How do you leverage social media and online communities for CLM feedback and advocacy?

Incorporate sentiment analysis to gauge the emotional tone behind social feedback, aligning this qualitative data with your CLM objectives.

I would extend the objective point even further - you should ensure that your metrics and objectives are actionable, measurable, and specific. For example: “we want to increase engagement by 15% within 60 days.” This fine, but there’s no direction. Where are you increasing engagement? What modality? How do you define engagement? If we tweak it to: “we want to increase average view-time of our video media via Instagram by 15s over 6mo.’ You suddenly have a more actionable and fully conceptualized goal. You want higher average viewership, on instagram, within X time by Y amount.

Before diving into social media and online communities, pinpoint your goals. Are you aiming to boost brand awareness, increase customer engagement, or perhaps drive sales? Once you're clear on your objectives, identify the metrics that align with them. For instance, if you're focusing on engagement, track likes, shares, and comments. If it's loyalty you're after, monitor repeat purchases and customer lifetime value. This clarity will guide your efforts, making them more effective and measurable.

Each platform needs to be approached differently. LinkedIn is often more professional and takes a professional-conversation tone. Whereas Reddit can be both incredibly irreverent with its humour while also offering some incredible depth. Each platform requires a team or team member who is fluent in each platform both as a user and consumer.

Sharing information and experiences. Open communication of new features, success stories, references and future roadmap. Open your treasure chest and don't hesitate to share all the information relevant to your customers. This will increase your customer loyalty, because no one wants to be deprived of anything. Neither professionally nor privately.

Creating and sharing valuable content is key to engaging with your audience on social media and online communities for CLM. Let's say you run a boutique e-commerce store specializing in handmade jewelry. Share behind-the-scenes looks at the crafting process, style guides featuring your pieces, or user-generated content showcasing customers wearing your jewelry. This not only highlights your products but also builds a community around your brand. In your emails, highlight this content, driving traffic back to your social channels. This two-way interaction fosters trust and advocacy, turning casual browsers into loyal customers and promoters!

An example of this I’ve seen is on Twitter. Because of the public nature of Twitter, many companies offer many services through Twitter. If someone has an issue, they’ll post it on Twitter to reach someone and see it resolved. Believe it it not, this is content. It’s a very strange form of content, but it’s a real-life example of the GenZ adage: “everything is content.” This shows brand loyalty, customer service as a priority, and serves as an excellent advertisement tool since it not only feels personal to the user but also creates word-of-mouth advertising for both the end user and any viewers keeping track.

You should take this very seriously! After all, no one wants to give feedback if they don't get feedback in return. Is it an easy-to-implement feature? Is it perhaps a criticism of the commercial process, perhaps even a procedural error? Even the smallest feedback should be examined and interpreted. Because often big customers have small wishes - but bring you a large part of their turnover!

Leveraging user-generated content and referrals can be a game-changer for e-commerce brands. Let's say you run a beauty e-commerce store. Encourage your customers to share their makeup looks using your products on social media with a unique hashtag. Offer incentives like discounts or giveaways for featured posts. This not only creates buzz but also provides authentic reviews and testimonials that potential customers trust. Additionally, a referral program can work wonders. Offer rewards to customers who refer friends or family, creating a win-win situation where both parties benefit. By actively encouraging UGC and referrals, you amplify your brand's voice and foster a community of loyal advocates, driving both engagement and sales!

Tracking and adapting are key in leveraging social media for CLM. For instance, after launching a campaign promoting eco-friendly home goods, monitor engagement and reach. If posts featuring specific products get more attention, spotlight them in future campaigns. By analyzing data and adjusting strategies, you'll optimize your efforts, ensuring you make the most of social media for customer feedback and advocacy!