Social media has the ability to influence and engage with potential customers from time to time throughout the customer journey. Customer journey is the idea of a brand developing a relationship with the target audience from the beginning to the point of purchase, and beyond.
Understanding the journey and how social media plays into it will help the company reach greater levels. Social media is a perfect place to run an advertisement of products and services. As the number of people using social media is continuously increasing, and so the number of potential customers you can reach. So here’s how to use social media in different customer journey stages.
The Use of Social Media at Each Stage of the Customer Journey
- Stage 1: Build Awareness
Social media is a blessing to every business regardless of whether they are big or small, new or established. In today’s competitive market, social media marketing has become an important tool for raising brand awareness and attracting new customers.
The first step in creating awareness is being more visible and accessible on social media. Your audience is more likely to search for your products and services if you have a high online presence. There are a number of social media strategies and tools that can be used to raise awareness, gain valuable insights, and effectively promote awareness campaigns.
- Stage 2: Use Influence
Once you have effectively established brand awareness and your audience is aware of the product or service you offer. The next step is to use peer, business, celebrity, and influencer power to influence potential customers to make a purchase. Since 92% of global consumers trust written content and recommendations from friends and family over all other forms of advertisement.
At this stage, marketers can hire influencers. As influencer marketing can be extremely beneficial to your business. Consumers adore these online influencers because they have unfiltered reviews on products.
- Stage 3: Encourage Purchases
When people have already gone through the awareness stage and have been influenced by influencers, yet are still on the verge of making a purchase, social media will provide the much-needed nudge to get them to click the purchase button. By offering enticing deals, discounts, rewards, and free subscriptions on social media, it is possible to win over the hanging audience.
Social media evidence has grown in importance as a factor in purchasing decisions. Marketers should be transparent by sharing feedback, comments, likes, tweets, and pins of satisfied customers to build trust and drive massive sales.
- Stage 4: Establish Loyalty
Most marketers stop at stage 3 as soon as a customer makes a purchase. However, there is a fourth stage in the customer journey that focuses on developing a strong and long-term relationship with the client. Make customer experience management a top priority. Make sure they stay involved with your brand even after they’ve made a purchase.
Encourage your customers to share their experiences with your company, products, and services on social media. As this helps in nurturing loyalty. Additionally, remember that loyal customers are profitable customers.
At each stage of the customer journey, social media is encouraging marketers in identifying the exact moments that can be captured and translated into a buying decision for consumers. Take advantage of the benefits of social media, as many people are now preferred online shopping rather than going to stores. Build a great customer experience through social media!