Getting customers to talk about you online

There’s a popular saying that no publicity is good publicity.

In terms of online reputation, no publicity is most certainly bad publicity. Translation: if no one’s talking about you online, then you don’t have an online presence.

Countless businesses worldwide are trying to solve the riddle of how to be the topic of conversations, posts and sharing online.

The key to solving this problem is that it starts with you as a business. Proactivity is key in establishing your business online and getting customers to talk about you – especially if you want them to talk about you positively.

We’ve outlined some key actions your business can take to make you more accessible as a topic of conversation for existing and potential customers.

It’s all social

It’s no secret that social media platforms play a pivotal role in encouraging online conversation.

Over the past few years, social media has become increasingly more accessible for businesses; not just to make themselves visible online, but to make it easier to actively engage with their customer base and vis versa.

Consider which social media platforms are most likely to be used by your target audience. If all else fails, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google Plus are a good place to start.

While Google Plus may not be as obvious for social media engagement, its connectivity to Google Maps and Google My Business make it an absolute necessity.

Post what’s relevant

Social media platforms give you the channel by which to communicate with your customer base.

What you actually communicate is down to you. The first step to making this easier is understanding what is relevant to your potential customers. Are there particular events they’ll be interested in? Will particular news items appeal to them?

If you’re in doubt of what might be relevant, it’s always worth seeing what your competitors post online.

Don’t just pick another company at random: do your research and find a business that is doing particularly well on social media. Then, look at which of their posts are leading to maximum engagement with their audience.

After that, it’s just a case of adapting this strategy for your business: you need to have a unique online presence to be worth talking about.

Post what’s interesting

Depending on your sector, you may not be limited to posting industry information on your chosen social media platform.

It’s always a good idea to diversify with content. After all, these are social tools – your posts/content should facilitate conversation and sharing.

Keep on top of popular discussion points with tools like Digg or StumbleUpon and adapt them to your business. As with relevant posting, check what your socially successful competitors are doing.

This content may not just be news. It can be offers, competitions, polls, images and quizzes.

Start/join conversations

Two of the most effective ways of encouraging conversations online are to 1) Start conversations and 2) Join existing conversations.

The latter can be an effective solution if you’re not sure which discussion topics would appeal to your customer base.

Searching for key words on social platforms that match your business can reveal conversations in situ. Look for problems that are being discussed or questions that are being asked and join the conversation with a solution.

Once you find out which conversations work best for your business, you can start beginning your own conversations for others to join.

Don’t forget existing customers

It’s very easy to focus primarily on attracting conversations with new and potential customers.

However, there’s considerable value in communicating and encouraging conversation from existing customers. If you know you provide positive customers experiences, consider re-establishing contact with those customers online.

Whether you’re informing them about new deals, providing special offers or just thanking them for their business, it can have a positive impact on your online presence and brand alike.

Read more about managing your reputation online. Find out more about Kerry London Limited.

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