Corporate Branding
It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in or what type of products or services you’re selling, social media is the most valuable tool for brands in today’s world. Not only is social media important for establishing brand identity, but it’s a great way to connect with existing and potential customers.
Today, 90% of consumers follow at least one company page on Instagram, and 66% of Facebook users like or follow a brand page. Social media has quickly become a holy grail for many companies, and not to mention it’s also a great place to virtually engage with your customers, collect feedback, and build relationships.
If your company operates out of a brick-and-mortar, then you’re used to engaging with customers in-person, however, it’s important to remember that social media interactions are much different than face-to-face encounters. In order to successfully build relationships on social media, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Today’s customers expect their favorite brands to be relatively active on social media and for the most part, companies are not only complying with those expectations but some of them get pretty creative with how they promote their brand! To keep up with competitors, brands are making their online presence more of a priority as a way to grow their audience and also to stay relevant in a digital world.
Many consumers, especially Millennials and those from Gen Z, use social media as their preferred channel for communicating with a brand. If they have a question about a product, they might leave a comment under a brand’s Instagram post or send them a direct message on Facebook. Similarly, if they have a complaint about something, the chances of them tagging the brand in a Tweet are pretty high. Communicating through social media has essentially replaced the old school email or phone call to customer service for today’s generations.
If your company isn’t particularly social media savvy, it might be in your brand’s best interest to hire an internal social media manager or have an agency come in and manage your marketing department. This is because prioritizing the interactions your brand has with customers on social media is a key component in your brand’s overall reputation, so you most definitely want a constant set of eyes on all of your channels. The most important thing is to understand is that this type of communication is very different from face-to-face or even verbal engagements.
Another aspect to keep in mind is that conversation through social media doesn’t convey a person’s tone of voice, facial expressions, or their demeanor. Say a customer tags your brand in a Tweet and suggests that your product isn’t working for them. You don’t know if they’re angry and complaining, or if they simply just need help using it.
That’s why having a strategy for conversing with customers across your various social media channels is so important. You don’t have to spend time trying to decode a customer’s message before formulating a response. Instead, you can come up with a few foolproof ways to address potential comments or complaints.
Nailing your customer service messaging on social media is key. But you also need to ensure that your brand is proactively engaging with its followers. Social media is a great way to recognize your customers for being loyal. Remember that you want your customers to feel heard and valued. That makes your brand look human and encourages your audience to continue following and engaging with your company.
Building relationships on social media is much different than building them in person. However, it doesn't have to be hard! Here are a few tips your brand can use to engage with customers and keep them happy on social media.
When your customers are actively reaching out on your channels, it’s crucial that you respond as quickly as possible. If you ask a question to an associate in a store, you expect an immediate response. The same goes for social media. If you don’t have an employee who is dedicated to social media full-time, keep an eye on your social profiles throughout the day. Ideally, try to respond to every customer within one hour. After working hours, aim to monitor your channels every few hours to check for messages that need immediate attention.
Although social media conversations aren’t face-to-face, your customers should feel like you’re having a regular conversation. That means your responses need to sound like they are coming from a human being, not a chatbot. Customers aren’t stupid and will know when you’re responding with a generic message. Your responses should be short, easy to understand, and friendly. When it’s appropriate, use emojis, GIFs, or other visuals that are consistent with your brand to add personalization and flare.
One of the most effective ways companies can use social media is to get feedback from their customers. If people are consistently complaining about a certain product, take that into consideration. Instead of simply apologizing, ask the customer what could be better. Your customers want to feel like their feedback is actually being addressed and incorporated into your product development strategy. Having these types of conversations on social media shows other people that your brand is committed to collecting and implementing customer feedback.
Social media is a great place to showcase your loyal customers. There are several ways you can do that. One strategy is to host a giveaway or competition and tag the winner on your Twitter or Instagram page. You can also repost crowdsourced content, like a photo of a customer using your product. When you sell a product or service to a customer, encourage them to post about it on social media using a dedicated hashtag so they can be featured on your page.
Building digital relationships can be tough, but with the right strategies, it can be a breeze. Remember that building relationships on social media does take commitment and dedication and as your audience grows, you’ll have more relationships to manage. Create an action plan for engaging with consumers on social media and providing customer service. You can even look at other brands who are killing it on social media for inspiration. Use these channels for fostering connections with customers that you can’t reach in person and most importantly, have fun with it!
