Small Business Trends

There’s a lot involved with building your social media presence–so much so, that it’s easy for  small business owners to feel overwhelmed and become unsure of what they should be focusing on. And then you come across some startling stats that show just how big the disconnect really is.

I present you with three social media stats to ponder. Think about how they may reflect your own social media strategy.

1. Social Consumers Rely on Ratings and Reviews

Consumers’ increased use of social media is changing buying patterns and behaviors. It’s something we’ve been able to feel for a while, but thanks to NM Incite, we now also have the data to back it up. According to NM Incite, 63 percent of social media users listed “consumer ratings” as their preferred source for getting information about products and services. Another 62 percent of social media users listed “company reviews” as their preferred source.

Consumers are seeking out these websites for information about the products and services that they are interested in. And they are making their judgments based on the reviews and ratings your brand has received. Last week I mentioned the importance of putting together a holiday review strategy – using the momentum of the season to pad your reviews and testimonials in the New Year. The data released only reaffirms the importance of this. If you haven’t created a strategy for getting online reviews, now is the time. Don’t let it sit any longer.

2. Seventy-One Percent of Companies Ignore Customer Complaints on Twitter

How’s that for customer service?

According to research from Maritz and Evolve124, of 1,298 Twitter complaints reviewed, only 29 percent received a response from the company mentioned. The other 71 percent went completely ignored by the brand, essentially telling consumers companies are not listening and don’t care about their experiences. To make the stat even more heartbreaking, 86 percent of the tweeters who were ignored said they would have liked or loved if the company had responded to them. And that makes sense. We like hearing that a company is listening to us, that they hear what we’re saying, and that they’re going to address our concerns. We are looking for these signs when we do business with a brand, even if 51 percent of users don’t believe a company will respond when we tweet at them. We’re still elated when they do.

If your customers are giving you the opportunity to turn lemons into lemonade, to right a wrong and to start over, don’t let that opportunity slip by. Even if the tweet directed at you is full or fury , the fact that the customer said something gives you the ability to correct it. And according to the numbers, more than 80 percent will be genuinely happy to receive a response from you. That’s like guaranteed happiness just for showing up!

3. Fifty-Eight Percent Expect Exclusive Content/Discounts for “Liking” Your Brand’s Facebook Page.

If ever there was a reminder that consumers have their own motives for following you on Twitter or liking your brand on Facebook, ExactTarget reminds us that it’s really about the customer. Always. When it comes to expectations after liking a company on Facebook:

• 58 percent expect to gain access to exclusive content, events or sales
• 58 percent expect to receive discounts or promotions
• 47 percent expect to receive updates about the company, person or organization

When you begin to develop a presence on social media, it’s up to you to provide the why and create that incentive. It also means understanding your audience so you know what they want. Some may prefer discounts, while others will want exclusive videos or access to your brand. By giving your customers what they want, you increase their engagement with your brand.

The above statistics stood out to me because they all reinforce the reason for getting involved with social media in the first place. It’s about helping people find information about you, engaging when they reach out to you, and giving them something for their time. Those are the three things every social media plan should be based on.