01 Feb Social Engagement: It’s All About Me!
Engagement is one of the greatest advantages of social media marketing. The ability to reach out and connect directly with your customers, regardless of time or location, is pretty powerful stuff.
Social engagement increases brand recognition and brand loyalty. Plus, public conversations mean more brand visibility. And what’s better than free advertising?
However, the art and science of creating meaningful conversations in the social space can be difficult. It is very unlikely that users will be engaged without any work on your part. “Build it and they will come” does not apply here.
In order to realize success, you’ll need to walk a few miles in your customers’ shoes. Here are a few pointers for social engagement success.
Know Your Audience
Here’s the hard truth: people don’t care that you have great products for a great price. They want to know what’s in it for them. Social isn’t about being pushy, it’s about giving the people what they want.
There are a lot of brands out there that maintain an internal focus, concentrating strictly on their product and service offering. However, it isn’t themselves that they’re trying to win over. You’re looking to market to your fans and followers. This approach won’t necessarily appeal to them.
So, what’s the best strategy? Get to know your customers. Observe and learn. Social engagement should always have the brand’s influencers and customers in mind. Once you know your audience, you can provide content that is valuable, useful and interesting to them.
Your brand should offer non-promotional content that potential customers would find useful or interesting. You will gain respect by becoming a resource for industry information and people will turn to you when they are ready to make a purchase.
Offer Variety
Of course your content schedule should include the usual sharing of blog posts, posting of relevant articles and commenting on latest developments. However, always be open to trying new things. Variety in what you offer keeps your fans on their toes and reiterates that the customer comes first.
A great way to engage your fans and followers is to launch a contest or offer a coupon. Users will be more willing to engage if they have the chance to get something in return.
Brands can also encourage customer feedback by conducting surveys. People are more likely to engage if they feel that their input matters. This is a win-win: not only are you engaging your communities, but you’re also gaining useful information about your brand and the products and services you offer.
Be Dedicated
Be prepared to dedicate the necessary time and resources if you want to see results. If you don’t have the time, hire someone to engage on your behalf. Whatever the case, if social marketing is important to your brand, then you need to treat it as you would any other project. And remember, it’s not all about your brand… it’s all about “me”!
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