Manar Al Hinai: Make your social media message engaging to win attention for your brand

Engage with your audience to build up a following for your business on Instagram, writes Manar Al Hinai.

Part of my job is to help businesses communicate with their customers the way they prefer, and nowadays that is often done through social media. This allows brands to speak directly to consumers, hear their thoughts and even co-create products and services together.

According to a blog written by the Crowdtap chief executive Brandon Evans, 80 per cent of content online is now user-driven. What that translates to is that brands and businesses depend heavily on customers and their connections to become advocates of their brand.

They need their customers to help deliver their message. That is why so many different brands, whether in the UAE or abroad, now collaborate with social media influencers, or those with a high number of followers – they need them to advertise or give shout-outs to their brand/product on their pages.

I often work with luxury brands at events, and they always emphasise the importance of inviting those with a large social media following to attend to help broadcast to a wider audience.

A recent client of mine requested that particular service, but only to attract a following to his Instagram page. While his business was doing phenomenally well, he knew he needed a presence on Instagram – the preferred social media platform for UAE nationals – to keep his customers up to date with his services and offerings.

The key to helping him achieve this was to ensure he had a proper brand communications strategy that was relevant to Instagram and its users. Here are five pointers to consider:

1. Be real

Users prefer to be engaged with a brand that is authentic, that speaks in a personal tone. Ensure your style is not too formal either, and that it sounds like you are having a conversation with the users. I often advise clients to speak in the first person.

2. Engage in a conversation

Having a personal voice online is extremely important. It reminds clients that you are a human and not a robot speaking on behalf of the brand. Take the time to engage with your users online. If someone comments on your photo, reply back. If a customer is dissatisfied with a product delivery for instance, show your concern, and ask them to provide you with more details, or better yet ask them for their contact details. The key is to keep your reply timely. Ensure that whoever manages the social media pages frequently checks for updates and responds quickly. The more you delay, the less customers will be interested in your brand; worse they could turn to another company for the service they want.

3. Offer helpful content

Take the time to understand your customers, and their challenges and concerns. What is bothering them? What do they complain about? You can then provide them with the solution.

4. Don’t only post about your brand

Although your target or goal is to raise awareness about your brand and its offering, do not make all your posts brand-focused. It will turn your page solely into one giant advertisement. Let it revolve around your story. Your role is to be a storyteller, to show them that your brand is more than just a name. You could do this by posting a photo of a staff member’s newborn baby or a great field trip with your team. You can also repost photos or uploads from other industry leaders and share interesting news of current events in your field. The goal is to keep your page interesting, real and to show customers that there is a human behind the posts.

5. Encourage your followers to engage and share

Ask your followers questions or ask them to tag a friend or family member who would find your page of interest. Be bold, and state that you would like to know more people interested in your product and ask your customers to help by directing them to your page. Some brands, for example, offer discounts or special offers for those who refer their friends.

Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati writer and communications consultant based in Abu Dhabi. Twitter: @manar_alhinai.

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