The benefit of social media is that it facilitates two-way communication between your brand and customers/prospects. Interacting with your audience will keep them interested far longer than simply providing links to product/service information. Learning to engage your social network may be a little tricky.
Engagement means different things to different people. As a marketer, or business owner, your idea of engagement could be different from that of the consumer. Understanding your audience and tools will help you define engagement and develop a successful strategy. Here are a few rules to get you started:
Establish an identity. Your audience should always know what to expect from you. They follow your brand because they like its “personality” so stay true to that image – be consistent.
Have a presence on all relevant social media sites. There are countless social networks available and new ones are popping up everyday. Of course, you are aware of Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and Google+, but there are many others. Take for example Pinterest, the invitation-only pinboard. It has been making waves recently and should be a part of your social media mix. You should also be active on industry-specific networking sites. Professional networks can easily be found through industry associations and by
Spam will be reported and ignored. Users do not want to be spammed and all unsolicited communications are considered spam. They will be reported and you will have to answer to the network, which may freeze your account until things are straightened out. Don’t send direct messages to random people or tag them in irrelevant posts to get their attention. This is annoying and they will be weary of you in the future.
Listen and deliver. Knowing your audience is key. Monitor their social media activity, discuss relevant issues, and offer solutions to their most pressing issues.
Handle customer service issues appropriately. Your customer service team should respond to compliments and complaints from customers according to your organization’s written policies. It’s important to your brand’s reputation to display uniformity and professionalism in the handling of customer service issues. You will build better relationships with customers by taking their concerns seriously.
Participate in discussions with the people/brands that you follow. You don’t have to always initiate conversations. Add your professional advice and/or experiences in discussions prompted by others.
Don’t oversell. Obviously you are going to all this trouble to see something, but you want to make it appear as though you are not. Initiate, participate and engage with your audience. No one wants to be constantly marketed to. They want interesting, fun, and informative content.
Get the right tools. Having the right tools can maximize your social media efforts. The last thing you want to do is spend an entire day on social media (unless you have a team dedicated solely to social media). Schedule posts, monitor interactions, and automatically thank new followers. These simple features can dramatically increase engagement in your social network.
What are your suggestions for increasing engagement? We would like to hear your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.
If you are looking for innovative ways to promote your brand and reach your target groups through social media, brief the Exchange now!
