Social Media Customer Experience (CX): Why It’s Important

Social media customer experience is a mixture of art and science. The art is to tune down the dissatisfaction of customers for whatever went wrong and the science part is that it is a marketing channel that can attract new clients.

Social media for customer experience has gained significant importance with the advent of digital channels of customer communication.

Customers can interact with their favorite brands and get prompt responses to their queries or complaints with the help of social media platforms.

67% of consumers have engaged in a brand’s social media for customer service needs.

The impact of social media on customer experience (CX) goes beyond just businesses interacting with customers online. Hence, following social media customer support best practices is crucial for delighting customers, which eventually pays off by increasing retention and their lifetime value (LTV) significantly.

Let us explore why social media is a crucial component of CX and examine the ways it can positively or negatively affect a customer’s experience.

Table of Content

1 Social Media for Customer Experience (CX): Definition
2 What do Customers Expect from Brands on Social Media?
3 Why is Social Media Beneficial for Customer Engagement?
4 8 Strategies to Improve Customer Experience on Social Media
5 Examples of Exceptional Social Media Customer Experience
6 Utilize Social Media for Superior Customer Experience
7 FAQs on Social Media Customer Experience

Social Media for Customer Experience (CX): Definition

Social media customer experience (CX) is defined as the sum of all interactions between a brand and its customers on social media platforms. It includes everything from responding to customer complaints/queries to creating engaging content and building strong relationships.

Social media CX works by leveraging various social media platforms to build brand awareness and address customer concerns in real-time. Brands can use social media to provide customers with personalized experiences, which can improve customer loyalty and drive sales.

Here are a few key objectives that businesses strive to achieve:

Real-time customer support: One of the main objectives of social media for CX is to provide swift and efficient customer support.
Building brand awareness and engagement: Social media platforms offer businesses an opportunity to showcase their brand’s personality and values.
Influencing purchase decisions: Social media has emerged as a key platform for consumers to research products/services.

What do Customers Expect from Brands on Social Media?

Brands need to have a strong social media presence to reach their customers effectively.

But what do customers expect from brands on social media and how can brands meet those expectations?

1. Responsiveness

When a customer reaches out to a brand on social media, they expect a prompt and helpful response. Customers want to feel heard and valued by the brands they follow whether it’s addressing a query or resolving a complaint. Failing to respond promptly can leave a negative impression and lead to a loss of customers.

2. Authenticity

Customers appreciate brands that are authentic on social media. They want to see the real side of a brand, including its values, culture and personality. Brands can connect with their customers on a deeper level and build trust, which ultimately leads to long-term loyalty.

3. Engaging Content

Brands that consistently share interesting and relevant content are more likely to attract followers. Utilizing informative articles, entertaining videos, or interactive polls, brands should focus on creating content that resonates with their target audience.

4. Personalization

Customers appreciate when brands use their data in a meaningful way to provide tailored recommendations, offers, and experiences. Brands can create a more personalized and curated social media experience by understanding customer’s preferences. It is making customers feel valued.

5. Social Responsibility

Customers expect brands to be socially responsible. They appreciate brands that take a stand on important issues, support social causes, and actively try to make a positive impact. Brands that align themselves with the values of their customers are more likely to gain their trust and loyalty.

Why is Social Media Beneficial for Customer Engagement?

Social media has become an essential tool for businesses to enhance customer experience (CX). Over 34.5% of customers said they preferred social media over-reactive support channels like phone and email.

Here are four key reasons why social media is an important platform for your CX strategy:

1. Provides Direct Customer Interaction

Social media platforms provide a direct line of communication between businesses and customers. By actively responding to customer queries, feedback, and concerns, companies can build stronger relationships with their audience.
Instant communication allows businesses to address customer issues promptly, leading to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Here is how social media enhances customer engagement:

Customer experience improvement: Businesses can understand the pain points and identify areas to improve the overall customer experience by interacting directly with customers. Its valuable insight helps businesses make necessary adjustments to their products or services.
Product innovation: Direct customer interaction provides businesses with valuable insights about customer needs. Businesses can develop new products or services catering to their customers’ demands.
Increased sales: When businesses engage in direct customer interaction, they can understand customer needs better. It enables them to tailor their offerings and provide solutions that meet their specific requirements, leading to increased sales.

2. Facilitates Personalized and Targeted Marketing

Social media platforms possess vast amounts of user data, which enables businesses to target specific customer segments based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
Businesses can create personalized marketing campaigns that resonate with their target audience by leveraging the data. It enhances the customer experience and increases the likelihood of conversion.

Higher conversion rates: When advertisements are specifically tailored to appeal to a target group, the chances of converting leads into customers increase significantly. By presenting relevant content, businesses can effectively guide potential customers down the sales funnel.
Increased ROI: Businesses can invest in strategies that focus on reaching the right customers, businesses can see better results and a higher ROI compared to traditional mass marketing techniques.
Precise targeting: It helps businesses to identify their target audience precisely. With advanced analytics, businesses can narrow down their focus and tailor their campaigns to reach the right people at the right time.

3. Increases Brand Visibility

Social media platforms have billions of users worldwide. By establishing a strong presence on these platforms, businesses can significantly increase their brand visibility and reach.
Businesses can create engaging content, share valuable information, and promote their products or services to a wide audience. The increased visibility not only attracts new customers but also helps retain existing ones.

Enhanced recognition: When your brand becomes more visible, it becomes more recognizable. Increased visibility helps your target audience remember your brand.
Expanded reach: Increasing your brand’s visibility can expand your reach to a wider audience. It means more potential customers and increased opportunities for growth.
Improved credibility: A strong brand presence instills trust in your audience. When people see your brand consistently, it establishes your reputation as a reliable business.
Long-Term business growth: Increasing brand visibility is an investment in your business’s long-term success and growth. By consistently promoting your brand and ensuring its visibility, you are setting a solid foundation for sustained business growth.

4. Promotes Word-of-Mouth Marketing

Positive customer experiences shared on social media have the potential to reach a large audience and influence purchasing decisions.
When customers have a memorable and positive experience with a brand, they are more likely to share it on their social media profiles, recommend the brand to their connections, and become brand advocates.
Word-of-mouth marketing can significantly impact a business’s reputation and attract new customers.

Cost-effective advertising: Instead of spending money on traditional advertising channels, businesses can focus on creating a positive customer experience that encourages customers to share their experiences.
Generates buzz and excitement: When people talk positively about a brand, it generates buzz and excitement. It can create interest among potential customers, leading to increased sales and business growth.
Boosts online reviews and ratings: Positive reviews and high ratings can significantly influence the purchasing decisions of potential customers.

5. Real-Time Feedback and Insights

Social media provides an ideal platform for customers to share their feedback and thoughts about a brand or product.
The real-time feedback can act as valuable insights for businesses to understand customer preferences, pain points, and trends. By monitoring the feedback, businesses can make data-driven decisions and improve their products or services.
Immediate performance evaluation: Real-time feedback allows businesses to evaluate performance instantly, enabling them to address issues or make necessary improvements promptly. It helps teams stay on track and ensures that they are delivering their best.

Accurate decision-making: Real-time insights provide businesses with up-to-date information, enabling them to make accurate decisions. The data helps in identifying trends, predicting market changes, and understanding customer preferences.
Agile and responsive strategy: Businesses can quickly respond to market changes and adapt their strategies accordingly using real-time feedback. Agility allows them to stay relevant and better serve their customers’ changing needs.

8 Strategies to Improve Customer Experience on Social Media

Developing relations with customers via social media and the way these channels are managed is a vital component for business success. Social Media can positively impact sales conversions and to a large extent, brand loyalty.

Let’s ideate eight strategies to use social media for better social media customer service.

1. Develop a Social Media Listening Program

One of the most important strategies for using social media to improve social media customer experience is to listen carefully to your customers. Deploy social media monitoring tools to track and analyze customer feedback.

Best practices:

Set up monitoring alerts: Set up monitoring alerts to receive notifications whenever there is a mention of your brand, competitors, industry keywords, or relevant hashtags.
Engage and respond: Social media listening helps in engaging with your audience. Engaging with users leads to building stronger relationships.
Adapt and evolve: Social media is constantly evolving, so stay updated with the latest social media trends and industry developments. Regularly review your goals and modify your listening strategies accordingly.

2. Provide Exceptional Customer Service

Providing top-notch customer service on social media is essential when it comes to improving customer experience.

Provide Exceptional Customer Service

Businesses should be active and responsive on social media platforms, providing timely and relevant answers to customer’s queries.

Best practices:

Active and empathetic listening: Active listening means giving full attention to what your customers are saying and understanding their concerns. Show empathy and let them know that you genuinely care about their concerns.
Train and empower your customer service team: Invest in comprehensive training programs for your customer service team. Provide them with knowledge about your products or services, effective communication skills, and problem-solving techniques.
Consistency across channels: Consistency is key in providing exceptional customer service. Ensure that your service standards are upheld across all communication channels, be it in-person, phone, email or social media.

3. Respond Quickly to Customer Queries and Feedback

Social media has given customers a voice and they expect brands to respond quickly to their feedback.

Customer Queries and Feedback

When a customer posts a comment or question on your social media page, respond as quickly as possible. It shows your customers that you value their opinions and are committed to resolving their issues.

Best practices:

Monitor social media channels regularly: The first step to responding quickly is to monitor your social media channels regularly. Keep an eye on your mentions, messages, comments and direct messages across all platforms.
Use automation tools: Utilize automation tools like chatbots and autoresponders to provide immediate assistance. These tools can handle basic queries, provide FAQs and direct customers to the appropriate channels for further assistance.
Follow up and close the loop: After resolving a customer query, don’t forget to follow up and close the loop. Reach out to the customer to ensure they are satisfied with the resolution.

4. Personalize The Social Media Customer Experience

Personalization is becoming increasingly essential and social media provides an excellent opportunity for businesses to provide a personalized experience for their customers. By leveraging customer data such as purchase history, search queries as well as social media interactions, businesses can personalize their marketing messaging, offers and recommendations.

Best practices:

Create engaging content: Content is the heart of social media and creating engaging is key to personalizing the user experience. Be it informative blog posts, visually appealing images, or entertaining videos, the content you share should add value to your audience.
Respond and engage: Personalization goes beyond creating content; it involves actively engaging with your audience. Respond promptly to comments, messages, and inquiries, showing that you genuinely care about their feedback. Encourage conversations, ask questions and create polls to spark discussions.
Personalized advertising: Use the knowledge you have gained about your audience to create personalized advertisements. Social media platforms offer robust targeting options, allowing you to reach specific demographics, interests, or behaviors.

5. Use Social Media to Offer Exclusive Deals and Promotions

Social media is a great platform to run promotions and offer deals to your customers. By offering exclusive deals to your social media followers, you can build customer loyalty and create excitement around your brand.

Use social media to announce new product launches, sales, and special events.

Best practices:

Timing is key: Timing plays a crucial role in the success of your social media promotions. Analyze your audience’s behavior and choose the best time to post.
Use hashtags and influencers: Hashtags are an effective way to increase the visibility of your promotions. Include relevant hashtags in your posts to reach a wider audience. Collaborating with influencers in your industry can also boost your promotions by leveraging their large following.

6. Humanize Your Brand Through Social Media

Social media provides an opportunity to show the human side of your brand.

Use social media to showcase company culture, highlight employee achievements and share behind-the-scenes glimpses of your business.

Best practices:

Show the faces behind the brand: People relate more to faces than logos. Share photos/ short videos of team members engaging in activities related to your brand. The personal touch will create a sense of authenticity and help your audience connect with your brand on a deeper level.
Tell inspiring stories: Storytelling is a powerful tool to humanize your brand. Highlight customer success stories, employee experiences, and community initiatives that are relevant to your brand’s values.
Share behind-the-scenes content: Give your audience a glimpse into the everyday workings of your brand. Show them what happens behind the scenes, such as product development, team meetings, or events. The transparency will humanize your brand, making it more relatable and approachable.
Create a consistent brand voice: Develop a consistent brand voice that resonates with your target audience. Use a tone that aligns with your brand’s personality and values.

7. Use Data to Optimize Your Social Media Strategy

Implement data analysis to optimize your social media strategy.

Understand which channels are providing the most engagement and use the information to refine your social media approach. Track key performance indicators such as reach, engagement, referral traffic, and conversions.

Best practices:

Track relevant metrics: Focus on the metrics that align with your objectives. Common social media metrics include reach, engagement, clicks, conversions and audience demographics.
Analyze audience behavior: Understanding your audience’s behavior is crucial for optimizing your social media strategy. The data will guide your content creation and posting schedule, ensuring that you reach your audience.
Utilize analytics tools: Social media platforms provide robust analytics tools that can offer valuable insights into your performance.

8. Provide Valuable Content in Social Media

Social media can also be used to provide valuable content that enhances the customer experience.
Businesses can use social media platforms such as Instagram and YouTube to provide educational content related to their products/services. It can help customers make informed purchasing decisions and improve their overall experience with the brand.

Best practices:

Engage in conversations: Social media is not just about broadcasting your content; it’s also about engaging in conversations with your audience. Respond to comments, answer questions and acknowledge feedback.
Educate and inform: Valuable content should educate and inform your audience. Share industry insights, expert tips, or how-to guides that offer practical value to your followers.
Provide value across different platforms: Social media platforms vary in terms of user behavior and content formats. Adapt your content strategy to each platform you’re active on. Tailoring your content to each platform ensures maximum impact and engagement.

Examples of Exceptional Social Media Customer Experience

Leveraging social media platforms can lead to exceptional customer satisfaction and create lasting relationships with consumers.

Let’s take a look at some of the best real-time examples of how different sectors are leveraging social media for exceptional customer experiences:

IBM

IBM, a multinational technology company, effectively leverages social media platforms such as Twitter and LinkedIn to engage with its B2B customers. They regularly share informative content, industry insights, and success stories, which help to create a strong online community. It actively monitors social media channels to address customer queries promptly, ensuring a positive customer experience.

Starbucks

Starbucks, a global coffeehouse chain, has a strong social media presence across various platforms. They utilize Twitter to engage with customers in real time, responding to queries, addressing concerns, and sharing updates on new offerings. Starbucks also leverages Instagram to showcase aesthetically appealing images of its products, creating a visually appealing brand experience for its customers.

American Express

American Express effectively uses social media platforms to provide exceptional customer service. They have a dedicated Twitter account, @AskAmex, where customers can ask questions, report issues, or seek assistance. The team behind @AskAmex promptly responds to customer inquiries, offering a seamless and personalized customer experience.

Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic, a renowned healthcare provider, has leveraged social media to educate and engage with patients. They utilize various platforms, including Twitter or YouTube, to share informative content, expert advice, and success stories. Cleveland Clinic’s active presence on social media has not only enhanced patient education but has also fostered a supportive online community.

Airbnb

Airbnb, an online marketplace for accommodations, has utilized social media to personalize the booking experience for their customers. They actively engage with their community through platforms like Twitter or Instagram, sharing user-generated content and highlighting unique stays. By showcasing the experiences of their customers, Airbnb creates a sense of belonging and excitement, ultimately enhancing the customer experience.

Utilize Social Media for Superior Customer Experience

Social media has become an integral part of our lives. From connecting with friends and family to discovering new products/ services, social media platforms have evolved to provide a superior customer experience. Brands are now realizing the importance of utilizing social media as a primary channel to engage with their customers.

Social media can be leveraged for exceptional customer experiences. Utilizing social media platforms effectively, businesses can connect with their target audience on a personal level, build brand loyalty and provide timely support. It is evident that social media has become an indispensable tool for enhancing the overall customer experience and should be an integral part of any business’s marketing strategy.

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FAQs on Social Media Customer Experience

How does social media enhance customer experience?

Social media platforms provide businesses with a direct and immediate line of communication with their customers. By actively engaging on social media, companies can quickly respond to customer complaints. The real-time interaction makes customers feel valued and heard, ultimately enhancing their experience with the brand. Social media allows businesses to personalize their customer service by tailoring responses to individual needs, creating a more personalized and satisfactory experience for customers.

How can social media customer experience impact a company’s reputation?

Social media plays a crucial role in shaping a company’s reputation. A positive customer experience shared on social media can amplify a company’s positive image. Conversely, a negative experience can spread like wildfire and tarnish a brand’s reputation. Customers often turn to social media to both praise and criticize a brand, making it imperative for businesses to provide exceptional customer service. By promptly responding to customer inquiries or complaints and addressing them effectively, a company can demonstrate its commitment to customer satisfaction, thus strengthening its reputation.

How can businesses leverage social media influencers to enhance customer experience?

Social media influencers have gained substantial influence over their followers’ purchasing decisions. By collaborating with influencers who align with their brand values and target audience, businesses can enhance their customer experience.
Influencers can create content that showcases the brand’s products or services in an authentic way, generating interest and credibility among their followers. Through influencer partnerships, businesses can reach a wider audience, raise brand awareness, and provide customers with a more personalized experience.

How does social media customer experience contribute to overall brand perception?

Customer experience on social media channels significantly impacts a brand’s perception in the eyes of its target audience. When customers have positive interactions with a company on social media, they are more likely to develop a favorable impression of the brand.

The positive perception fosters trust, and customers are more likely to become brand advocates. On the other hand, negative customer experiences can lead to a negative perception of the brand, potentially driving customers away. Therefore, it is crucial for businesses to prioritize delivering exceptional customer experiences on social media to foster a positive brand perception.