Consumers spend nearly twenty percent of all their time online utilizing social media platforms, fourteen percent of which is spent on Facebook (Adler, 2016). With the rapid growth in popularity of social media platforms, more and more people are using social sites and posting both negative and positive feedback of their lives as well as products and services that they use. Because of this, it is imperative that a company participates on social media platforms to engage with, take care of, and most importantly, LISTEN to their consumers.
As Helmrich (2014) explains, “an engaging social media strategy that's equipped to handle customer service issues” is imperative to a business. However, at the same time, it is also vital to differentiate themselves from other company’s and stay relevant within consumer’s minds when using social media platforms. Businesses need to listen to their customer’s and develop their own unique “social personality” by giving their brand human traits when conversing with the public (Kerpen, 2015, pg. 92). The brand’s personality should also be in line with their mission statement and resonate positively with consumers above all else.
Seamless is one company that has found its brand personality and is using it successfully to handle
While this social personality works for Seamless, it is imperative that each company listen to its audience and understand what they want to hear and how they want to hear it to find its true social personality. For example; Wendy’s social media was recently under attack because it attempted to follow Seamless’ brand voice when Wendy’s audiences did not respond to this type of “fun” behavior. Their attempt at witty customer service resulted in them being under fire for using a meme that has been associated as a symbol of hate (Fox News, 2017).
This is just an example of how a company should listen before speaking as well as the “words and the way in which you respond, even to positive comments, are integral to the way in which they will be received” (Kerpin, 2015, pg. 14 & pg. 94).
References
Adler, Emily. (2016, Jul 7). Social media engagement: the surprising facts about how much time people spend on the major social networks. Business Insider. Retrieved: http://www.businessinsider.com/social-media-engagement-statistics-2013-12
Fox News. (2017, Jan 4). Wendy’s tweets, then deletes ‘hate symbol’ meme. Fox News. Retrieved: http://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/2017/01/04/wendys-tweets-then-deletes-hate-symbol-meme.html
Helmrich, Brittney. (2014, Dec 15). 10 companies that totally rock customer service on social media. Business News Daily. Retrieved: http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7578-social-media-customer-service.html
Karpen, Dave. (2015). Likeable Social Media, 2nd Edition. McGraw-Hill.
Hi Mel,
ReplyDeleteI really like how your post emphasized a key point—listening to your customer is more than just replying to their questions or comments in a timely manner, it also means understanding how they want to hear your brand message.
I remember following the recent Wendy’s social media instance as it went viral and saw an article that dug back into the company’s Twitter profile and found that the company’s social media manager had been taking a snarky/witty response to a customer’s criticism around their “fresh-never frozen” brand promise.Here is a link to the full article (http://www.cnbc.com/2017/01/04/wendys-saucy-tweets-are-hit-and-miss-on-social-media.html) that shares some (pretty amusing) screenshots of the back and forth between Wendy’s and their customer. It appears, this got other follower’s attention—some even appreciated the humor and showed loyalty to their approach (Whitten, 2017).
Of course, every company shouldn’t gamble in switching their style as this could easily backfire. Humor, snarky comments and whit can easily offend. Even more recently, when Beyoncé announced she was expecting twins, Denny’s made a remarked “wow, bey has TWO buns in the oven! that’s just an expression by the way. please don’t eat those buns. they are babies.” This article accounts the backlash the brand received around this joking post: http://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/02/dennys-tweeted-about-beyonces-twins-and-the-internet-isnt-happy.html (Whitten, 2017).
Again, brands should be careful to understand their audience and how they’ll react to the style and tone you use on your social media accounts. This shows you are truly listening to them.
References
Whitten, S. (2017, January 04). A Wendy's tweet just went viral for all the wrong reasons. Retrieved February 04, 2017, from http://www.cnbc.com/2017/01/04/wendys-saucy-tweets-are-hit-and-miss-on-social-media.html
Whitten, S. (2017, February 02). Denny's tweeted about Beyonce's twins and the internet isn't happy. Retrieved February 04, 2017, from http://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/02/dennys-tweeted-about-beyonces-twins-and-the-internet-isnt-happy.html
Hi Meghan!
DeleteI completely agree - there are so many examples of when companies use social media poorly. As Kerpen (2015, pg. 93) states, it is imperative that a company speak the language that is true to its brand identity, "would a bank talk to its customers face-to-face using the same language that a pizzeria would?"
There are certain company's that consumers want to hear from in a sarcastic or snarky tone and other company's that they want serious conversation and straight answers from.
US Airways is a company that we want to take very seriously as we depend on them for major transportation in a safe and responsible way. I personally would not want my customer care concerns being responded to in a joking manner from a company like US Airways. Also, I would want all of their social media posts to be the same professional voice. US Airways was recently the subject of major news as their social media was not professional and received a lot of backlash and rightfully so (Moss, 2014)!
Kerpen, Dave. (2015). Likeable Social Media, 2nd Edition. McGraw-Hill.
Moss, Caroline. 2014, Apr 4. US Airways Tweeted An Extreme Pornographic Image And Left It Up For A Long Time. Business Insider. Retrieved: http://www.businessinsider.com/us-airways-pornographic-tweet-2014-4
Hi Mel,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post this week as I think you did a great job discussing how the voice a company chooses to use on social media really has an impact on their overall brand. Seamless has always had a unique approach and it works for them, but they have also clearly defined it from the start and held to it. When a company like Wendy's switches gears they need to do so with ease and care and a lot of market research. They could be alienating their existing core customers who aren't ready for the switch. I think in the end a company or a brand need stop know who they are before they use their voice in the world.
Lena
Thank you Lena!
DeleteHi Mel,
ReplyDeleteThis is a perfect example of listening to your audience before engaging in conversation. I had not previously heard of Seamless, but enjoyed browsing through their social media accounts. The voice they use is witty and relatable to their audience. It shows that they have a true understanding of their target market. In Chapter 8 of Likeable Social Media, Kerpen discusses the need to be authentic on social media. Rather than following a script, companies should engage and act like a real person.
Kerpen states that consumers “have gotten used to talking to each other through social networks with a level of humanity they have come to expect from all users. Now, as an advertiser of company, you need to join in this conversation, and when you do so, your organization must keep you consumers; expectations in mind. You have to be an authentic human being in your interactions. Anything less and your consumers might consider your attempt at conversation nothing more than a marketing ploy, no better than if you repeated a bland corporate mantra” (Kerpen, p. 107). Not only has Seamless followed Kerpen’s first rule regarding listening, they have also incorporated an authentic voice in their social media activity. Great example!
Reference
Karpen, Dave. (2015). Likeable Social Media, 2nd Edition. McGraw-Hill.
Hi Aimee!
DeleteIn the past, "advertising needs to appeal to the masses” (Scott, 2015, pg. 20). However, more recently, it is imperative that a company uses two way communication to engage with their consumers via social media and that they remain authentic.
Candice Charleton, Manager, Social for Hootsuite states that;
“It’s clear that authenticity on social is key to having an engaged audience. Whether you’re involved in social marketing, customer service, community building or all of the above, being real to build relationships is where it’s at" (Barrett, 2015).
This is why it is so important for companies to use social media and have consumers communicate with them on these platforms!
Barrett, Jeff. (2015, Dec. 15). The Best Social Media Strategy? Authenticity. Retrieved: https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-strategy-authenticity/
Scott, D. M. (2015). The New Rules of Marketing & PR. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.