There is no doubt that social media has become an integral facet of marketing since the start of the 21st century. According to Statista, 78% of the U.S. population had a social media profile as of 2016. With the ability to reach over three-fourths of the population, social media has become a huge platform to connect with consumers. However, the question that arises is whether or not your company is using social media in a way that is going to both attract consumers and maintain relationships with them?
According to recent research from Sprout Social, who surveyed more than 1,000 Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram users, consumers feel that the most annoying actions that brands take on social media are the following:
• Posting too many promotions, at 57.5%
• Using slang and jargon, at 38.4%
• Not having any personality on their account, at 34.7%
• Trying to be funny when they’re not, at 32.3%
• Not replying to consumer messages, at 24.7%
Not only is it essential to post content, but also to make sure that the content is shared in a way that caters to the audience. What is the point of posting content if it does not appeal to your following or attract a greater one? Posting on social media is like going to a party. You don’t want to be the person who…
…is talking about his business the whole time is and trying to get you to buy something,
…is obviously trying too hard with his “lingo”,
…is so boring to talk to that you’re desperately trying to think of an excuse to get out of the conversation,
…thinks he is way funnier than he actually is,
…or who completely ignores you.
We have all met these types of people, and we tend to get annoyed with them–the same goes for how consumers feel about brands on social media. So do not be these people at the party!
Your brand should always have a mix of promotions and other types of posts on social media so your audience does not feel like they have to scroll through a plethora of advertisements on their feeds. Consumers like to feel connected to a brand through the interesting posts or photos that it shares–it makes the brand feel like more of a personality than a business. They want to see the human side of a company and the people behind the computer screens. Therefore, crafting brand personality, and doing it in the right way, is essential. Posts shouldn’t be too dry or too forced. They should be relevant to both your business and the consumer, and they should be catered to the consumer’s needs. Know your consumers, know your brand, and be yourself… and maybe refrain from using trite phrases like “be yourself”.
