Social media is fast becoming the primary marketing communications channel adopted by organisations. Yet it seems that the majority of companies have not the slightest clue as to how to actually do it.

Forget about the intricacies; inorganic reach, number of followers, how often to post content, etc. The problem is much more central. Organisations fail to grasp the actual purpose of social media marketing communication, and thus their content and communication strategies are flawed to begin with.

The common practice is for companies to build up their follower base, then promote, promote, promote. Of course, social media costs next to nothing, and this is what tempts managers into using these channels to promote.

However, customers despise promotion. They do not take well to being advertised to, and they do not like being told what to do, or what to buy. If all they see in their news feeds are ‘sale on now!’ then they are not going to take kindly to brands who post these messages.

The purpose of social media marketing is to build and nurture relationships with customers. To do this effectively, brands should not make requests of customers (through demanding their money), but rather should seek to give back value to customers. The ways in which this can be done are numerous. Publish some useful articles, share entertaining videos or memes, or provide some free, professional advice. Even start a conversation with followers and hear what they have to say, but show they are being listened to through actively responding. The list goes on.

Not only will this approach result in enhanced trust, but it will also bolster brand recognition and recall. The next time a customer is looking to make a purchase in the industry that you operate in, your brand will be the first that comes to their mind. Job done.