The Value of a Personal Touch in Social Media

Social media has revolutionized the way that companies communicate their unique value and engage with customers. However, social media without the social is simply a single stream of communication to an audience that may not be listening. The personal connection between a company and its community is the most crucial element of any social media strategy, and companies that have successfully emphasized the human element in these communications have found that being social can often lead to being profitable.

Zappos implemented a policy that aligned their customer service and social media into a unified brand voice, focused solely on the needs of their customers. Zappos Chief Executive Officer Tony Hsieh stated, “We interview people for culture fit. We want people who are passionate about what Zappos is about–service. I don’t care if they’re passionate about shoes.” This move emphasizing service influenced the company’s social media presence and helped make it into the social media powerhouse it is today as the largest online shoe retailer. Hsieh is highly involved with the company’s social media and personally handles its Twitter.

Another company that has an impactful social media presence is TOMS Shoes. TOMS is a highly philanthropic company that provides shoes for people in underserved communities around the world. They run the One for One Non-Profit organization that donates a pair of shoes to a child in a third-world country for every pair that is purchased by a customer.  They document every shoe drop and share it with their followers. In doing so, they are reaffirming their mission and providing their followers with the personal satisfaction of helping children in need.

Build-a-Bear, a company whose business model is deeply rooted in its customers’ ability to create unique and personalized products, implemented similar qualities from the retail store when they created an online community called Bearville. Customers can customize a bear and share their creations with their friends via social networks.

Companies that emphasize the human connection or a personalized experience for their customers through social media are seeing their popularity increase. Creating and maintaining an extensive and engaged community allows a company to increase its profits by leveraging its greatest resource: brand evangelists and their social circles.  

According to “Consumers Demand Brand Interaction”, a survey of 1,048 adults conducted by Cone,  74 percent of respondents said, “After interacting with companies or brands via new media, I generally have a more positive impression of the company or brand.”  Brands with the highest “social media activity” increased revenues by as much as 18 percent, according to an ENGAGEMENTdb study.

Social media has set new standards for how businesses communicate with their stakeholders.  Companies that embrace the human connection as part of their social media strategy will thrive, while those that do not will lose brand awareness and market share to those that do. A company doesn’t have to sell shoes or customized bears in order to foster an engaged community of brand advocates, but the examples set by Zappos, TOMS and Build a Bear demonstrate the value of a personal touch in social media that can apply to any industry.