Companies on the ASX100 aren’t using social media to its full capacity in order to avoid inadvertently putting a foot wrong, a new report has shown.
The report by WebProfits found that despite Facebook boasting almost 12 million active Australian users, only 27 percent of companies are using the platform, while 53 percent of companies are on Twitter despite it only having 2.2 million Australian users.
“Comments on Twitter fly by so quickly, while a faux pas on Facebook often sticks there for everyone to see. Rather than formulate a strategy to turn this to their advantage, many companies are confining their engagement strategy to tweeting the odd media release or pre-spun factoid to a handful of followers,” says Paul Sprokkreeff, managing director of Web Profits.
“The results indicate that companies that feel pressured by their boards to embrace social media are choosing Twitter because it feels safer,” says Sprokkreeff.
Less than a quarter of companies on the ASX100 are using both Twitter and Facebook.
The report also found that while every retailer on the list has a Facebook page, only Myer and David Jones allow their Facebook fans to post comments on their pages.
Other companies, such as JB Hi-Fi, only use their Facebook pages for one-way marketing communication, rather than as a customer service tool.
Here are our top 3 social media tips:
1. Encourage two-way communication with customers – reply to people, retweet, and engage in conversations about your industry
2. Make sure you have a strategy in place to deal with complaints that may arise on your Twitter feed or Facebook page
3. Remember to show your personality rather than focusing solely on your marketing message – for example, you could share behind-the-scenes office pictures or introduce your staff