How You Reply on Social Media is More Important than What You Post

There’s a big misconception in the social media world about replies and comments. Many businesses, vendors, and even gurus are focused on their posts first and foremost. Replies to comments are really nothing more than a checkbox-item – “Yep, we reply. Done.” This is a mistake.

The difference between social media and all other forms of marketing and advertising is its ability to be interactive. You might have an incredible television ad that gets a lot of people interested in your business, but they can’t talk to you about it through their remote control. Search, banner advertising, and website promotions are important, but again, there’s no interaction. Social media sites that include the usual suspects of Facebook and Twitter but that also include blogs and YouTube are the best venues to turn your message into a conversation with potential customers.

In other words, just saying, “Thanks” or “We appreciate your feedback” is a HUGE mistake in 2014.

People like to talk to other people. It’s as simple as that. When your business on social media is represented by something that sounds like a robot or a copy-and-paste boilerplate set of replies, you’re missing a huge opportunity to actually move the needle with your engagement. People who see your post and notice in the comments section that you’re actually taking the time to put together a thoughtful and personal reply are much more likely to comment themselves.

They want to join a conversation. When you make your reply boring or too short, you’re ending the conversation. The word that ends a conversation almost every single time is “Thanks!”. The only possible reply is “You’re welcome,” and there’s really no reply that can be made from there.

What you post is extremely important, but how you handle the posts and the comments once they start getting going is much more important than the original content itself. If someone takes the time to communicate with you in a thoughtful manner, it’s your responsibility to return the favor.