How To Improve Customer Engagement Through Social Media Research
Getting your brand out there through word-of-mouth isn’t always enough these days. You’ll have to actively reach out to them if you want them to notice you. That’s where social media research comes into play.
With an estimated 4.9 billion people globally using social media, market research could improve customer engagement. For one, when you understand your target audience’s needs, crafting tailored content becomes a breeze.
Ready to boost customer engagement? This article will show you what’s involved in social media research so you can transform passive scrolling into organic interactions.
Unveiling Your Audience: A Social Media Research Toolkit
Knowing how to conduct social media research starts by understanding that there’s a lot of data to measure. By measuring user behavior on these platforms, businesses can collect valuable insights into how their audience interacts. But this data collection isn’t just about numbers; it’s about understanding what makes users tick.
Social media research tools help businesses extract these insights, transforming raw data into actionable knowledge that can be used to boost customer engagement and social media presence.
Brand Monitoring
What are others saying about your brand? Brand monitoring allows you to find out through hashtags and mentions of your brand, including competitor keywords. You’ll see how customers perceive your business, what they like, and what you can improve. This can be anything from your content strategy to the products or services you offer.
Sentiment Analysis
Many people comment on posts for fun, but if you dig deeper, you’ll notice there are legitimate emotions tied to them. That’s sentiment analysis; it helps you understand why people say the things they say online. That said, consider applying sentiment analysis when viewing comments on your official social media platforms or customer reviews.
Different models that classify text exist to identify and validate customer sentiment. But a study suggests that the Multi-channel CNN (fast text) model has a nearly 80% validation accuracy rate. You may consider using that or other applicable models to verify the sentiment of your customers.
Audience Demographics
Knowing who frequently interacts with your socials paints a better picture of who you’re talking to. And with social media research, you gain insights into whether you’re targeting young adults or retirees, gamers or gardeners.
With the information you gather, crafting better, age-appropriate content will be easier. Luckily, many social media sites have built-in analytics tools. These tools give you insights into your audience’s age, location, gender, and interests.
Competitor Analysis
Did you know that even your competitors can provide valuable information to improve your customer engagement? By studying their social media strategy, you can understand how their content resonates with their audience. You’ll also know what kinds of content receive the most organic engagement.
However, don’t just focus on what works for them—notice what isn’t working and what’s missing, too. Find the gaps in their strategies to refine your brand’s content. If you’ve built your brand through social media this way, it also works with building customer engagement.
Crafting Content Your Audience Craves
Once you’ve gathered relevant data, it’s time to translate that social media research into action.
Aligning Content with Audience Preferences
Found out that the majority of your audience likes memes? Then, put those to good use! Format their preferred content in a way that matches your brand and their preferences.
However, when producing content, you must keep your brand voice consistent. That voice will stick to your audience and let them know it’s you, even if you decide to switch things up.
Examples of Engaging Content
Engaging social media content is a vast pool of options. Some types include:
User-generated content involves the audience creating non-sponsored content about your brand. You can ensure it’s organic since they’re genuine when discussing their thoughts about the product or service you provided them.
If you encounter positive UGCs from your customers, don’t hesitate to share them! Around 80% of people are more likely to buy something if they see it from a UCG campaign. Compare that to ads paid for by your business.
Many people enjoy passing the time by scrolling through their social media channels. But what if they stumbled upon a quiz or poll? Posting interactive content is one effective way to boost customer engagement naturally. Keep quizzes and polls short and sweet, though. The more time-consuming they are, the more people will scroll or click away.
Consumers nowadays make informed choices in their purchases. That’s why brands should leverage educational content through eye-catching infographics or concise, informative clips. So, mention all the key info about your product and service, and let your audience decide for themselves.
One of the current trends in brand awareness is showing a business’s human side. Let your audience know who you are behind the scenes. Customers appreciate stories of how their favorite brands came to be.
Strategies to Boost Engagement
Great content is a foundation, but consistent engagement is what boosts your social media presence to the next level. Here are some strategies to turn viewers into active participants:
- Encouraging Interaction: Respond to comments and messages promptly to let your audience know you hear them. They’ll feel more valued and heard.
- Building Relationships: Social media is a two-way street. That said, connect with your audience by recognizing and appreciating your loyal followers and partnering with influencers in your niche.
Customers will engage with your brand more when you foster a genuine environment where their thoughts matter. The trick is treating them like friends and family, not just sources of income.
Wrapping Up
Improving customer engagement with your brand involves conducting proper social media research. This article is only a crash course on it, but it should jumpstart your efforts.
If the process still leaves you puzzled, feel free to consult industry experts. Remember, thorough research, personalized strategies, and applications could boost those engagement numbers in the long run.
