Over one-third of Americans interact with companies through social media, says a new study conducted by Cone. The Business in Social Media report found that 60% percent of Americans use some form of social media, and 59% of those participants communicate with brands in some way.
Additionally, 93% of social media users said that brands should have some presence on social media outlets, and 85% believed that brands should use these tools to communicate with consumers.
Overwhelmingly, the social media advocates said companies should be using social networks to address problems brought about by the consumers. They also said that these tools should be used to solicit feedback on a brand’s products and services.
This strong consumer push for a customer service presence online represents a growing trend in overall customer/company relations. The days of one-way communication are out, and consumers are demanding that brands invest more time in their customer relationship building.
The lesson you should learn from all of this: Get as involved in social media as you can….before your competitors do! Most customers don’t expect you to participate and communicate every day (they know you’re busy). But they do demand this alternative sounding board.
You can read the full report here.
