Social can be one of the most challenging platforms for brands to measure return on investment. Companies that grew up on traditional advertising and metrics often have trouble making sense of the value of the online ecosystem. Most of the consumers using the web as their primary purchase tool, it's an area brands can't afford to ignore.
Experts says that "social
depth," a fancy phrase for discovering, exploring and engaging with online
consumers, eventually leading those conversations back to brands' websites.
Here's
the social depth formula broken down into five, easy tips.
1. Engage
User-generated
content, blog posts, videos, tweets and chatter are all over the web.
Harnessing the power of brand advocates, addressing customer concerns and
fixing problems empowers participation. It's easier to put out a fire than
it is to ignore it.
People
want to interact and create relationships with brands online. Catering to those
fans via product giveaways, social interaction and real replies separate the companies that get it from the ones still in the dark.
"The
consumer is boss, so we have to match that”, Look for solutions to unlock the
consumer voice.
2.
Be Authentic
You
can't fake it online. The same die-hard brand advocates championing your
product will be the first to call out shady behavior or content that doesn't
reflect brand culture. When in doubt, ask your community for help when it comes
to content.
3.
Keep Content Premium
Hitting
"publish" is social suicide if the material isn't quality. Take
advantage of Wordpress, Tumblr and
social media to craft strong messages. Know the rules and follow them: Every
network requires a specific approach and language (tweets are written
differently than Facebook posts).
Stick to a calendar for
posting, and focus on making followers feel part of the brand's family. Using
platforms solely as selling tools quickly alienates customers. Hire
professionals—and fight the urge to turn sites into content farms or automate
feeds.
"Find
the interesting content that’s being posted and use it to bring value to your
audience."
4.
Integrate Real-Time Apps
Incorporate
social into every aspect of what you do, 88%
of businesses using Twitter feeds,
comments, ratings and reviews on homepages increases user engagement. Forty-two
percent boosted their average time on site.
It
may sound painfully simple, but adding these tools are the equivalents of a
restaurant showing off a top health code letter grade. It empowers consumers to
interact and share content. Plus, constant updating improves search engine
visibility much more than static pages.
5. Experiment
Nothing
risked is nothing gained, especially when it comes to social. Fail and see what
works. Test tone, style and new monetizing tools, such as native advertising,
which serves sponsored content, tweets and Facebook stories.
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