A few brands have drawn praise and attention, including media coverage, for their snarky social media comments. Merriam-Webster, with its no-nonsense corrections of President Trump’s word usage, and Wendy’s, with its sassy exchanges with followers, have been among the more popular. Other brands may be trying to follow their examples, as their snarky style becomes the latest social media fashion.
Before social media marketers start making jokes at their followers’ expense, they may wish to examine their audience and their brand and read a new survey from Sprout Social. In the survey of 1000 people, 75% of respondents said they appreciate humor from brands. Yet 88% are annoyed when brands mock their fans and only 33% want brands to be snarky.
Most consumers buy from brands that are honest (86%), helpful (78%) and friendly (83%). Ultimately, people want companies to use social media as a customer engagement and service tool. While some people appreciate humor from brands, most place a priority on having their questions answered.
“Outlandish personalities resonate on social when organizations are willing to put time and resources behind social strategies that push the envelope. The hard fact to face is that your brand just might not be there yet,” says Sprout Social. In the meantime, focus on great content, engagement and customer care.
Should a Brand Show its Personality?
A brand’s personality can attract followers and build customer loyalty. But people’s expectations for brand personality vary between social networks, age groups and industries. Millennials, not surprisingly, tend to desire brands with personality more than older age groups. People prefer brand personalities on Facebook, but less on Snapchat and Pinterest. Brand personality is most valuable in media/entertainment and consumers goods. It matters least for government agencies and the banking and utilities sectors.
“A sports team talking trash with a rival over Twitter won’t annoy anyone since the followers are already fans, not potential customers,” says Shel Holtz, principal of Holtz Communication + Technology. “The most important point: Know your customer and their expectations of your social presence. Odds are, they’re looking for customer care, not entertainment.”
How Brands Irritate People
Most people (71%) feel that political commentary from brands is annoying, but two-thirds like brands to talk about world or pop culture events. Brands like DiGiorno’s Pizza and Taco Bell have found audiences for irreverent cultural commentary on everything from live televised musicals to Mean Girls.
Most people also find brands using slang to be irritating, although millennials are more forgiving of that habit. While some social media managers try to be cool, followers see their attempts as forced and stilted. When irritated, people are quick to unfollow or even mark content as spam or boycott products.
Brands Fall Short Where it Matters Most
More than any other brand behavior, responsiveness prompts consumers to purchase. The average brand response rate, the percent of consumer messages needing a response that actually get one, across all industries is just 12%. In addition, brands take an average of 11 hours to respond.
Too many brands irritate customers by emphasizing promotions over customer care, says Stephan Delbos, editor and content manager at the social customer service blog Brand Embassy. Not responding at all is probably the worse offense, but companies also frustrate customers when they refer them to FAQ pages instead of directly answering their questions, force them to jump between social platforms for answers, and generally treat people impersonally.
In today’s social media environment, businesses must monitor social media for mentions of their products, services and industries and join conversations and answer questions. “It’s one of the best ways to get new customers and to keep your current customers happy,” Delbos says. Comedy and entertainment should take a back seat to timely, attentive and helpful customer service.
Bottom Line: Many social media managers don’t deliver what their customers really want from brands on social media. While humor can gain attention, most people are not amused then brands make fun of customers. Brands that listen to their customers’ desires rather than imitating other brands are more likely to prompt sales and attract followers.
William J. Comcowich founded and served as CEO of CyberAlert LLC, the predecessor of Glean.info. He is currently serving as Interim CEO and member of the Board of Directors. Glean.info provides customized media monitoring, media measurement and analytics solutions across all types of traditional and social media.
