Social media marketing can increase customer retention by 37%, according to one digital marketing agency. But social media plays a much bigger role in retaining customers than this. 51% of consumers say that if a company responds to their social media message, they’re “very likely” to do business with them again. Here’s how to provide the best customer service possible on social media to boost your retention rates.
Build a connection
Consumers really want to get to know the brand they’re buying from and they say social media is the ideal way to do this. 70% of people say they like to see the CEO of the company actively using social media as this makes them feel connected to the company. A similar number of people (72%) say connectivity improves when a company’s employees share information via social media. When a customer is invested in the people behind your brand, they’re more likely to stay loyal to you. It’s a wise idea to ensure your social media is authentic, friendly, and open as this will keep your customers coming back. Avoid generic and impersonal responses as these often send customers running to the nearest competitors.
Bring consumers together
The connection between brands and consumers can easily be built on social media, but most consumers want more than this. They also want to engage with other like-minded customers. 41% think brands should create private groups for customers, while 46% want interactive social content. This interactive content typically includes videos, images, infographics, and polls. By listening to your customers and providing them with the things that you ask for, you gain their respect and their loyalty. To ensure that tools like this are effective in retaining your customers, and in gaining new ones, you need to measure your business results across all social media platforms. Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn are four of the most popular and can be used to increase brand awareness when you launch private groups, interactive content, and similar.
Solve a problem
Good customer service is all about solving problems fast. 37% of people who raise an issue with a brand on social media expect a response within 30 minutes, while 31% think brands should reply within 2 hours. If a quick resolution isn’t given, customers are likely to move on and switch to a rival brand that will give them what they want. Having a dedicated around-the-clock social media team on hand is crucial for keeping your customers happy, so you should consider outsourcing this role at least part of the time. If a tricky issue is raised, acknowledge it as quickly as possible. Statistics show that around one-third of all customer complaints raised aren’t answered and this is a sure-fire way of losing a customer’s business for good.
Social media plays a big role in customer retention. You must listen carefully to your customers, adapt your social media content to their needs, and provide the best customer service possible to retain as many customers as possible.
