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Low social media EQ traits that brands exhibit

Airbnb, Grab or even social media platforms – these companies are wildly successful despite owning minimal to zero of the marketed products and services. Yet, consumers are drawn in. Consumption is no longer about possession. It is about access and experiences.

Credit: HelpScout.com

1. You are selling features, not the benefits

While product specifications are your pride, translate the heavy content and jargon into bite-size information. The goal is not just to impress but also to inspire and keep conversations alive.

2. Too much promotional content

Consumers want to be engaged with interesting content that relates to the brand’s identity. When they follow your brand, they exchange their data for value. When brands fail to deliver that, users unfollow.

Credit: Instagram

3. #spamming #hashtags #formore #reach #BUT #no #itdoesntworkthisway

Hashtags help to increase reach however, limit it to 3 to 5 hashtags per post. Identify a healthy mix of trending and relevant hashtags as well as branded hashtags.

4. Directing readers to a product that they are not interested in

Clickbait delivers impressions in the short run but runs the risk of harming the brand in the long run. Imagine having a good conversation that ends abruptly with something that you are not expecting.

5. “Stalking.” Good intention goes wrong

Retargeting ads are served with the intention to give consumers a nudge. However, when the ad follows consumers relentlessly or even post-purchase, fatigue happens, followed by annoyance. How would you feel if a colleague follows up via email, text, call and in-person for the same thing?

How else can brands get more out of social media?

Build a two-way communication

Use social media to keep conversations alive. Besides boosting engagement, brands should look at improving customer service. For instance, response rate, response time and even response quality. Establish a social media management framework and communication strategy to engage your followers. A bad review does not spell the end of the day. You would be surprised how consumers would provide an update for the bad review after service recovery has been promptly and properly executed.

Encourage and amplify User Generated Content (UGC)

Credit: @lovebonito via Instagram

Similar to reviews, UGCs lend authenticity and creditability. They are another form of storytelling, in a raw and non-intrusive manner. Encourage users to tag your brand or include the brand hashtag in their posts. Conduct a branded hashtag search regularly to find out what users are talking about your brand and share these UGCs (with permission) from the original users. Remember, consumers are looking to engage on social media.

The rule of thumb is to remember that at the end of the day, regardless if you are selling products or services, you are in the people business.