Museum communication management in digital ecosystems. Impact of COVID-19 on digital strategy

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has seriously affected the world's cultural institutions, as well as driving digitization and a change in the relationships with their audiences. This study explores how the most visited art-museums in Spain have reacted through their social networks to the pandemic. Two key moments, the confinement and a period one-year after the declaration of the health crisis are compared. A mixed method by combining a content analysis of 2392 publications on Twitter and Instagram and two regression models evidence that COVID-19 has been a turning point in the management of museum communication in digital ecosystems. The main findings highlight the importance of active listening and the ability of these channels to create experiences beyond the physical visit. The strategic value of its implementation is underlined. Practical implications are included and it emphasized the role of entertainment and social support of the museums in crisis situations.