of what the test results are, is a big part of the Thanksgiving conversation on social media.
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