Brands that want to outlast their competition must take advantage of the recent advances in online communication, specifically social media. Social media has created more opportunities for brands to gain insight and engage with their customers than ever before. But brands are facing the challenge of how they can effectively engage with their customers on social media to keep their loyalty and attention.
On social media, customers don’t follow a brand just because they recognize their products but because they like their content and their perception of the brand. In order for brands to build a large following they must retain their interest by sharing their content and becoming a helpful resource for them.
5 Ways to Promote Brand Engagement on Social Media
1. Be Reachable
You should have social media accounts on the channels that you know your customers use the most. If you can find most of your target customers on Facebook, then create a Facebook account and engage with them. Provide interesting content to convert them into loyal social media followers. Spend less time on social media channels that don’t ignite a lot of activity.
2. Provide Customer Support
Social media can be a very helpful PR tool. You can better the reputation of your brand by using social media as your own virtual customer service center. Whenever a customer posts a complaint or problem about your brand or business on social media, you can use social media to figure out the circumstances of the complaint and offer a solution. This tactic shows that your brand sees customers as a priority and is focused on retaining them.
3. Share Recommendations and Useful Information
Well-known brands like Hilton utilizes social media, specifically twitter, to build relationships with potential customers by providing helpful content. The twitter account, Hilton Suggests (@HiltonSuggests) is ran by the international representatives of Hilton Worldline who share their travel recommendations. They are mostly known for answering any tweet of people looking for a restaurant or entertainment recommendation in their city or a new area. They engage with these people with hopes that when they are travelling and are looking for a hotel to stay they would pick a Hilton because of an interaction online.
4. Promote User Generated Content
Sharing user-generated photos, videos, and reviews on social media can help build customer relationships. I have always believed that customers are the best Influencers a brand can choose. Fashion brands like American Eagle Outfitters use Instagram and Twitter to request user generated content of customers to be posted on their website. They created hashtags #aeriereal and #aeostyle that customers can post on their pictures so they can be featured on American Eagle’s website.
5. Post Co-Generated Content
Ask your customers for feedback on what they want to improve or change in your products on social media. Then post videos, and photos of the new features of your products and services that was inspired by your customer’s ideas. It’s one thing to listen to the issues of your customers but it’s a completely different thing to show them their impact on your brand.
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