Stop and think about the more personal reasons you log onto Facebook. Maybe you want to see what your aunt is up to in California. Or perhaps you want to check in with a group of friends that you haven’t seen in a long time. You log in because you want to connect with those around you that you care about.
As a marketer entrenched in social media campaigns, it can be easy to forget that Facebook is still a social networking site. So any social media marketing you do should always be carefully orchestrated. Consider the results from Gallup’s “2014 State of the American Consumer” report, which shows that 94 percent of consumers log onto social media to connect with friends and family. Just 29 percent log on to follow trends or find product reviews and information.
Below are some things you can do to seem less like a snooping parent, and more like a friendly face:
Don’t worry so much about “likes:” As a consumer, I can respect a company that asks for a like once in awhile. But when I see a company consistently begging for “likes” or “follows” on social media, it turns me off completely. Having 400 “likes” doesn’t make me like your company any more than the next. And as the Gallup study shows, most consumers feel the same way. In fact, 34 percent said that “liking” something on social media has no influence on their purchasing behavior. And 62 percent claimed that social media has no influence on their purchasing decisions at all.
Tone down the posts: I’m not talking about doing anything dramatic like shutting down your social media accounts or stopping posting altogether. In fact, that’s one of the worst things you can do. However, be mindful of the fact that you’re operating in your customers’ “digital” personal space. If all they see are irrelevant posts from your company, the majority will stop clicking on your links. And they may even un-follow you as a result.
Have your customers do the social marketing for you: The trick is to provide fun, informative, engaging content, so that customers will tweet about your product, write exciting posts and share your products within their circle of friends. This is how you know you’re doing a stellar job as a marketer. Engage with the customers you already have, and then watch as they spread the good word about your company online.
Do you have any tips or tricks for respecting your customers over social media? Tell us in the comments section below!