Navigating the Social Media Waters

BY LEN LEWIS

Published: 11:59 AM November 15, 2016

 

Never underestimate the power of social media! That’s a given—right?

That’s why I find it somewhat naïve, even disturbing, that Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, one of the architects of the social media revolution said that it was “crazy” to think that fake news on Facebook influenced the U.S. presidential election.

Maybe he’s just jealous that Twitter got all the attention thanks to the midnight rants of the president-elect. The fact is that false or slanted information is being fed to the American public who are hungry for more. Approximately six out of 10 Americans get at least some of their news from social media, according to the Pew Research Center, where misinformation can spread like wildfire.

So called “content farms” produce articles and opinion pieces simply to get more clicks on Internet sites or just to slam a product, person or business for the benefit of someone else.

All of which brings me to the point I have espoused for a very long time. Namely, no one is safe or immune from the slings and arrows of outrageous social media posts. 

Some would say that consumers make their choices based on real life experiences. That may be true but they also make choices of who to vote for or where to shop based on the experiences, real or imagined, of others. In the wake of the first social media election, it is more important than ever to connect with customers and not let the digital water cooler control the conversation.

The issue is how you handle it. Don’t ignore comments or try to delete them is if something didn’t happen. On the other hand, don’t get into a bar fight with denizens of the social media world. Arguments of this nature have a tendency to escalate and disgruntled consumers will tell others.

What to do? Offer an apology to consumers but also a solution. Let them know that they are valued customers you want to keep. Think about the philosophy of the great retailers in history like Gordon Selfridge, John Wanamaker and Marshall Field. “The customer is always right”—if not honest!