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Story / Bianka Cramblit

Bridging the

Digital Gap

during Social

Isolation

A cafe is by its nature social, it is a welcoming

spot for first dates, chatting with old friends, or
meeting a study group, so how can a coffee shop
stay relevant during a prolonged period of social
isolation? As COVID-19 shuts down businesses around the
world, owners are wondering how they will keep their
businesses afloat by selling specialty coffee to consumers
stuck at home. Luckily, with today’s technology, cafes and
roasters are thinking outside of the shop and bringing their
coffee directly to their customers’ homes and to the one
place they know everyone will be, their phones.
From February to March, the number of Facebook
Live viewers in the US increased up to 50 per cent. Insta-
gram claims that their live video service has increased 70
per cent and they have used the opportunity to offer live
streaming on desktop for the first time. There’s never been
a better time to stream your cafe live.
Brands who already had a strong presence online have
found it easier than ever to connect with their loyal cus-
tomers during a country-wide shutdown. Others have found
themselves scrambling to adapt. We spoke to cafe owners
and roasters from China to the United States about what
builds a trustworthy brand and the best ways to reach out
to customers digitally.
The innovations and tactics being developed during
this crisis may be here to stay.

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