The customer is always right, but how will you know if you’re not listening? Studies from Sprout Social’s Q4 2015 Index show that a whopping 83 percent of brands are ignoring their online customers. Over 80 percent of consumer requests and questions have been ignored over the past year. This is something that isn’t going to fly well with holiday shoppers. It can be difficult to keep track of all the buzz you receive on social media channels, which is why many Los Angeles businesses hire SEO marketing companies to handle it for them.
Slow to No Responses from Retailers
This time last year, less than 17 percent of customer queries were answered by retailers. Some retailers were even making consumers wait up to 11 hours before responding. Patience is not a virtue for many online shoppers. According to the report, 42 percent of shoppers that reach out to brands through social media expect a reply within the hour.
The demands of online consumers are high, especially during the holiday season. In 2014, there was a 21 percent increase in inbound messages to retailers through social media from Q3 to Q4. The same is expected this year. It’s predicted that the average retailer will receive over 1,500 messages on Twitter and Facebook this holiday season. And if this ugly trend doesn’t change, this means five out of every six messages will go unanswered.
Customers are looking for attention and if they don’t get it from your brand, they will go elsewhere. (Companies need to make sure that their SEO as well as overall marketing strategies include servicing customers on social media
Retailers Are Focusing On the Wrong Thing
At first glance, you would think that retailers are busy doing other things than tending to their social media accounts. But to the contrary – they are on social media doing other things…the wrong things. They’re using their social media as an advertising channel. During Q3 of 2015, retailers were sending out three time more promotional posts than replies. The promotions aren’t what’s wrong, it’s the fact they’re ignoring consumers. Numbers show that consumers are seven times more likely to respond to an advertisement after a meaningful interaction with a brand. So by simply responding to consumers can boost engagement for promotions.
The Flood of Comments Don’t Stop After the Holidays
Everyone has exchanged gifts and now some are looking for answers to questions and concerns. Numbers show that retailers see an average of 19 percent more messages outside of the holidays than they did in 2014. Retailers are also seeing a spike in messages sent. In Q1 of 2015, messages sent from retailers was up by 45 percent. If only they would continue this trend, maybe they would have a lot more happy customers!
No business should risk losing prospects to competitors. However, ignoring them is one sure way to do so. Make sure your brand is engaging with prospects and customers throughout the year with the help of an experienced SEO company.
Related Posts:
Call Now