Breaking the Barrier: A Guide to Building Trust on Social Media

Every day customers are bombarded with businesses on social media fighting for their attention. The unique aspect of social media is the 2 way communication it offers, rather than the 1 way communication in other advertising mediums (commercials, billboards, magazine ads, etc.).  With political headlines and other “click-bate” type articles dominating headlines, it is safe to say there is a significant dip in the trust customers have built with businesses on social media. So how do we gain that trust back and maintain it?

Be an expert in your industry.

If a business is looking for a partnership, ideally, they should be able to get the same information on social media as they would with a customer service representative. If a question is asked on social media, it is important to ensure it is answered in the same way it would be if they picked up the phone and called your business. As consumers, if we see several comments on a post, we are likely to read the comments posted by both businesses and customers before interacting with the business. It’s important to remember that you may think you are answering just one customer’s question, but many others are looking at how you respond before deciding to interact further.

Capitalize on Every Interaction.

Customers are regularly making a purchase or requesting a quote from your business without ever interacting with an employee. This offers an even greater benefit for when a customer does interact. Customer interactions are a chance to impress them and are usually a great opportunity to promote another area of the business. Answering the question as soon as possible is crucial. With the fast-paced environment we live in, customers want the answer NOW and may decide to continue to look elsewhere for the answer, giving your competitor their business.

Gain Followers Organically.

Social Media Ads are the perfect source to promote services and products your business offers, but are not a 1-stop solution. Organic posts are an ideal way to show value-adds or general industry information & tips. Take advantage of organic posts that create shareable content. This might include articles answering popular questions, industry tips & tricks, or current industry events. Although organic posts may not be seen as frequently as ads, they provide higher quality information for popular questions your customers are asking, thus creating more engagement.

Selling is NOT always the answer.

Customers organically follow businesses on Social Media to engage with the personality behind the brand, and not to be sold to. There should be a good mix of industry news, internal business news (employee spotlights, company events, case studies, etc.), and promotion of products & services. Customers want to know what makes your business stand out from the competition, and not always in the form of a sales pitch.

Overall:

1. Show you know your industry
2. Take advantage of the 2-Way Communication
3. Generate sharable content
4. Social Media isn’t about selling