Social media for commerce isn’t just for start-ups, creative brands, and small businesses. From small local stores to large global corporations, social media is a full-blown CX channel that drives traffic, sparks innovation, and helps build strong relationships.

According to Sprout Social, Facebook has over 2 billion active users, Instagram has more than 400 million daily active users, and Twitter boasts over 300 million monthly active users who send 500 million tweets per day.

But the benefits of social media and digital marketing go far beyond the sheer volume and reach. Social media is a marketing tool that gives your audience what they want—a two-way relationship between consumers and companies.

Use targeted social media channels to find your ideal customers

The power of social media marketing is that you can reach your audience where they spend much of their time. You don’t have to search for your ideal audience. They’re just a click away on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

According to Statista, over two-thirds of the U.S. population has at least one social media profile. And by 2021, the number of worldwide social media users is expected to reach over 3 billion people.

How many leads could your company reach if you could engage even a small percent of that social media audience?

Social media gives any company an opportunity to reach people most likely to need their services or products. Reach out to your audience on the platforms they use most and start building relationships. Don’t make your audience come to you. Meet them on their turf and start addressing their needs with valuable content and genuine conversations.

Build your social media presence with consistent messaging

An effective social media marketing strategy must have consistent messaging. Every post and interaction should be in a tone that reflects your brand. This consistency builds the trust, credibility, and familiarity critical for building your brand and growing your business.

Consistent social media messaging requires a company-wide commitment just like any other marketing strategy. That commitment starts at the top and should be a part of the company culture, from account reps to customer service associates.

Every time a lead, prospect, or customer interacts with your company, they should encounter a consistent and relevant message with a familiar tone that identifies your brand. Publishing consistent content that brings value to your audience is a staple of building your brand with digital marketing. That marketing staple is even more important in social media marketing.

Not only must your social media content and interactions provide value in a consistent tone, your messaging and engagement must be a frequent activity that keeps up with your audience. Posting a blog post per week may keep you in the mix, but social media requires an almost daily focus to stay ahead of the competition.

Social media isn’t about selling—it’s about building relationships

People want to do business with people, not companies.

The better the impression you make on social media, the more likely your audience will think of your brand when they need the things you offer. The impression your company makes on social media is directly affected by the frequency of engagement and the value of your content. Remember that leads turn into prospects and prospects turn into customers because they know and trust your brand.

As your audience becomes familiar with your brand and considers your company a valuable resource for the solutions they need, it’s time to build stronger relationships. Your audience doesn’t want a sales pitch. They want advice, information, and a connection.

Once your company creates genuine relationships on social media, those relationships continue to help build your brand. Social media is all about sharing, and a natural progression of your relationship-building efforts is the creation of brand ambassadors.

Get your audience talking about your brand, sharing your content, and spreading the word to create that all-important social proof that inevitably leads to more customers.

Social media marketing improves customer satisfaction

Social media is great for building an online presence and driving traffic. But it’s also the perfect medium for providing a higher level of customer service.

When you publish valuable content on social media that addresses your audience’s needs, you become a trusted resource. This “customer first” approach tells your audience that they can depend on your commitment to their satisfaction.

When you interact with your audience consistently, you build those all-important relationships and you get valuable feedback. That feedback can be used to improve customer service and provide fuel for innovation in products and services. Listen to your audience and they can tell you more of what you need to know to grow your business.

If you want to separate your company from the competition, do this:

Every time someone posts a comment or asks a question, make sure they receive a personalized response from a real person—and that response should come sooner rather than later. Responding to outreach from your audience in a timely manner tells them you are focused on their needs.

When your company encounters a customer complaint or concern, social media allows you to respond quickly and personally. The act of personally addressing negative feedback says a lot about what people can expect from you and your brand.

What better way to get ahead of negative feedback than to show publicly just how serious you take customer complaints? Show you care and even the most dissatisfied customer will often give you a second chance.

Brands that welcome feedback don’t just head off bad reviews; they prompt innovation. When a customer told Procter & Gamble that her Bounce Dryer Bar separated from its plastic base, P&G didn’t shrug its shoulders. As a company brand manager explained in a “thank you” letter, P&G addressed the problem by increasing the length of tape on the back of the dryer bar holder and clarifying the installation instructions.

Make your social media CX an integral part of all your marketing campaigns and start building relationships. Your brand will gain more exposure, your company will reach a broad audience, and you’ll receive invaluable feedback for creating a better consumer experience. Get social and watch your business grow.