There is a truism that social media is a conversation as opposed to a one-way street. That said, your company should take a hands-on approach to cultivating relationships online. Here are a few ways to better connect with fans and leverage your online influence.

• Educate or inform. It’s human instinct to want to learn or be entertained. Provide consistent and solid content and your fan base will keep coming back for more.
• Listen to the consumer. As said before, social media can open up dialogue, whether good, bad or indifferent. If someone shares a negative experience with your brand, don’t shrink back. Instead, warmly and sincerely reach out to him or her and attempt to rectify the situation.
• Take negative comments in stride. In the event of an unflattering post, take a step back and consider what you can glean from the encounter. Is there a lesson to be learned from the experience?
• Always be genuine. Falsehoods will come back to bite you in a big way. Don’t go there! Aim for a respectful interchange with customers and build a positive relationship with your audience.
• Brevity is key. You have only a few seconds to catch a social media user’s attention, and even less time to keep it. This calls for discretion when making posts. Use pithy language, and link to references or visuals. Infographics are popular on the web because they can transmit a lot of information in an easily digestible format.

It’s a brave new world out there. We’re here to help!