DISCUSSION
Social media responsiveness builds Millennial loyalty
Written by RetailWire Staff
Photo: Getty Images
According to a new study, a strong social media presence is a huge part of the loyalty equation for Millennials -- and not having a responsive social media presence might even result in a lost sale.
More than 43 percent of Millennials said that they would consider purchasing from another retailer if the one they are engaging with does not have a social media page on which to provide feedback, according to a study conducted by Harris Insights, which appeared on ZDNet. That is in comparison to 21 percent of adults aged over 45.
Sixty-six percent of Millennials said that the speed with which a company responded on social media would impact their brand loyalty and 72 percent said they would be more loyal to a brand that responds to social media feedback.
A generational expectation for quick, responsive customer service on social media makes sense in light of other big recent retail trends. Most notably, Amazon.com's mantra of "customer obsession" has played a large role in reshaping what customers expect from their interactions with retailers in terms of responsiveness to complaints.
And with more people on social media than ever during 2018, according to research, being available on social media is being available directly where customers are already looking.
But where exactly consumers are looking could certainly change. While Millennials are still often found on Facebook and Twitter, younger generations are not so interested in their older siblings' and parents' social platforms.
At the moment, Gen Zers are opting to use more visual forms of social media like Instagram and Snapchat, according to a study by Criteo.
Other recent studies have also discussed a shift away from Facebook and Twitter in the context of an overall bad reputation that the social platforms have developed.
Issues like the failure of social media platforms to take privacy seriously enough and the possibility of social media use as a source of depression have made even regular users more wary of the technology. But while many may swear that they're swearing off social media for such reasons, it's not clear how this actually impacts overall usage across platforms.