How to Connect With Your Target Audience Through Social Media

For your company to be successful, one of the challenges you must overcome is connecting with your customers. This is where social media comes in — with the right mix of tactics and channels, you will be able to connect with your target audience on a deeper level and help them feel valued and appreciated by your business. 

Here are seven ways to leverage social media to build relationships with your customers.

Respond to Customers' Messages

If you are running a company’s social media, remember to always respond to customer comments and messages, whether positive or negative. If the feedback is negative, offer a direct line of communication (ex. DM, phone number, email, etc.) to contact you so the problem can be rectified. People need to feel heard and understood, and it’s crucial that they are allowed the opportunity to share their stories with you. 

 For more on how to enhance your customer service via social media:

Create a Community Group

Community groups are among the top ways to use social media to engage with your target audience. While it’s OK to post about your products from time to time or share insider information, the community group should mainly be a place for your customers to share their thoughts and build relationships with one another.

For example, a clothing boutique could start an online community group where people could ask for styling advice for something they bought. Having a community group is also beneficial because it gives you an inside scoop of what your customers are looking for and what they value most in your business. 

For more on the importance of online communities: 

Host Giveaways

Giveaways are a terrific way to connect with your customers. People love winning free items — so much so, that many would be willing to share posts and stories about your company for entries. To promote your business and engage with your target audience, you can create a shareable post that followers have to comment on or share for an entry. When hosting a giveaway, be sure that you have clear instructions and that you announce the winner by the designated date.

Share Videos of Your Products and Services

Videos are powerful tools to get your message across, and people are more likely to respond to videos than written content. You can share clips of your services, have a Q&A session with employees, or interview previous customers for testimonials. Many products and services will feature better in a video than in photos, and this will resonate well with your target audience and encourage them to support your business.

For more on how to create excellent product videos: 

Post More Than Just Business Information

People follow companies on social media because they enjoy their products or services, but not everything on your business’ social media has to be strictly business-related. Try posting content that engages your target audience and encourages them to share. For example, during the holidays, you can ask followers to share their favorite present they’ve ever received.

 For content ideas to post on social media:

Study Your Social Media Analytics

To know what is and is not working, study your company’s social media analytics and consider how your target audience is most engaged and what they respond to best. Many factors, including age, geographical location, income level, and gender, play into their responses, and you must figure out the specifics and cater to them. For example, younger audiences will engage more on Instagram, while older generations will engage more on Facebook. 

For a list of social media tools to help you connect with your target audience:

Provide Insider Information

Members of your target audience are more likely to follow your company's social media if you post exclusive information that isn't available anywhere else. For instance, you can post about upcoming sales or new product releases before they happen.  

Sharing behind-the-scenes knowledge of how your business operates is also an excellent way to engage with followers while promoting unique aspects of your business. For example, you could shine a spotlight on a different employee each month with fun tidbits. Another behind-the-scenes idea is to post content on the operational side of how your business operates. People will feel a deeper connection to your company once they see how your company works and how many different aspects go into making a product.

Engagement Is the Key to Success

From teenagers to grandparents, almost everyone is on some form of social media. To connect with your followers using social media, you need to study your target audience and determine which platforms they are more likely to use. Once you have created content and have a strategy in place, you need to respond to comments and messages in a timely and positive manner. And when creating content, it's essential to post information that engages people like questions about their favorite products or asking them to share their product stories. Engaging with your audience is key to a company's success, and using social media is the perfect avenue to make it happen.

Looking for more ways to grow with social media? Check out our resources below!

Last updated on May 22nd, 2023.