Do you value engagement of your website or social media posts? You should. There is no better tool for customer retention and loyalty than creating an environment of trust and appreciation. If you don’t respond to customer or client engagement, you are putting your business at risk. 
It is understandable that small to medium businesses may not have the resources to respond to engagements. It is important that you find a way to incorporate this practice into daily customer service policy. Failing to respond to engagement tells your customers you do not care – and that is not the impression you want to put out there. 

Customers & Social Media

The relationship between customers and social media is complicated and ever-evolving. Responding to customer engagement in the right way is, therefore, important. Through various studies into customer or user engagement, it has been found that responding within the first hour is crucial. Leaving customers hanging never puts out a good message. 
It is also important to ensure that any interactions comply with industry regulations. This is one of the many reasons some businesses are reluctant to respond to customer posts, comments or messages on social media. From the customer’s point of view, you are simply ignoring their concerns, so having an experienced customer service manager really helps. 

Prepare for Eventualities

Every business will experience customers complaining online. If your business has issues that impact the customer experience, make sure you are prepared. Rumors and claims can spread quickly on social media. The importance of engaging with these posters and, more importantly, the wider audience, cannot be overstated. 
Always make sure the statements or claims you post are within industry regulations. If you can test-run a post by frequent internet users who can provide an unbiased opinion, all the better. An outside perspective can often highlight the positives and negatives of how a post will come across. 

Positive Engagement

Believe it or not, positive engagement can very quickly turn sour. If you do not respond to the people who frequently post your page, reply to comments or share posts, there is a good chance of alienating allies. Yes, replying to every post is time consuming, but the rewards far outweigh the effort. 
If you need help with social media engagement, reach out to Skol Marketing today for expert advice and guidance.