Social media has completely changed the way customers and businesses interact with each other. It’s an easily accessible avenue for real-time communication and feedback for both brands and consumers. Harnessing the power of social media is one of the best ways to build a relationship with your target audience. But, it can be hard to get started. Using an expert social marketing agency that will develop a bespoke social strategy for your needs that reflects your audience and brand essence can guarantee you success online.
So, what are some recommended uses of social media that can build and engage your customers?
Use social media as a customer service channel
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Having a social media channel dedicated to providing customer service is a great way to start building relationships with your customers. Many customers have begun using social media to report queries, issues or ask questions to brands, and many expect an almost-instant response.
Social media gives you a direct route to answer questions and solve customer problems. You can also use your dedicated social media to broadcast general announcements or issues. The most frequently used social platform for customer service is Twitter, but many brands opt to use Facebook Messenger’s chatbot for generic customer service.
Whichever platform you opt to use, just make sure you respond to your customers in a timely manner.
Create a relatable brand voice
Being relatable is one of the best ways to build a strong connection with your audience. Many people use social media to be entertained and connect with others—being relatable satisfies both of these. While you try to avoid being overly casual on social media, it’s an online destination where you can let your creativity flow more.
You can join in on popular memes that resonate with your brand, use trending slang or create a whole new persona for your brand online.
Listen to and act on customer feedback
Social media is where your customers will be leaving direct and indirect feedback for your brand to implement. You can monitor your mentions and tags for direct feedback or use a social listening tool to see what organic conversations are saying about your brand.
Implementing these suggestions will show your customers you care about their opinions and that they can trust you to improve your operations to suit their needs. This could involve developing a new product or feature, but either way, it’s an integral part of gaining their trust.
Create personalized customer experiences
Personalization is another great way to engage your customers. If you are using social media as a customer service destination, ensure you are using your customer’s names to give them a personal experience. Customers are more likely to bond with brands that put in the effort to create a personalized relationship with them.
Another way to create a personal experience is to offer live-chat support where customers can speak to a real person.
Whether you’re dealing with customer service issues or simply interacting with your followers’ Tweets, creating that personal connection is key.
Build an online community
Social media is the ideal online destination to build a strong community. Wherever you choose to host your community—within a Facebook Group, under a hashtag, or another online community—invite your audience to participate.
Having a dedicated space for your community to discuss their favorite products, services, or tips and tricks helps people create deeper connections with your brand. Hosting an online community is a great way to keep people aware of and talking about your brand, even when you’re not directly selling to them.
