Saying thank you on social media
Social media has fundamentally changed the way information is communicated and received.
A one-to-many model, where publishers and broadcasters communicated news and opinion to the masses has been replaced with a many-to-many model. News now spreads virally: peer-to-peer in 140 characters on Twitter, through snapchat stories or via live video streaming on Periscope.
This many-to-many model of communication can be problematic for brands in terms of reputation management. It is now easy for a disgruntled customer or client to take to social media and very publicly air their grievances. Last year the Institute of Customer Service recorded an eight-fold increase in consumer complaints made on social media since January 2014.
Add to this the growing generation of millennials and gen-Xers who expect “a two-way, mutual relationship with companies and their brands”, and organisations are faced with a complex set of issues to tackle when devising a communications and marketing strategy.
So how can brands and organisations adapt to this digital environment where they no longer have complete control over their messaging and their reputation is at the mercy of an increasingly empowered public?
Relationship building
The secret is relationship building. And an easy way to keep people on side is simply to say thank you.
Why does this work? The answer is obvious – people like to feel appreciated.
How to say thank you?
This is not a new concept. In fact, brands have been doing this for a very long time. If you are in need of inspiration, here is a list of 50 brands thanking Facebook fans.
Some personal favourites include:
Kraft’s Likeapella video
HBO’s Game of Thrones influencer gift box
Guess who’s the new Mother of Dragons! #GameOfThrones (hint: it’s me!) pic.twitter.com/4ovE4w7AIS
— Stephen Colbert (@StephenAtHome) March 22, 2013
Cadbury’s giant chocolate sculpture