How Can I Boost My Company's Social Media Engagement?

by Debit Enders

Chances are, your company has multiple social media accounts. But are they delivering the value you want or need? If your results make you question the value of social media, it is time to readjust:

1. Set a goal – A strong social media presence can help you build brand awareness, boost sales, and build a community of fans; but it can’t always do all of those things simultaneously. That’s why it’s important to set specific goals and develop strategies for reaching them. Increasing sales of a new product requires a different approach than improving customer service. Whatever your goals, make sure they are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based.

2. Know your audience – Create a profile or persona of your target audience: age, gender, education and interests and then concentrate on their preferred social media. Use the sites where your brand’s voice will be at its strongest. For instance, you’ll probably have more success engaging with younger audiences on Instagram than you will on Facebook. Try LinkedIn if you are seeking a more professional audience. And don’t make them search for you. Include links to social media on your website and in your email signature, and give customers a reason to check in.

3. Meet their expectations – When setting goals, think about what your customers might expect from your content. For example, a study by Adweek found that more than half of consumers prefer to address customer services issues through social media rather than phone or email. Liking posts and promptly answering questions will help you build relationships. It also saves money. In fact, research by Forbes shows that it costs approximately six times less to solve customer issues on social media than through call centers.

4. Save yourself time – Automation tools make it possible to post content concurrently on multiple platforms or schedule your publications in advance. Take advantage of these services so you can spend more time taking care of customers.

The bottom line: social media is a necessity in today’s business world. By building time in your day to stay engaged, you’ll stay relevant and help foster long-lasting customer relationships.

Debi Enders (debi.enders@commercebank.com) is vice president, small business banking at Commerce Bank.