People today use online channels to connect with each other more than ever, and social media is one of the best ways to encourage customer engagement, especially with the coronavirus pandemic still affecting many business operations. Because B2B companies that successfully engage with their customers can see a 50% increase in revenue, and 72% of Americans use at least one site to stay connected with friends and engage with content, social media has become an integral part in the lives of many marketers and buyers.
- Seventy-three percent of marketers say that social media marketing has been very or somewhat effective for their brand.
- Fifty-four percent of social browsers use social media to research a purchase.
- Seventy-one percent of consumers who have had a positive experience with a brand on social media are more likely to recommend that brand to others.
3 steps to increase social media engagement
1. Analyze your engagement
You can use third-party software, such as HubSpot or Hootsuite, or the insights the platform provides to determine your current engagement level. Note how many likes, comments and shares your posts typically get, as well as how often the links you provide are clicked.
Pay attention to the posts that perform better than others and note key differences to establish a strategy for the most engagement. For example, if posts with images are shared more than posts without, then you know to publish more posts with images in order to keep engagement levels high.
2. Inspire interactions
Your goals for social media engagement will play into the posts you publish. If you want to increase shares and likes, you should focus on popular content like infographics, which are liked and shared three times more often than any other content on social media. If you are looking for more clicks to your website, post links to your articles, case studies or other content. Linking to gated content should be used if your goal is lead generation.
Use your accounts to share customer testimonials and spark conversations among you and your followers. Asking questions and posting polls will encourage audience members to share their opinion, which you can also use to inform your future marketing.
3. Get involved in the conversation
Sometimes, the conversation has already started, and it’s up to you to jump in. Reply to comments, mentions and direct messages quickly. Forty percent of customers expect a response within an hour, and 79% expect one within a day. Prepare answers to common questions or comments to respond more efficiently.
Scroll through your company hashtags to see what people are saying about you and respond to any posts that are about you. Don’t ignore posts that are negative. Responding to negative reviews the right way can have a positive impact.
Conclusion
When face-to-face interactions have become more difficult during the coronavirus pandemic, engaging with your customers on social media can spur business growth no matter your industry, especially since 71% of customers who have had a positive experience with your brand on social media are more likely to recommend you to someone else. Make sure your posts inspire interactions from your audience, and don’t be afraid to jump into a conversation about your brand for the best social media engagement.
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