Find out why your customer service team needs to be active on social media

Have you ever purchased a new product, only to discover it doesn’t work right? To make your situation even worse, to fix your problem you are required to embark upon a treasure hunt to locate contact information on the company’s website. Trying to find their customer service phone number is like trying to pick the numbers to win the lottery. Sending an email results in a generic auto-response. And filling out the ‘contact us’ form? Where the heck does that go? And will a real person EVER respond?

Luckily for the customer, locating a company’s social tag is easy. Today, with social media, more and more consumers are turning too social as a way to get a quick response to resolving their problem. Social media sites are the billboards of the Internet highway. An extremely public way to gain attention and call for help. On top of that, those who seek assistance via social often expect a quick response.

It turns out…

35% of people have asked a customer service question via social media.

42% of consumers expect to receive a response within one hour, with 32% expecting it in 30 minutes or less.

“In the world of Internet Customer Service, it’s important to remember your competitor is only one mouse click away.” – Doug Warner

According to HelpScout:

80% of companies believe they deliver “superior” customer service…

BUT ONLY

8% of customers think these same companies deliver “superior” customer service.

So where is the disconnect?

Start by taking a look at your Customer Service Plan – if you don’t have one, now is the time to start putting one together. Determine what social networks your customers are, and make sure you to have a presence so that you can monitor, communicate, and reach out to them. Look for tools to help you. Tools can help you easily find out when someone has posted a message on social. This is particularly helpful for companies that don’t have a dedicated social media manager.

Decide how to handle issues ranging from the simple to complicated. Oftentimes, it may start with a very public message to the customer apologizing for their problems, “Sorry productxyz doesn’t work as expected, please send us a direct message with your contact information so we can help you resolve this problem.” You are letting your customer know you recognize there is a problem, and demonstrating genuine interest in helping them fix it. So while the world at large will have seen the customer’s public display of dissatisfaction, they will also see your effort to work with the customer to find a solution.

"I genuinely believe that any business can create a competitive advantage through giving outstanding customer care." - Gary Vaynerchuk

If you have received a few complaints from customers regarding a single issue, it may help to write a blog describing the problem and information leading to a solution. Promote through the social sites you are currently using to interact with customers. Doing something like this helps current customers and as well as interested buyers know you are taking this information seriously and sharing details to help many. Use this way to start a conversation or gain additional feedback regarding this one particular issue. You can then use that to help in product development for future offerings.

“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” – Bill Gates

The Rules To Sales Have Changed

It’s no longer all about selling. Getting new customers now starts with getting their attention, being accessible and your website usable.

The amount of new content posted on the Internet daily is staggering. From DOMO’s ‘Data Never Sleeps 2.0’ - every minute of the day Facebook users share 2,460,000 pieces of content, Twitter users tweet 277,000 times and email users sent 204.000,000 messages. Every 60 seconds! Amazing. Trying to cut through the clutter and grab an individual’s attention is becoming increasingly difficult. Therefore, knowing what your customers want ahead of time helps you to create thoughtful and engaging content. In addition, you need to make the experience of accessing and perusing the content and additional information on your website as seamless and effortless as possible.

Start by capturing their attention. According to Internet Live Stats, in one second there are 50,178 searches on Google. Make it easy for visitors to find you. While standard keywords terms are associated with higher search volume, a long-tail keyword helps users searching get results that reflect a narrower search, and helps you with a higher rank.

Definition:

Long tail keywords are those three and four keyword phrases which are very, very specific to whatever you are selling. Whenever a customer uses a highly specific search phrase, they tend to be looking for exactly what they are actually going to buy.

For example, a search for ‘yoga pants’ will bring up over 23,100,000 results. Kind of overwhelming. However, adding ‘women’s’ or your brand name to the long-tail keyword – Acme Women’s Yoga Pants - will narrow the results presented. In addition, you will rank higher in the search results that then enables user’s to find you easier. Just like magic.

“Exceed your customer’s expectations. If you do, they’ll come back over and over. Give them what they want – and a little more.” – Sam Walton

When promoting new content on social, such as a new blog or campaign offer, make it easy for those interested to get access to your site. When interested visitors click through to your site, where they land and what is presented should be what is expected. Don’t require them to click through a number of pages as if on a treasure hunt. Nor should they land on your homepage. Visitors need to see a landing page specifically designed for the subject you are promoting. In addition to providing the offer or a blog on that landing page, include another item of interest, such as a new offer or blog about the subject they would most likely be interested next assisting in their continuing research. If they are shopping for ‘Acme Women’s Yoga Pants’ display other products to go along with the pants such as a yoga top, further engaging and increasing interest, leading to more sales.

If your website contains a large number of products or a great deal of information, including a search box often proves to be very helpful for anyone looking for a specific item that likely resides within your site.

"The main goal is not to complicate the already difficult life of the consumer.” – Raymond Loewy

And finally, with 4 out of 5 consumers using smartphones to shop, it is imperative that your website is responsive, making it usable for anyone whether they use a desktop, tablet or smartphone for shopping. Retailers who understand the importance of usability via a smartphone are taking advantage by offering discounts and coupons targeted specifically to mobile users.

Getting new customers is no longer about selling. To get to the point of sales requires you to grab their attention with content worthy of their time, make your website and content easy to access, and finally, usable, no matter what platform they use to research. 

Learn how to make it easy for customers to find you through local search

Mobile has completely changed the way people shop. No longer are individuals interested in physically shopping - going from store to store to find what they need at the best price. Now many spend their time researching price, availability, and location online prior to visiting a store.

If a customer were to start researching looking for a product in your category, would you be found?

With this shift in the way people shop, it is critically important to ensure you have optimized your website for local search. Make sure you show up and rank high in search.

Google’s Mobile Path to Purchase Report shows that search is the most common starting point for mobile research at 48%. And 40% of mobile visitors will abandon a site if it isn’t optimized for mobile - once you grab their attention, you definitely want to keep it.

When optimizing for local search, each page of your website needs to include the following basic company information (at the minimum):

• Company Name
• Address
• Phone number

“Consistent NAP (Name/Address/Phone) information is essential to getting more citations and improving search engine rankings.” – Moz

According to Moz, NAP represents the “thumbprint” of a business online.

Google’s emphasis on content relevance continues to make it easier for individuals to find products and services on a local level. This is why your company info needs to reside on each page on your website AND be listed exactly the same in each business directory. Be proactive and check your local search directories for businesses and make sure your company information is listed correctly. If you aren’t sure what directories exist and include your business, save yourself some time and utilize this free report tool by LocalVox. This tool will check the major directories that reside online and show how well you are represented.

Here are a few additional tips to consider to optimize for local search:

1. In addition to the basic company information, you may consider including the following within directories where appropriate:

• Hours of operation
• Website URL
• General information about your top selling products
• Prices

Simplifying the research process can give you a competitive advantage. Rather than requiring the individual to go to your website and search within for that information, you have made it available at the point of search.

2. Include the name of your neighborhood in your company name or company description within business directories. If your city is large, rather than simply list ‘Company Name’ + ‘City Name’ include ‘West Village’.

3. Make customer testimonials available on your website. They build your credibility and add to the ‘relevant content’ piece contributing to your ranking in search.

And finally, with all the effort required to optimize for search, make sure your website is usable. This means responsive. Make your site easy to view and navigate whether that is through the use of a desktop, tablet or mobile device.

“The one thing I keep saying to clients and small business owners is that the most important business profile you have isn't Yelp, Facebook, Google+ or even your Google My Business page. The profile you're optimizing is the Google SERP for your business.” -- George Freitag, Portent, Inc.

Optimizing for location-based search is not simply about including your business information on each web page. It is the combination of business location data along with content and keywords that matter that will help you rank higher.

10 Ways to use ONE piece of content

Writing is hard. Continuously coming up with new ideas – something that will pique the interest of visitors and engage them - is hard. On top of writing captivating content, you need to deliver that content in a variety of different forms for each social network.

How do you maximize the use of your content so that you can leverage a successful topic, spread it across the Internetsphere, and save time?

Content extension. Create one in-depth piece then leverage the information. Breakout the details to create many pieces of content in a variety of forms. Just as kids in school learn differently, many individuals are researching information - looking for the content type that works best for them.

“Content marketing is a commitment, not a campaign.” – Jon Buscall

Here is how to extend 1 piece of content into 10:

1.     Blog: Start with a blog. This will be your original piece of content. A blog allows you to provide in-depth details on a particular topic. For those researching, this level of detail may be just what they were looking for.

2.     Infographic: The benefit of an infographic is that it allows you to visually display facts and figures, or a process in an easy to read format. We are visual learners, with the ability to retain visual information much longer than text. According to the European Journal of Cognitive Psychology, after 3 days, memory retention for text is 10%, while results show 65% retention for text + picture. Since infographics are easy to read and retain they are shared widely on social.

3.     Images (Photos): Including images or photos of your products, products in use, customers, and your company can help buyers gain insight into your company and how your products are used. You can also use these images to help promote your blog on social and include them on your company website.

4.     Video: Produce a 2-3 minute video. You can design a video in the form of a commercial, use video to demonstrate how to setup and use your product, or show how customers are using your product in everyday life.

5.     Presentation: Generate a presentation based on the main points or facts of your blog. Leverage the points and some of the graphics you used within your Infographic. Slideshare is a great tool as it is easy to use, free for basic use, your content is easy to share, and does not require a special app for anyone to view.

6.     eGuide (a How To or List): Create a ‘How to’ use your product or ‘List’ of tips  eGuide as an offer for interested visitors to download. Use this as a lead generation tool.

7.     Webinar or live event: Give those interested in your product a chance to participate in a free demo or conversation through a webinar or live video via Periscope or Meerkat. Help them understand the benefits and ask questions about the features how to use your product.

8.     Podcasts: Are great for those who don’t have time to read a blog or watch a video – they essentially can listed to your content while running, driving or shopping.

9.     Case Study/White Paper: For products that require extensive research, often a white paper or case study can provide the breadth of details and information necessary to make a more informed decision.

10.  Newsletter: Break up the content of your blog up into a variety of different articles to include within a newsletter.

Creating a variety of content from one topic also is attractive for many as it allows them to glean information in the manner that works best for them for learning.

"The best & most successful types of content are “uploadable, shareable, and findable.” "– Mary Meeker

Taking your original blog post and turning it into a variety of content types gives you an easy way to reach buyers on a variety of social networks. While you likely focus your efforts on a few social website, creating a new type of content and promoting on a social network that is not your typical focus, might reward you with new buyers. 

The Allure Of Writing Evergreen Content

Writing new content every week can be challenging. Using an editorial calendar helps as it give direction – themes or topics to write. Depending on your industry, some content can be very time-specific such as topics related to the latest industry news or events. Due to the nature of news-related topics, this type of content dates itself easily. However, content that is educational – How to’s, or answers from FAQ’s – information that does not change much over time can have a longer shelf life. This is known as Evergreen Content.

 “Evergreen content is that which is still interesting and relevant weeks, months or even years after its initial publish date. It doesn’t date like news, and the value is that it can deliver traffic, leads, social shares and can occupy valuable search positions for a prolonged period of time.” -- Graham Charlton @ Econsultancy

The benefits of writing Evergreen Content include:

1.     Good for SEO: The nature of an Evergreen article is that it is timeless; it will continue to be accessible within search and will be easy to understand. In addition, your article will appear in search over a longer period of time, increasing its ranking and the authority of your website.  

2.     Easily sharable: An article that is focused on the basics becomes easily sharable among your buyers; thereby helping others to get the answers they are searching for in their quest for information.

3.     Continually drives new visitors to your website: As buyers continue to conduct much of their research on the web prior to contacting a company for information, your high-ranking article will get noticed and result in driving new visitors to your website. Using search-friendly keywords makes it easier for buyers to find. Make your content educational for your industry, emphasize the basics, increases the relevance of your article to potential new buyers.

4.     Gives you a break from writing: Sometimes you just need a break from writing. Re-running an Evergreen article occasionally can give you that break, or free up time to write about something unique, or more time to research an in-depth article... 

“Make it simple. Make it memorable. Make it inviting to look at. Make it fun to read.” – Leo Burnett

Here is an example of the basics to include in an Evergreen Content piece related to lawn mowers – “What to consider when buying a lawn mower”:

-       The size and shape of your lawn. This will help determine what type of lawn mower (push model vs. riding lawn mower) will be most appropriate given the size and shape of your lawn.

-       Type of acceptable yard waste. The method of yard waste disposal will determine the best type of system to use for your grass clippings (bagging, mulching, etc.)

-       Ability to provide maintenance. Different types of mowers require a varying degree of maintenance (electric vs. gas).

Using visuals each step of the way and using a story-telling manner with humor can make even an article about the basics of lawn mowing interesting, engaging and increase the likelihood of being shared.

When is it good to take advantage of Evergreen Content?

1.     When you need to have content ready to go at any point in time.

2.     This type of content can, and should experience reruns. An article about the basics makes a great introduction to your website. Use this as a way to drive new visitors to other articles of interest within your site.  

3.     Establish or grow credibility your company credibility. You are sharing information that is important to your visitor without promoting your company. This will strengthen your website SEO.

4.     Extend this introduction into additional content. Leverage this information to create new pieces of content such as an Infographic, tip sheet, or expand to create new blogs addressing each bullet point more in-depth.

“Just. Be. Useful.” – Jay Baer

As the Jay Baer quote states – just make your content useful. And that certainly applies to Evergreen Content. This is not the time to be promotional, this is time to establish your credibility, and increase your authority within search. Simply provide information that is educational. Longevity and usefulness is the goal.