Tag: Engage

As I’ve said repeatedly, “It’s called social media for a reason.” How do you gain traction with people on social media? Not by telling them things, but by asking them questions.

When you make a post, go ahead and finish it with an open-ended question, something like “What do you think about the topic? Post your thoughts below.” BTW, and open-ended question is one that doesn’t automatically elicit a short, one or two word answer like “Yes” or “No,” “red” or “blue.” It asks people to express their inner views on a subject, to answer expansively.

Of course, the other part of the social media equation is interacting on other people’s posts. In order for you to be seen, you need to do more than write your own posts. Of course, other people are asking questions on their social media posts. Some of them are asking closed questions, to be sure. “Am I right – yes or no?” A few people will be asking open-ended questions. Either way, when you reply, your voice is added to the conversation. More importantly, your on-line name or handle is added to the stream of information flowing past the eyeballs of others.

If you look for advice on marketing, a metric crap-ton of people will shout a single-word piece of advice at you – “Content!” What they mean is that you should be creating unique information to put in front of others to grab their attention.

But here’s a bit of content the so-called experts tend to overlook: asking your own questions on other people’s social media posts.

Let’s say, someone makes a post about carpet cleaning. Yes, I use that industry in a lot of examples. So let’s say a person posts that you should steam clean your carpets at least every six months. Go ahead and ask your own question! Like with your own posts, open-ended is best. “In addition to the 6-month cleanings, should I also clean before a holiday gathering?” You could switch that to a closed-ended question: “Which is best, cleaning before or after a holiday gathering?”

If you can’t think of a relevant question, it’s okay to ask for examples and clarification. I can guarantee there are plenty of other folks out there who would like additional examples or a different explanation. “Is there a different schedule you’d recommend for a carpet in the reception area of a business?” “Can you give an example of a hotel lobby carpet cleaning process?”

Asking relevant questions, ones that dig deeper into the subject of the post, are often nearly as good as – and sometimes better than – the original informational posts, and will get your name out there as someone who knows what they’re talking about.

Many businesses get one very basic thing about social media engagement wrong.

The average entrepreneur thinks about engagement in terms of single interactions. A post that gets a lot of shares and likes is not really engaging the audience. It’s only when there is a long-term relationship that you really start engaging.

Think of it as a real-life engagement. Consider that every single interaction is a date with your customers.You get to know each other on these dates. You tell them what you’re about and they tell you what they like and what they don’t.

After seeing each other for a while, you’re ready to move to the next step. The customers now expect to see engaging content. When you post on your media channels, they’re bound by loyalty to interact with it. Now, you’re engaged.

Ask Not What Your Customers Can Do for You

The way to any customer’s heart is through value-oriented engagement. Don’t think of ways in which you can get a benefit from your followers and fans. Think, instead, about how you can be of service to them.

You’re trying to build trust in your brand through engagement. You’ll never generate real engaging content if your audience doesn’t feel you are contributing to their lives.

What does that mean in practice? Well, for starters, it means engaging back. If your patrons have questions, answer them openly.

Make sure that you are always quick to address complaints and concerns when they are presented publicly.

Believe it or not, social media has been people’s first choice for customer service since at least 2016. In a way, it’s people taking advantage of the public nature of the platform. Regardless, you should see every instance of customer service as a double opportunity.

You can address a customer’s concern and at the same time generate good faith with that customer and any others who see the interaction. Customer service interactions are an absolute gold mine for engagement.

Three Ways to Really Start Engaging

There are countless tips, tricks, and insider information about how to improve social media engagement. Try some of these tried and true approaches to boost authentic engagement.

1. Make the First Move

Someone has to start the conversation on the first date. As the business, that responsibility rests on your shoulders.

There are many things you can provide that your potential customers want. Informative articles and blog posts are two simple ideas. Remember that it’s about generating value for them.

Don’t try to push a product on the first date. That comes later. First, show them you care about who they are and what they want.

2. Listen More Than You Talk

If your relationship is going to last, you’ll have to listen.

Don’t guess about your customer’s wants and needs. If you put in the effort, all the information is available with a little research.

Look at social media and website analytics. Define your audience demographics and look at what competitors are doing. You have to know who you’re talking to first.

Once you know who you are dating, you can start listening. Look at their social media posts. What do they want, what sort of things are the dissatisfied by? Use this info to craft your engagement strategy.

3. Be Relevant and Topical

Don’t be afraid to have a voice about current events. If you want to elicit a response, you need to talk about things that are relevant to your audience.

Be careful however, this requires a delicate approach and a good read on the pulse of your patrons.

Start Really Engaging

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to social media engagement. As stated earlier, there’s enough advice about it out there to fill a sizable library. However, not every tip will work for every company.

Start by finding out who your customers really are and put yourself in their shoes. Then start working on offering more value through your social media engagement.

Lyfeloop