Another Reason Businesses Should Use Social Media.
People are going places and looking for places to go. And when they get there, many feel the need to share their experience. Social Applications like Yelp! and Four Square are providing the mechanism to do this, quickly and easily. These applications (available on iPhone, Blackberry, Droid, Palm and other devices) provide a forum for customers to search for, comment on, rate, and recommend businesses. In addition, these applications allow for seamless connectivity into other Social Applications, like Facebook and Twitter. This means that applications like Yelp! and FourSquare aren't islands, but rather launching pads for consumer critics to spread their experiences throughout their social networks.
So what do businesses need to know about these applications, and why should they get involved? First off, by being present and monitoring the commentary presented, a business owner can make information-based promotional or strategic decisions that improve the customer experience. At the same time, these applications allow owners, managers, or employees to respond to comments, both negative and positive. This creates a two-way conversation and builds trust within the community.
Secondly, these applications, because of their availability on mobile devices, integration into mapping software, and no-cost to users, are becoming the de facto local search tools. This means if your business is not included in the database, it will missing out on a growing marketing channel.
Fortunately, there is no monetary cost to add a business to these applications, as they are currently supported by advertising revenue. So, at a minimum, it makes sense to add your business. However, for better results, I recommend checking in periodically, or, better yet, setting up your account to notify you when comments have been posted.
Tools like Yelp! and Four Square offer other benefits to businesses, so I think they are worth adding to a Social Media Marketing strategy. But the key to any successful Social Media campaign is staying engaged over the long-term. This will allow you to improve your business and build a loyal following at the same time.
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