6 Social and Review Site Engagement Tips

Congratulations! You've created social media pages, a way to monitor them and know where your brand reviews are coming from—now it's time to take it to the next level and start engaging the people who are talking to (or about) you. No matter what your customers are saying, they care enough about their experiences with you to publicly share it with their friends and family. Every customer that engages with you on social media or review sites is giving you an opportunity to make them a brand loyalist. If you're not responding to comments or reviews, you're missing a chance to connect with your customers and prospects. Here are six tips to help you make the most out of each customer response online:

1. Engage with consumers who are excited about your brand.
If a consumer is commenting positively about you or your content on social, it's a great idea to acknowledge their input! When a customer purchases something from you, it's second nature to thank them—whether it's via email or in-person, you should tell them how grateful you are for their business. If you're not sure which of the consumers commenting on your content are existing customers, why not assume that every interaction is a chance to associate your brand image with responsive, positive feedback? Although a reply may not always be appropriate, a retweet, like, or +1 shows that you're listening and engaged.

Part of the reason you're on social in the first place is to get your customers to endorse your company and products. Since only 50 percent of Americans trust businesses to "do what is right" and 70 percent of survey respondents trust their friends and family the most, getting your advocates to share their experiences with their social community means that your prospects are hearing good things from a trustworthy source.