
Social media is a bridge to your customers
The bottom line is that if your competitors are using social platforms, why aren?t you? And if they aren?t, outwit them and activate your accounts immediately; you?ll get a great deal of customer value out of it.Social media allows customers and businesses to communicate on a one-to-one basis, and customers are turning to social media to express their needs with a business or raise queries. These interactions give businesses a better insight into their audience, so they can quickly identify the likes and dislikes of individuals. They can learn about their customers and create personalised?marketing solutions and segmentations?so that customers are presented with information that?s relevant to them (such as tailored retargeting adverts) to meets their needs. This relationship extends two ways; it?s not just about reaching customers or those who share interests connected with your brand or product. Social media also gives?organisations?a place to reflect on their own messaging and goals, and keep up with the latest trends.
Social media can educate you about your customers

?A ‘soft-sales’ approach works
What this boils down to is?utilising?social media as a way of showcasing your company in different ways. It shouldn?t be a space to hard-sell products but reflect on the inner-workings of what you do. Whether that?s sharing your ethos or a glimpse behind the scenes, social media is a space to add a personality behind what you do. People want to engage with other humans, not?organisations. Take Innocent drinks for example; they have pioneered the anthropomorphic tone that many businesses have now adopted. By presenting themselves as an approachable human rather than a corporate?organisation,?customers have been more likely to open up, engage with them and share their posts.It all costs less than you think

Get out there ? and go social
This merely skims the surface of reasons why businesses need social media, and it?s something we could go on about for a lot longer. But perhaps the bottom line is that if your competitors are using social platforms, why aren?t you? And if they aren?t, outwit them and activate your accounts immediately; you?ll get a great deal of customer value out of it. Eleanor Wright is the founder and creative director at Soello,?a social media agency SME based in Bristol. A proud millennial, Eleanor began working in the digital industries straight after leaving school, she is passionate about introducing businesses to the magic of social media.Share this story