By Pascal Oparada
If you are following Twitter on Twitter, then you should know that the social media firm is one of the most engaging. The handle initiates and responds to comments on its platform.
In fact Twitter is building a reputation for being the most engaging social media company in the world. The platform is not waiting for issues to crop up before it surfaces. It’s right there – in your face.
Take for instance when it tweets something like ‘Knock, Knock’, it begins to receive a deluge of replies and comments that make followers and users know that they are important. This engagement alone brings a sense of belonging to users on its platform.
Knock, knock.
— Twitter (@Twitter) October 18, 2018
How brands respond to complaints and even compliments by its customers tells so much about the character and competence of the brand.
“You need some structure. You need a strategy,” SproutSocial’s Brent Barnhart says.
According to Barnhart, although some of these brands might have blockbuster budgets,but the principles they use to create an awesome social presence can be replicated by businesses of all sizes.
Take for instance, the Twitter handle of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the former handler was so engaging that bloggers could not ignore highlighting his tweets. Though hilarious, he won many hearts.
Some two weeks ago, one of Nigeria’s telecoms company’s customers had serious issues using mobile data on their phones. Some customers took to social media to complain. The telecoms firm was prompt in responding to their complaints.
They asked the customers to send their numbers for rectification of the problems. Those who did were shocked when their issues were sorted out. Not only did they solve their problems, but the telecoms company began to follow those customers across social media platforms.
Finally, I can now connect my data to my @AirtelNigeria network. It was a back and forth situation with @airtel_care yesterday. But I think it's so bad that the network sacked all its customer care agents. Human touch is important in brand development and growth.
— Pascal Oparada (@PascalOparada) November 19, 2018
According to Barnhart, some companies need to set SMART goals for their social media presence. Barnhart says, brands need to understand which social media platform they are most active on and leverage on their following.
“Maybe it’s prospective customers. Perhaps it’s industry players and influencers. Either way, breaking down your audience will help you figure it out,” he said.
He said one of the worst mistakes to make on social media is coming off as the faceless corporation with zero personality. In the modern age of transparency, people want to get to know your company on a more personal level.
That’s what Twitter tries to do.
Many brands today crack jokes and are not afraid to talk to their followers like they would their friends. Whereas brands were once lambasted for coming off like robots, a human social media presence has become an expectation among many followers.
“Showing off the human side of your brand means showing off the faces behind your social feeds. Whether it’s office photos or snapshots of your team “in the wild,” getting personal with your followers can help you form a much-needed connection,” Barnhart says.
When the #BankWars broke out in Nigeria in the middle of this year, attention were focused on many banks which were not living up to par. It was sparked off by just one bank.
Again, this month, the same bank ruffled feathers and refocused its customers’ attention on it when it appeared they have forgotten all about the #BankWars.
Your brand need to be on top of the situation on the social media platform it is most active on.
You need to seek relationships and not just followers.
According to Barnhart having 100 followers who regularly engage with you and your content are infinitely more valuable than 10,000 that ignore you.
If you want to stand out on social media, you can’t just parrot the content everyone else is posting.
In short, you need to create.
Whether you’re trying to build yourself up as a thought leader or want to stand apart from your competitors, original content is exactly how you’re going to make it happen.
Feedback: @thenichenews @PascalOparada
