How Social Media Inspires Customer Loyalty

In the digital age, buyers have the power to select the content they want to see more of and get exposed to the modern consumer values both appeal and trust. Additionally, with almost half of the world’s current population being engaged in social media, it is undeniable that these platforms make it easier for businesses to be there for their customers. As consumers gravitate toward products they already have an affinity for or are influenced to try, social media platforms have become a natural choice for most businesses looking to market their offerings. But beyond just getting seen and marketing their products, social media is also a powerful tool for companies that want to build lasting personal connections with their customers.

In an era where people are constantly glued to their screens and always processing information, there is nothing as effective as social media. But just how can businesses leverage social media to build customer loyalty?

It is one thing to overcome the obstacle of your audience’s short attention span and the oversaturation of ads in the market and create unique and interesting ways to get noticed. However, to build customer loyalty, businesses need to take it a few steps further. Check out the tips below detailing how you can use social media to boost customer loyalty.

1. Listen

Social listening is a key step into a better understanding of how your business or brand is perceived. Thankfully, social media makes it easy to monitor mentions and engagements with your brand. Nowadays, there are several tools at social media marketers’ disposal to better understand who your target audience is and what they are saying about your brand.

It can also bring further insights, such as your most popular product is, the types of content they respond to, and the platforms they use. The first step to building loyalty is knowing who your customers are along with what they want—keeping a tab on this data will continue to help your marketing and customer experience efforts.

2. Let Them Know Who You Are

Because consumers value brand authenticity more than ever, trust has never been more crucial. According to Oberlo, a staggering 81% of consumers responded that they needed to trust the brand before purchasing from them. Simply put, your customers want to know who you are.

Consumers also respond well to brands that share their values. If your brand has any specific causes or advocacies, openly posting about these would encourage loyalty from customers who might share the same beliefs. It is also important to be transparent with your consumers. For instance, if your products are sustainably made, it would be a good idea to take your customers on a behind-the-scenes look at your sourcing and manufacturing process. And don’t just do it for the engagement to earn the support of today’s discerning consumers, these values must be at the heart of your brand.

3. Make Your Customers Feel Included

Think of social media as a conversation with your customers and one that’s constantly ongoing, at that. Set up a community within supporters of your brand, where they’re free to give comments or feedback and ask questions. Develop an engagement schedule so that you’re able to interact with them more regularly. Because lack of responsiveness could decrease customer loyalty, so it’s important for your customers to see this in action.

Another way to keep your customers in the loop is to encourage user reviews. While there is always a possibility that you will end up with negative reviews, it is a good way to promote transparency with your customers and, at the same time, gain valuable insight on your offerings directly from the source.

A good mix of negative and positive reviews can be perceived as more authentic and thus boost social proof, so you don’t have to delete or hide negative reviews. What matters is how you respond to them. Nevertheless, you can always highlight positive reviews by sharing these types of feedback (with permission) on your social media pages.

4. Share The Most Valuable Content

Brands can take advantage of various ways to connect with their customers, but ultimately, customers value connections made on a personal level. Therefore, it is crucial for brands to show their human side. This doesn’t simply mean refraining from spammy behavior, but also giving customers valuable content and interaction.

Content is powerful in reaching your target market, but too much information like multiple ads or notifications might harm your social media presence. Instead, share content that users would genuinely value. It might be some useful information or an impactful piece of content that appeals to their emotions.

Well-made posts, videos, or photos can go a long way. It may even be a piece of user-generated content that will encourage other customers to post their own experiences. Keep a pulse on what your customers respond to and implement a content marketing strategy that reflects this. For example, your best posts with the highest engagement should be re-shared so the same effective content can reach new eyes.

5. Keep Your Audience Engaged

Once your business sees a growing number of loyal customers, focus on their satisfaction to encourage loyalty. A robust rewards program is always a great way to convert returning customers into advocates. Strategize a loyalty program that lets your most active customers participate. Then, based on corresponding points, provide them perks and benefits such as discounts, VIP access to your products or services, exclusive events, and upgrades. Customers may also earn points from promoting your brand among their peers

6. Follow Through With Customer Service

Finally, it’s important to note that engagement shouldn’t stop after the sale is done. Make an efficient customer service strategy part of your social media strategy. Follow up on any concerns made and periodically check in on customers after they’ve purchased your brand. At a time where consumers don’t want to feel like they’re simply transacting with a bot, genuine customer service can make all the difference.

Social Media: Building Lasting Connections

Social media is a powerful tool for businesses especially for meeting their consumers where they already are. Although fully utilizing social media for customer loyalty is crucial for businesses in these times, it’s also wise to acknowledge that it will always be an ongoing process. The key is to keep listening and responding and you should be able to forge deep, lasting connections with your customers.

Author Bio:

Trevor Michael is a Customer Contact Industry Specialist of Select VoiceCom, an inbound call center with telemarketing and IT support services. He has operated successfully within this niche industry for over ten years across Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia. He enjoys writing, golf and going to social events.