For many businesses, meeting with customers in person isn’t realistic right now. However, connecting with your customers is more important than ever, because you need them and they need you as soon as the COVID-19 scare is over. Social media experts believe that half of the reasons companies go out of business could be alleviated by better use of social media.

Businesses should always be “listening” to their customers on social media. When your followers respond well to a certain type of content, you know to post more of that, right? Likewise, when followers are not interacting with you on social media, it’s time to make a change. Many questions can be answered about your customers simply by doing your social media research. These questions might include:

Which social platforms do your customers use the most? This is an important question to answer because it provides you with valuable insight about more than just which platforms you should be using. You can find out more about your customers’ ages, interests, etc. based on which social media platforms they frequently use.

What topics are your target audience talking about the most? Are you customers more interested in finding out more about your services, or are they more interested in your customer service? What topics are interesting to your customers that can relate back to your business? These questions can be answered through social media, and used when connecting with your customers in the future.

How can you help consumers overcome their challenges? When a business is in the service industry, their customers really rely on them to save the day when faced with a challenge. Whether you’re a chiropractor, a plumber, a pest control specialist, and HVAC expert or you specialize in auto repairs, your customers look to you for the answers and help they need. Typically, your customers will contact you when they’re having an issue. Finding out how you can help consumers overcome their challenges and where your business fits in making life easier for consumers is necessary, and can be done through social media.

What are your followers saying about your business? Businesses should be reading and learning from their customers reviews, comments and messages. If you’re receiving inquiries often regarding services you don’t offer, maybe your business should explore the option of expanding to offer the services your consumers are looking for. If you are receiving feedback from customers (positive or negative) regarding your products, services or customer connections, it’s the job of the business to listen and adjust accordingly. Social media is the perfect place to find out what your followers are saying about you.

90% of consumers say they’re more likely to buy from a company after a positive social media interaction. Having regular interactions with your customers online increases the opportunity for the positive experience they’re after. Now more than ever, engaging with your customers online is crucial to keep your business relevant and useful to your customers. During the stressful time our world is experiencing, your customers rely on the simple things like connecting with people (that includes businesses) to keep things calm. Interacting with customers through social media has many benefits, including:

Creating Lasting Connections
Building Trust
Providing Comic Relief when Applicable
Providing Help through Expert Tips & Tricks
Strengthening Relationships

Your business should be easily accessible to consumers through the social media platforms they’re using most. This includes Google My Business, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. Depending on your industry and the demographics of your customers, some social media platforms are more important than others for your business. If you need help setting up your social media profiles, or creating customer connections through social media, your friends at FreshLime are happy to help!

For more insights on marketing strategy that actually works for small business, connect with Jay Bean, Founder of FreshLime and Small Business Marketing Expert on LinkedIn and Twitter. If any of these tips have helped you or if you have anything to add, please comment below. We’d love to hear from you!