Mariano Solia | Consultant11/14/2011
MASH MY WEEK! Summary of outstanding news about the Internet, technology, and social media from November 7–12
A new week starts and Intuic brings you the latest news about the Internet, technology, social media trends, and more.
For this edition of Mash my Week! we have a special report on the importance of answering negative questions and responding to followers of corporate social profiles.
We also discuss the “Tablet Effect,” how these devices are changing the habits of web users.
Last, we give you 8 pieces of advice about the dos and don’ts of social networks success.
Companies and social networks: The importance of replying to complaints
Several companies and organizations rely on social networks to help spread their institutional message, increase brand visibility, and connect with the audience. This is just the first step, however, since mere presence on a social platform does not guarantee the success of a social media strategy, and poorly managed online communications can even damage an organization’s image.
Companies want to enjoy the benefits offered free of charge by social platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, among them a huge user audience, worldwide scope, feedback from customers and prospects, message immediacy, and symmetrical relations with followers. However, many companies are not prepared to respond to any negative messages.
According to a recent study by eMarketer, “How well do companies respond to customer complaints?” marketing professionals are ignoring the unsatisfied consumers on their corporate social profiles. They are even unaware that there are complaints. Information collected from an analysis carried out by MarketTools shows that while 34% of companies admitted having received negative comments on their social networks, 22% did not know, and almost half—44% of those surveyed—denied the existence of this kind of feedback on their profiles.
Many of the professionals that manage communications on social networks confess to leaving negative questions or comments unanswered. Seventeen per cent of those surveyed seldom or never respond to this kind of comment on Facebook, and 29% on Twitter. The additional high percentage of professionals that “don’t know” or respond “just sometimes” cannot be ignored.
This information is alarming because users interacting with companies through the social networks are looking for answers. Lack of concern shown by a company can irreparably damage its relationship with the customer.
The tablet era
Apple forecasts predict that iPad2 sales in 2012 will reach 58 million, representing 50% growth over 2011. And Apple is not the only player in the tablet market. Other technology companies that offer their own tablet designs will also improve their sales. Everything seems to indicate that tablets will set the pace for the near future.
Nowadays, changes resulting from the use and proliferation of these devices are altering the commercial and strategic priorities of many companies. This phenomenon is being referred to as the “tablet effect.”
One of these important changes is the tendency toward e-commerce. As we have been showing you in our previous Mash my Week! discussions, tablet owners do the most online shopping and spend more in comparison to smartphone users.
Tablets are positioned as the best tools for pre-purchase research for three simple reasons: tablets beat mobile phones because of their screen size; tablets are more portable, lighter, and easier to handle than netbooks or notebooks; and the tablet user experience is richer and more interactive.
Social network updates: Dos and Don’ts
Sometimes, managing your social networks is not as easy as it seems. Once the online profile is created and there are a certain number of followers, the problem of what to upload to the network becomes challenging. We all want to attract and interest our followers, so what is the secret behind an “I like” or a ReTweet? What follows are 8 pieces of advice on the dos and don’ts of a successful online presence:
1. DO – Be Informative. According to an eMarketer study, 46% of the followers of corporate social profiles expect much more than just offers, coupons, or links to products/services. They are looking for information on products and services, advice that allows them to improve their consumption experience.
2. DO NOT – Talk like a parrot. Information overload and content repetition are the two main reasons why a user stops following a brand online. Make sure not to saturate your followers with too frequent updates or bore them with repetitive messages.
3. DO – Start a tradition. Set up an information exchange schedule for presenting information on your social network. Offer regular content to cultivate your followers’ loyalty.
4. DO NOT – Fail to respond. Social networks depend on conversing, connecting with users, and responding to their doubts. If the subject is not something that can be resolved through the social network, provide a phone number or email address to maintain contact.
5. DO – Invite action. Ask your fans to “like” your content, motivate them to share, and thank them when they do.
6. DO NOT – Publish just text. Accompany your publications with images and videos to enrich the content.
7. DO – Have a crisis plan. Be proactive; be prepared to deal with negative comments.
8. DO NOT – Be rude. Be careful how you communicate with followers.
We suggest that you observe what other companies are doing on social media, draw some conclusions, and create your own success recipe based on your own experience.
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