Social media has become a powerful tool for brands and businesses, to the point where it is has become a necessity for them to have a presence on social platforms. So, why is it that consumers want to follow brands on social media, and what inspires that connection?
- Product interest begets social interest.
The simplest reason that consumers follow brands on social media is because they are genuinely interested in their products or services and are hoping to either learn more or stay up-to-date on brand deals, new collections, and collaborations.
Curate your social media profiles to showcase your most popular products and post relevant information that will lead to sales or some sort of interaction with your brand.
- People want to be engaged and entertained.
While products and services draw audiences in, content makes them stay. Social media has recently been leveraged as a creative outlet and many brands feel compelled to make innovative process videos or take part in viral challenges to engage their followers.
Consider giving your audience a behind-the-scenes look into your packaging process, or perhaps teach your followers how to make your signature dish. One thing that works great for me are my cake and cookie decorating videos. A video of me decorating last year’s New Year’s cookies got nearly 17,000 views on Instagram, and similar videos are typically favored by my audience for their satisfying nature and the closeness they feel to my brand as insiders.
- Social media offers an outlet for communication with the brand.
Think of social media as an instant satisfaction survey or convenient way for consumers to communicate with your brand. Just as you get instant gratification from a like on your most recent post, customers tend to take to social media to let you know what they like (or don’t like) about your products and services, to leave feedback, or even let you know that you should bring back their favorite menu item (I’m talking to you, Taco Bell).
Communication is also a great way for Word of Mouth Marketing (WOMM) to occur, which is one of the most effective marketing tactics for social media because it involves direct recommendations from real people, which results in organic growth for the brand.
Get out there and be social!
While there are countless reasons you should be on social media, the best advice I can offer you is that you should remain relevant and meet your audience where they are. Social media has several platforms that serve different purposes, but all connect to the people that matter – your consumers. Once you’ve figured out how to attract your audience and make them stay, you can conquer the world of social and engage your ideal client like a pro. So, get out there, and be social!