Lilly Singh’s hilarious TikTok video driving home the importance of masking up (and doing it correctly) reached millions of social media users. California Governor Gavin Newsom and others went on to share her video on other channels with the hashtag #YourActionsSaveLives. This type of collaboration among public health, government, and local and national influencers is a powerful tool in that celebrities can give authenticity and “trendiness” to vital public health practices and help reach a more diverse audience.

This 1-minute video features Sesame Street’s Elmo wearing a mask and speaking to kids as they get ready to go back to school—whether they’re remote learning or attending in-person. Elmo is a universally recognized and loved character among kids and parents. Showing him wearing a mask normalizes the preventive behavior and models when and how it should be worn. Elmo’s reaction to remote learning says that it’s okay for kids to be disappointed or have uncertain feelings about these changes. It also secondarily supports parents, showing them how to respond to kids’ questions and gives tips on staying calm amid the chaos. Public health professionals should consider using local and regional influencers to help deliver prevention and resilience messages to their audiences.

Representative Harris posted a short video via Twitter of him receiving a COVID-19 test. The video featured a voiceover of Rep Harris sharing his reflections during which he provided a calm account of his experience, concerns, and how he felt after. Rep Harris’s video allows viewers to see firsthand what testing may be like for them and to be encouraged to get tested by a trusted member of their community.

Casa de Salud, a nonprofit focused on healthcare equity – created and shared promotional materials for COVID-19 testing in Spanish and English as a way to reach all members of its communities. Providing testing information in multiple languages at the outset of any campaign helps ensure that all populations have access to your messages and know about the testing opportunities. Partnering with non-English-speaking community liaisons and partners and building translation into your strategy furthers the reach and impact of your campaign.

It’s not always realistic or feasible to get a celebrity or influencer to record a video or create in-depth content for your campaign. This example shows the power of an interim ask of influencers: sharing your campaign’s messages with their followers. As part of the #ArtistsForBlackLives campaign, Dua Lipa highlighted the important work of the Black Doctors Consortium and their efforts to expand testing within Back communities. Dua Lipa’s post makes the connection between the current #BLM movement, COVID-19, and the power of testing to stop the spread. Dua Lipa’s post received nearly 10k likes, reaching audiences potentially unfamiliar with the consortium and COVID-19 testing facts.

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Twitter post accomplishes something rare in the world of social media: it provides a one-stop-shop for testing site information. The dual action of the post’s graphic listing testing sites and showing them on a map leaves users with memorable and instantly actionable info—even if they’re just scrolling by.

Fear and uncertainty are significant barriers to people getting tested. The Vermont Department of Health showed residents exactly what to expect at one of their free, community-based pop-up testing sites. This simple video, also posted on Facebook, is shot from the first-person perspective and deconstructs the process, humanizes the testing staff, and demystifies testing itself by showing what people can expect to see, hear and do during an appointment.