How to use social media in your business strategy

Five years ago, using social media to spread the word about your company was regarded as an incredibly progressive thing to do; today, it is an important part of any business. This article outlines the considerations and opportunities of using social media.

A recent report by Nielsen on global trust in advertising and brand messaging found that types of communication typically associated with social media, such as word-of-mouth recommendations and consumer opinion posted online, continue to rank as the most influential of all. 84 percent of global respondents across 58 countries to the Nielsen online survey said word-of-mouth recommendations from family and friends were the most trustworthy source of information.

So how do you take advantage of this growing area of communication? And what are some of the pitfalls to avoid while doing so? While some businesses find it entirely natural to involve themselves with customers online, others - particularly those who have not yet cultivated a social media audience - may find the notion of getting online and joining the conversation daunting.

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Why use social media?

For Mark Brayton, Director, Interactive Marketing, Barclays, using social media is all about encouraging communication between your business and your audience: "My team are there to try to enhance the interactions between our colleagues and our customers," Brayton says.

He adds: "There are two reasons all brands should have a social media presence. First, this is where consumers at large already are – they are already operating within the social space, and all businesses need to be present where their customers are. The second is that from a reputational perspective, conversations about your business are taking place anyhow, so it is important to be part of that dialogue."

So how do you get started?

First, work out where your audience is already operating. Are they largely using Facebook and Twitter? LinkedIn and Pinterest? Or perhaps YouTube?

In his book Tweet Naked, online marketing expert Scott Levy suggests that you should pick one or two platforms and do them well, rather than trying to be immediately present in every social space.

"When it comes to choosing which social media platforms you'll utilise, select those that offer the best potential for reaching your ideal audience and broadcast the type of media you've decided is best suited for your company,” Levy says. “Most people and companies can't be amazing on every platform; that takes a huge amount of bandwidth and resources. Instead of having a sub-par representation in a lot of places, be awesome on a few of them."

In Entrepreneur magazine, Levy lists the advantages of the major social networks: Pinterest is good for communication via visually rich imagery and has a large female audience; LinkedIn is good for growing connections in the business world; YouTube is good for reaching a vast audience but requires good videographers; Twitter is perfect for "in the moment" communication; and Facebook is one of the "most powerful social platforms in the world" not least of all because of its enormous scale.

Considerations

There are potential pitfalls of using social media to consider, and not all uses of social media are successful.

Brayton says: "I think there are two key things that could potentially present a pitfall. First, we have seen many brands using social in a way that isn’t very relevant – either they don’t have the authority to talk to a customer in a particular place or they are not communicating with a customer in the way they want. The second is around the issues associated with real-time communication. I think brands who set up an expectation that they are responding quickly and then don’t deliver can seem like they are not really listening."

Other considerations of using social media include: sending poorly timed or ill-thought out messages, failing to identify and address legitimate concerns, finding your brand subject to abuse or ridicule, and failing to respond to feedback in a timely or adequate manner.

The possible rewards

While it is important to bear in mind the potential pitfalls around using social media, there are many rewards especially when considering customer relationship management. Savvy customer service teams have seen huge success with social media as a means to promote goods, services and initiatives, and this positive client experience can end up being spread virally around the world by word of mouth. Just some of the potential advantages of using social media include: direct communication with your audience, reaching your audience in their space, not your own, and being able to jump on trends and address concerns both publicly and immediately.

Which companies get it right?

For Brayton, Virgin Atlantic provides a brilliant model for successful social media servicing communication. He says: "Virgin are hugely customer-centric, very focused around why you might want to engage with them, and they always do what they say. They are very open and transparent - it feels like social is at the very heart of the organisation."

He also identifies B&Q, the DIY and home improvements company as a model of good social media communication: "they have created some lovely YouTube content to guide customers through the different ways they may be able to use their products," he says. Brayton also praises high-end British fashion house Burberry, who use social media to show off their new collections and generate user interest and feedback.

So how do you make sure you get it right too?

To do it right, you may need to have the right staff who can execute your social media strategy properly, and understand the importance of upholding the standards of your brand. Using social media requires commitment and attention, so it is important that staff are fully committed to delivering once your accounts are up and running.

Writing for Bloomberg Businessweek, Stephen McKee, the author of Power Branding, says that the most important thing to do when using social media, is always to make sure you are opening up dialogue and talking to people, not just talking at them.

"Customer relationships are built on trust," McKee says. "And relationships are reciprocal; I’ll share with you my deep thoughts if you’ll share yours with me. The problem with traditional CRM is that it turns people into data and relationships into rules of engagement. But technology has no empathy, and a database will never be as responsive as a living, breathing person."

With social media fast becoming a key part of all businesses' communication strategies, it is important not to get left behind. Pick the social media platforms that suit your business best, get the right team around you, engage with your audience and commit to building a long-term relationship with your customers. If you use social media right, the potential rewards are huge.