You're sitting back watching your social media thrive (probably because you work with Grab Social). A notification pops up letting you know that you've received a comment from one of your competitors in the local area.
oh no.
You frantically worry that it's going to be some form of snide remark about how their product trumps yours, you instantly put down your coffee and get ready to go to war with the social media manager on the other end.
Only to find a lovely comment about how great your work is, coupled probably with a few smiling or fire emojis for good measure. Before you sink back into that comfortable chair, let's understand what is actually happening here.
What so many businesses today fail to understand is the value they personally attain from engaging with other accounts on social media.
Particularly at a localised level, a lot of owners can't look past that concept of giving another page or another brand a comment (which yes, will help them). But don't be so quick to dismiss this as an actual strategy which, in our little scenario from above is more than likely being used on you.
Lets get real for a second, that brand that commented under your post about the Wednesday deal on bread rolls probably couldn't give too much of a toss about how well that goes. As a matter of fact they may not even have any clue what exactly the post is about.
What they're doing is using your page as a means to show the algorithm that they are ACTIVE on the platform.
It is a phenomenon that the team here at Grab like to call mutual engagement, and for businesses looking to fire up their socials it is cost-effective marketing GOLD. Most of the time (although not all the time) other businesses choose to get active in your comments, it's due to their own personal agenda.
This isn't to say that your work isn't fantastic, or that you don't deserve a fire emoji or two, but it does give you an indication as to how the game is played.
If you're not actively liking, commenting and potentially even sharing posts from other pages in your space, then you are missing out on the wave. When you do this, the platforms recognise you as an active thought leader and it will undoubtedly bring in greater follower growth and engagement for your own brand.
A huge part of our week is getting on our clients accounts and engaging with others. This can seem tedious but it is undoubtedly what stirs up the most instant activity on your page.
Don't be lazy and just comment a fire emoji here and a smiley face there, because the algorithm is onto that strategy too. Get to know a brand and become social-buddies, you might be competitors but social media will go best for you both when engagement is high and the community is active.
Don't trust me? Give it a try and see the results for yourself. I dare you!
Shoot us an email at hello@grab-social.com or schedule a call through our website to learn more about bolstering your socials plus how we can help your business elevate itself in the digital space.
Will Staber
Digital Marketing Strategist