What's In It for Them?

62% of consumers identify product news and information, 47% identify customer comments and reviews and 43% identify direct response to my questions when asked what type of information they find most important when connecting with brands, according to eMarketer. Consumers seek information they can learn from, feedback they can act on and community they can be part of.

In short, consumers want value. They want their relationship with a brand to pay off.

You’re Present, but Why Should I Care?

Being present isn’t enough. Social consumers aren’t looking for a brand that’s a good listener, and most brands aren’t even that. They’re loud self-promoters. Consumers want brands to take action to earn their business.

Social media can do just that as it has the potential be part of what your brand sells. Online customer service, exclusive brand information and improved relationship management allow brands to leverage social media as added value for their customers. Brands can go beyond their customers’ expectations.

At the end of the day, a brand’s social media followers aren’t there to serve the brand. They’re there to be served by the brand, and brands that deliver earn social currency that generates consumer trust and word of mouth referrals.

What Do We Do That Social Can Amplify?

Thriving brands deliver something their customers seek. Social media shouldn’t cause brands to try to do something different. 90% of the time they can deliver that same value. It’s just in a different way.

Don’t reinvent the wheel. Identify what your brand can do to improve consumer’s lives, deliver it online and invite your customers to join you. And remember to back up your words with actions. If you promise your customers value, make sure you deliver it without being confusing, slow or inefficient. Any trust gained will quickly be lost.

Focus on others to benefit your brand.

A Piece of the Conversation Pie

Who’s talking about your brand? How often are they talking? What’s the volume of brand-related online mentions? What’s the overall sentiment? People are producing a wealth of content online at every moment. 30 billion pieces of content are shared on Facebook every month! That’s a big pie, but now it’s a matter of getting a piece of that pie.

eMarketer released the results of a study from the market research company AYTM. The study found that abot 58% of US Facebook users have not mentioned a brand in a status update, but the good news is that 0.5% of users posted only negative brand-related mentions. Instead, more post about brands in a positive way (25%) or a mix of positive and negative (16%). Twitter followed similar patterns according to the study.

People Will Talk

The opportunity for marketers is encouraging people to talk about their brands and recommend them to others. According to the study, at least some people are hesitant to discuss brands online, but when they do, it’s probably going to be positive.

Once brands identify where they’re biggest advocates are either already discussing brand-related content or are looking for brand-related information, they have the opportunity to get the conversation going:

• Create a presence on a social platform and start asking questions, addressing inquiries and making the brand narrative an interactive experience online.
• Share relevant content with consumers by proving to be a resource and expert in an area in which consumers need help.
• Interact with online influencers and showcase the brands points of difference. Then give those influencers reasons to talk and share with others.
• Build experiences that encourage brand conversation, such as a contest on Twitter that requires using a hashtag to enter.

Options are endless. The point is consumers are ready to talk, but sometimes they need a nudge. Identify where consumers are currently talking about relevant content and think about how your brand can get the conversation ball rolling.