Should you respond to social media comments?
When it comes to social media marketing, your first goal is likely just to get important information or advertising material in front of your followers. Certainly, you want to grow that follower base. But in terms of the information that you post, you are trying to show that your company is an authoritative source. You are trying to connect with your audience and give them the type of information that will lead to conversions.
Naturally, however, you will also find that people will start responding to your social media posts. They may comment on the posts themselves. They may create public comments on your general profile. They may share your information and add their comments that way.
When customers start interacting, how should you respond? Is it a good idea to answer these comments? Or, as many brands do, would you be better off simply ignoring them and continuing with your traditional posting schedule?
The benefits of responding
While many companies do not respond publicly, there can be some advantages to doing so.
One of the top reasons to respond is simply to enhance relationships with your customers. If they know that you will answer them, it can build a sense of trust with your brand. Someone who is debating between multiple similar products may be more likely to choose yours if the social media team interacts with them. Even something as small as liking their comment can make a difference.
Part of the reason for this is that it simply makes your brand feel more personal. Many companies feel faceless and removed from the consumer. But even minor responses make the consumer feel like there is a true connection. This can create brand loyalty and increase their likelihood of making a purchase.
The second reason to respond is just as a facet of your customer service department.
For instance, many customers will have questions about products or concerns about items that they have purchased. Historically, these customers would often call the customer service department. They may send in letters or physical media. But today, they often reach out on social media.
Answering these questions can go a long way toward alleviating their concerns. In some cases, they may be given direct answers that solve the issue. But even if you cannot provide a direct answer through social media, you can at least direct them to the appropriate department. You could give them an email address or a phone number that they can use.
By providing this type of active assistance to the customers, you can help raise awareness for your social media profile and build goodwill among your customer base.
Do not respond to negative comments
One thing to keep in mind is that you do not necessarily need to respond to negative comments. It is often best just to ignore them.
Remember that everything you write on social media reflects on your company. It can have a significant impact on how people see your brand.
There certainly may be a situation where you feel that you are correct and the customer is wrong. It is tempting to post a public reply, especially if they have written a complaint that lists misinformation. But doing so typically does not actually help your position. It just draws you into a very public and visible argument with your own customer base. This is not good for your brand’s image, even if you were technically right and the customer was technically wrong.
Social media marketing
Comments, posting schedules and other aspects of social media marketing are things we handle all the time at Content Customs. Our experienced team can help you create the content you need and set up an appropriate marketing plan. We can also offer advice and guidance on how you should use your social media profiles. To get started, just reach out to us at your earliest convenience.
