I just came across this video from Google about real-time search (and you’ll see what I mean after watching it):
With this new search feature, local businesses have even more incentive to get engaged with social media in the right way. As soon as this goes live on Google on a large scale, people will be seeing what other consumers are talking about. And you want to make sure when they talk about your business, it’s in a positive way.
Here are some tips that could help you get to the front of this new Google real-time search feature:
- Make it easy for your customers to interact with you in the social space. Make sure they know about your Twitter and Facebook accounts (or get accounts if you don’t have them) and make an effort to keep content fresh and relevant.
- Offer exclusive benefits for interacting with your social media spaces. You can provide special offers or discounts for following your Facebook fan page or re-tweeting a promotion on Twitter. Make it relevant and fun, and don’t waste their time with heavy-handed promotions.
- Deliver outstanding, noteworthy customer service. Every interaction you have with a customer offers the potential for social media interaction. If you deliver customer service that makes them stand up and notice, they just may post on their Facebook account or Twitter it to their friends.
- Respond to customer complaints quickly. In the social media ecosphere (I’m running out of names!), bad news travels very quickly. Make sure you monitor your brand and try to make things right with disgruntled patrons. Your interaction will be tracked and your response is critical.
- Have fun! This is the most critical part of a social media “strategy.” Social media is different than other forms of marketing, and you need to have a more personal face when interacting. Pretend you’re talking to someone in front of you, and a lot of the anxiety goes away. Don’t be afraid to make fun of yourself and your business, and keep it lively.
The new Google real-time search bears watching. For those companies who have embraced social media and use it as a way to truly interact with their customers (or better yet, communities), real-time social media search could help boost traffic and deliver increased revenues. And, it could be a lot of fun.
{ 1 trackback }