Do Numbers Lie When It Comes to Social Media ROI?
A lot has been discussed about this topic and it doesn’t mean that having a thousand fans or followers will give you the same number of customers. It’s interesting that a study made last year by market research company Chadwick Martin Bailey found out that 60% of those who “like” pages on Facebook are more likely to recommend the brand to their peers. What’s more interesting is that a lot of respondents are supporting a brand on social networking sites – to show others that they do. This makes you recall someone saying that we, humans, are social animals after all… and we will always find ways to connect and so we did. Do numbers lie then? YES… if people are following your brand because everyone’s doing it, unless you can turn them into advocates who really care about what you have to say.
Social Media Engagement is NOT Created Equal. Period!
I have to emphasize this point as social media is an extension of customer experience that your brand can give and every customer is different. This is why all those canned responses are met with much disdain. The calling of genuine engagement is strong and Garious has been trying to answer this call by making you post news about your brand or any topic dear to you in a simpler way, so you can talk to your customer, one-on-one. I believe, at one time, you needed help so badly that you dialed a 1-800 number… only to be frustrated that the person you’re talking to on the other end of the line is not really ‘listening’ to your concern; you feel that the customer service rep is reading a scripted response. For those who think they can get away with the same practice when it comes to connecting with people on the Social Web, they’re making an absolute horror of a mistake. The question now is: Do you have the time to engage your audience? This video has an answer:
Lesson Learned: It’s Time to Understand Social Media All Over
Did you know that Ford has reported its biggest annual profit in 2009 because they did something right with their social media marketing? As James Farley, Ford’s chief executive, says: “If you are trying to communicate, as we are, that you have been reinventing the company, you can’t just say it. You have to get the people to say it to each other.” What took their American Ford Fiesta campaign to the heights of success? They made sure that there’s an ongoing dialogue. In figures, that would convert to 11,000 videos, 15,000 tweets… and a staggering 11 million impressions.
So, the moral of the story is: Don’t simply talk or say you care. You have to prove that you are ‘really’ listening… and you have to do it in an authentic way. For example, if someone has a problem and tweeted you about it, don’t say ‘We’re doing our best to fix it’— It would be better to say who exactly will fix the issue for them and when.
Ergo: Creating an online presence is not enough these days – it’s either your brand engages… or dies.
How about taking this challenge, for a start: Try telling your followers to tell their stories about your product, like sharing their personal experience about it. Let’s see how they will respond.
Editor’s Note: The First International Workshop on Social Media Engagement is inviting submissions of papers on the topic – you may view more details here.