It may seem strange to think of someone being in a relationship with a brand, but it happens millions of times a day on social media. Well, ok, not a relationship, but it is a real connection… a shared moment and mutual appreciation. That’s what’s happening when brands engage their customers, it’s no longer an interaction based on transactions, but on commonalities. It’s a community.

Maintaining these successful communities via social media channels can provide brands with a healthy number of benefits (including but not limited to):

• Direct discourse: a feedback forum to test ideas and get insights from your core customers.
• Customer acquisition: an avenue to attract new customers from networks and help build trust to assist with conversion.
• Collaboration & self-service: Community members can answer questions from others, reducing the burden placed on your support staff.
• Loyalty: Having a strong product or service will only get you so far; brand loyalty often comes from being part of a strong community of like minded admirers & lifestyles.
• Customer retention: Better support and better customer experience typically leads to better retention.

Your customers’ passion for your brand will bring in new community members. Of course, if you want to keep them interested in the community, you have to engage them. Here’s how to go about it.

Make them feel at home. Consumers who identify with your brand want to find a place of belonging and appreciation in your community. They want to experience more of what they like about the product or company. When a company’s engagement efforts are overly polished, robotic, or disjointed, it creates a seed of doubt in the consumer.

Show your true self. In life, we’re told to “fake it ’til you make it.” But when it comes to your social brand personality, consumers will call your bluff. Take an honest assessment of your brand’s personality. Don’t project what you think consumers want, if it’s not who you are. Instead, highlight and promote your strengths to appeal to customers. Is your brand exciting, revolutionary, sincere, competent, adventurous, and/or innovative? Lead with your brand’s true identity as you address customer needs and promote solutions.

Ensure your brand is on point and properly represented. To determine whether your personality is being correctly perceived, meet regularly with your team, pay attention to consumer reviews, and identify a social listening workflow to monitor your social profiles 24/7.

Create a human connection with your followers. Data and demographics are important to consider in reaching your target market. But don’t focus solely on your perceived customer’s persona; focus also on being a personality people want to associate with. Despite analysis and projections, many customers make emotion based decisions when it comes to purchases. Connect with your followers on things they care about. Be human in your social branding. Make sure your content is authentic, personable, and relatable.

Draw your audience into your world with open, inviting content. One of the best ways to connect consumers with your brand is to pull back the curtain and take them behind the scenes. What makes your company tick? Who are the personalities packing their goods, designing their software, or tooling their technology? An interview with your employees, a story about your community engagement, or a clip showcasing your philanthropic involvement will make followers feel connected.

Rise above the competition. It’s vital to set yourself apart from your competitors. What do you offer that other brands don’t? Can you ship faster, provide discounts, offer incentives, or create loyalty perks? What is your brand experience? Does it match the experience online? Does it feel unique, supportive, inclusive, and true to the specific brand? Articulate how those advantages will positively impact your customers, and do it by showcasing your customer-centric brand personality.

Engaging your new and existing followers using the methods outlined above will propel your community to new heights. A curated social community is primed for sharing and propulsive growth, meaning greater benefits for both you and your audience.

If you’re interested in learning more about how ModSquad manages and strategizes for social media, contact us today!

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