If you want to win people’s affection, appreciation, and approval – the three A’s – there’s another set of vowels to adhere to. The 4 E’s of Social Media.
Apply them to your online persona, and your followers will learn to value your input and trust you as a conscientious and reliable source.
The Four E’s of Social Media to win friends’ and followers’ loyalty start with having some fun.
1. Entertainment
We love to be amused. Entertain and divert us from our daily regimen of tasks and more tasks, and we will gladly accept the distraction.
Give your audience something to smile about. Make them giddy. At the very least, show them your fun side.
Sharing visuals is an easy way to entertain. Create your own Pinterest pin or meme to express your whimsy, or share a video with giggle potential. Check out Buzzfeed’s collection for inspiration.
2. Education
Whenever possible, take the opportunity to enlighten your audience with information they didn’t know they wanted.
Take the Transportation Security Administration’s latest educational ploy. Despite the annnoyance we may have over security check hassles, their Instagram photos of confiscated contraband ranging from loaded guns to inert grenades gives us reason to check our own discontent.
It’s also a chance to answer your customer’s questions. Be a teacher and give them the information they need to make informed choices. Even if it means sharing your family jewels.
3. Engagement
A new study by the Internet Advertising Bureau found that 90% of customers would recommend a brand to others after interacting with them on social media.
Surprise, surprise. Social media paves the road to two-way conversation, allowing both parties to share their point of view.
This is a good time to remember the premier Social Media Engagement rule. As any good social media cocktail mix will warn you – it’s not about you.
For other ideas on engaging with your audience, check out Socially Stacked’s infographic on 10 Quick Tips and Examples for Better Status Updates.
4. Etiquette
The list of propriety no-no’s will continue to grow despite the efforts of the Condescending Corporate Brand Page to put a stopper on it.
Like stop asking people to “Like” your page. The new etiquette for Facebook is to be less shallow and more content-driven. Rather than settling for a cheap click of approval, focus on the previous three E’s and share valuable content.
This doesn’t mean you never include a call to action. Just give them in small doses.
One of the most obvious codes of etiquette is keep it friendly and positive. Somehow this isn’t as straightforward as one would think.
Okay, so no one’s thinking it’s at all straightforward. If you have a Facebook account, I don’t doubt you’ve experienced the depths people will lower themselves in order to mock, insult, and generally flaunt their bad manners, all in the name of sharing.
Don’t go there. Share your good side and leave your scorn at home, no matter how hilarious you think it may be. For those unwilling to behave, going completely invisible on Facebook is a solid option .
The loyalty you hope to achieve with the 4 E’s of Social Media can only bring you better business and better relationships.
“By making people love, not just like your brand, you’re more likely to drive future purchases and increase sales,” said Ian Ralph, Director of Marketing Sciences.
Who doesn’t want to be loved?