Joshua Graff, LinkedIn’s EMEA marketing solutions director, said at the SMWF Conference in London that businesses need to understand that in social media it’s all about the relationship.
"Social media is changing the way businesses work with their customer base," said Graff.
Businesses should be particularly strategic in their social approach and not "do social for social sake."
LinkedIn identified six important things business need to do in order to influence people through social media.
- Reciprocity
- Commitment and consistency
- Social Proof – we view are behaviour as correct
- We prefer to say yes to people we know and like, this is why celebrity endorsement works well.
- Authority – to some degree we are all subservient to authority
- Scarcity – limited supply and high demand. People assign more value to something that’s less available. A good example of this would be Pinterest requires an invite in order to join.
Graff, however, pointed out that companies must remember success on social media channels is not about control.
"The gold age of one way push communication is over," said Graff. "Social media is not about control, you have to relinquish some of that control if you’re going to be in the social space."
Earning people’s trust and forming relationships really does matter. Research shows that establishing an emotional connection is good for business. "Emotional is the new rational," said Graff.
Forming a social connection with followers and consumers mean that if a mistake or something unfavourable happens to your business followers are less likely to turn away.
Graff also asserted that personalisation can go a long away and a good social strategy needs be for the long term not short term.
"Be in it for the long term and ultimately remember context matters," said Graff. "Use the right content for the right consumer."
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