Most brands understand the necessity of having a social media presence. However, some seem to lack an understanding of the importance of engagement on social media. Neglecting to effectively interact with your audience puts a barrier between your brand and opportunities for positive social engagement. Establishing consistent relationships with your audience is a crucial step to creating a relationship that drives interactions and provides benefits for you and your consumer.
The first step in creating effective social engagement is to simply reply. Being helpful and friendly sets a positive tone for your consumer. This could potentially be their first interaction with your brand, but 88% of brands don’t respond to messages that need a reply! Your business can be among that other 12% by taking the time to reply when someone reaches out.
Why is authentically engaging with your audience so important? Keep reading to learn about the benefits and tips to make your customers as happy as possible.
Use Visibility to Your Advantage
Social media engagement is public. The way you interact on your platforms is front and center for everyone to see. Unlike an in-person 1 on 1 interaction, interactions on social media platforms are visible to everyone. They are able to see first hand that you are supportive, responsive, and endorsing your products and/or services. This provides a solid platform for word-of-mouth marketing.
Be Timely
Chatting with your audience about products, campaigns, or anything related to your brand establishes a more personal relationship with your consumer. This process helps set the stage for optimal social media engagement. The wall between you and the customer is lifted and easy conversation can flow naturally. A quick response equals a satisfied customer. This, in turn, generates greater ROI for your business; research has shown that quicker responses generate more revenue for brands.
Fill Out Your Profile Completely
You want your customers to know that you are 100% committed to being there for them and invested in your relationship with them. In addition to basics such as a name and a profile picture, consider filling out details like contact information, location, and the category your business falls under. Providing them with any and all information on how they can contact you shows you are willing to engage with them in the most convenient way for them.
Utilize Existing Tools
Facebook and Instagram have new features that allow for much easier management of conversations. Currently, Facebook is working to centralize its messages into one inbox for businesses. This new function allows businesses to label contacts such as, “New Customer” or “VIP” which allows for greater organization of inboxes, using previous replies to streamline answers to common questions, and allow for an instant reply and away messages which can be set at specific times.
