Brand Building with Social Media – 5 Key Benefits

As the social media landscape increasingly clutters with the noise of marketing, consumers are beginning to turn off and tune out in record numbers. While brands seek to have social media conversations with their customers, a large number of brand ambassadors fail to understand the underlying principle beneath the success of social media.

Creating a successful social media strategy is not about calculating measurable sales in the cash register. Relationship longevity and network engagement determine social media success. For social media to work effectively, a brand’s followers must enjoy spreading the word of brand awesomeness.

Continuing to serve the needs of the customer creates brand missionaries. A surprisingly satisfied customer is far more likely to spread the gospel of a brand’s greatness than one who has had their needs met in just a typical fashion. Being willing to go above and beyond is what will set a company’s social media network on fire. Preaching a brand’s message to the masses will do little to engage a network. Customers need to feel the fire themselves. The best way to discover exactly what the needs of a community are is to listen to them. Really truly LISTEN to them.

Companies need to understand not only what their customers are saying to them but also what their customers are saying about them. A social media conversation about their competition gives a brand an opportunity to do better. Social media search is an excellent tool to assist in the discovery of these conversations. Using Twitter search to source out pertinent conversations can be incredibly enlightening. Foraging through Facebook’s feeds for relevant posts can unearth innumerable treasures. Rummaging Reddit’s ramblings can expose intriguing conversations worth pursuing.

5 Key Benefits of using Social Media as Branding and Marketing Tool

[toggle title=”It’s affordable”] Social Media is affordable and you don’t need large marketing budgets. The only main cost is time while developing relationships
[/toggle] [toggle title=”It’s viral”] Social Media is viral, your message and brand awareness will spread through word of mouth when you post the right content. Be careful what you post though.
[/toggle] [toggle title=”Increases Traffic”] Social Media increases traffic to your website which then possibly generates more business. It also builds valuable backlinks and improves your search engine rankings.
[/toggle] [toggle title=”Establishes Connections”] Social Media helps your brand establish a strong connection with your audience and customers, relationships can last longer than with any other media.
[/toggle] [toggle title=”Builds Credibility”] Social Media builds credibility and improves your brand reputation by creating a positive reception. Keep track of what people say about your brand and act according- and truthfully.
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Mining the social media masses is not simply about looking for individual brand mentions. It is about looking for opportunities to engage and to do better. It is about serving the needs of consumers looking for service salvation. When discovering pertinent conversations, brands must take care not to intrude. In the same way that an intrusive evangelist at the door is often unwelcome, the same theory applies to brand diplomacy in social media conversations. A simple follow on Twitter can open the door just a sliver. A thoughtful reposting can create a connotation of good will.

The advocacy programs on average had doubled positive product opinion, and after a year, 94% of that lift was maintained. Another result: The advocacy campaigns had produced a 54% average lift in recommendation likelihood for the products, and after a year, an average of 91% of that lift was maintained.Finally, the advocacy campaigns had produced an average increase of 81% in purchase intent for the products, and after a year, 88% of that lift had also been maintained.
Mediapost

A relevant posting on the company’s Facebook page can be the solution a service-weary consumer has been longing for. It is not enough to offer a solution. A company needs to serve the solution in a way that goes above and beyond what is expected. Taking extra steps to ensure that a customer is awed by the level of service provided is what will create a brand missionary. Interjection in an existing social media conversation only works when the customer service exceeds expectations. A customer blown away by exemplary service can become the disciple that spreads the good word of a business’ bravado to a growing network. The ripple effect that exceptional service creates can have a much greater reach than a standalone sales pitch ever could.

It is through stellar service on a continual basis that brands can build their social media reputation. Each spectacularly satisfied customer is another rung on the ladder towards the heavenly heights of social media success. It is not the fiery preacher that will convert the down trodden. It is the evangelist that listens and serves the needs of the faltering that will acquire a lifelong faithful follower. Social media success is not about selling; it is about serving.