How consumers are using social media to contact brands this holidays

Let's find out how online trends apply to local businesses 

But before we dive in, this is the Christmas edition of our newsletter. We wish you a Merry Christmas and to all very happy holidays full of warmth, joy and peace.

Now to the topic of today. Sprout Social is a social media management platform (read: software) and they did a study that found 74% of consumers will be reaching out to brands (read: businesses) on social media. That's nearly three-quarters (read: most people).

There is more, 70% say they’re going to directly message a brand (again, business, local or national), and 63% said they’re more likely to contact a brand on social during the holidays than at other times.

The study was equally split between U.S. and U.K. consumers but before we dismiss an online study as not related to our local businesses, let's find out what pieces might apply, and how can we take advantage of what our clients and prospects are already doing.

Why we should care

This is marketing 101. We have to meet our clients and prospects where they are. And communicate with them the way they prefer, make it easy, remove any friction.

That's a concept that applies whether you are a big national chain or a local restaurant, coach, financial advisor, CPA, marketer, landscaper, roofer, etc. You get the idea.

Consumers reasons for using Social Media

The study actually grouped them into 4 reasons. Once again let's see how each may apply to local business.

The pandemic changed many things and social media plays a significant role in how customers discover new products and services during the holidays, the study found. The results in descending order:

• Family/friend recommendations on social media (60%)
• Face-to-face/direct recommendations from family/friends (57%)
• Brands’ social media accounts (55%)
• TV (50%)
• Influencer recommendations on social (42%)
• Review sites (23%)
• Print or digital media (newspapers, magazines, blogs) (19%)
• Podcasts (15%)
• Other (1%)

With friends/family recommendations on social media at the top, makes it something we cannot ignore at the local business level. The brand's social media accounts and Influencers also got big percentages.

Main takeaway for local businesses: Social media matters, people are on social media and they are now very comfortable using it for contacting businesses for products and services.

What is your social media plan for 2024? Are you meeting your clients where they are?

Customers will also attempt to contact brands directly over social media platforms. This usually means for customer service and general questions. Here are the top platforms:

• Facebook (69%)
• Instagram (65%)
• TikTok (41%)
• YouTube (39%)
• WhatsApp (22%)
• Snapchat (21%)
• X, formerly Twitter (21%)
• Pinterest (16%)
• LinkedIn (9%)
• Reddit (8%)

Main takeaway for local businesses: Find out which social media network YOUR customers use, only go to where they are. 

How can you offer value through these social media channels? Local businesses can offer more personalized services and products. This should be extension to what you do in person. But the reach is far greater and faster.

• Direct message (70%)
• In-post comments (43%)
• Tagging or @-mentioning a brand publicly (40%)
• Story replies (17%)

Main takeaway for local businesses: This is all about engagement, big national brands can boast millions of followers, but what good are they if there is little engagement. 

Make sure your posts and stories SPEAK to your ideal client, and when they comment or tag you, answer. Create a conversation, keep them engaged and you will be top of mind over a big brand. 

Here are the motivations customers say they have for contacting brands on social:

• Product question — before making a purchase (65%)
• Sharing positive product or service feedback (39%)
• Order question — post-purchase (38%)
• Product defect or complaint (23%)
• Posting content featuring a product you gave or received for the holidays (21%)
• Other (1%)

Main takeaway for local businesses: Create raving fans. The above reasons are both before and after purchase. By answering promptly and providing great customer service you can create a customer for life, one that will do the selling for you.

Even when the contact is about a problem or dissatisfaction, see it as an opportunity. Turn that strong emotion from negative to positive by going the extra mile, the emotion will stay strong but in the positive, creating a raving fan.

Social media is not optional anymore

All of our clients and prospects are on social media, we can't change that, but we can leverage it at the local level. See it as a leveled playing field. Because this is an opportunity for all the local restaurants, coaches, financial advisors, CPAs, marketers, landscapers, roofers, etc. You get the idea.

Any ideas on how to take advantage of social media? Is your competition down the street leveraging social media? 

Reply to this email or comment below so we can all share ideas to help our local businesses. Because at RSX Marketing our belief is that when businesses do well, their communities do well. 

And contact us if you want a social media strategy for 2024.

Happy Holidays.