Only 25% of retailers reply to tweets directed at them
Retailers have been found to be largely unresponsive when it comes to engaging on social media channels, with only a quarter replying to questions directed at them on Twitter and a meagre 11% responding to negative comments on their Facebook walls.
These were just some of the findings of a benchmark study by Bristol internet consultancy Auros, who tested retailers’ responsiveness across Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and branded blogs.
Thomas Cook, easyJet and Debenhams topped the responsiveness table (32%, 24% and 22% respectively), but the average score was a sorry 10% despite retailers making a clear investment in social media, with four in five having a Twitter account and 72% active on Facebook.
The study found that 25% of those on Twitter replied to a question directed at them, while on Facebook the responsiveness rate was better, but 50% of questions still went unanswered. Negative Facebook comments were routinely ignored, rather than retailers engaging complainants and attempting to convert them to advocates.
Only 52% of retailers were found to have a blog on their websites, and only 12% a YouTube channel. As with Twitter and Facebook, many are just using these social networks as push marketing channels, rather than using them to properly engage and enter into dialogue with both existing and prospective customers. Responsiveness on YouTube and on company blogs was extremely low, with none of the retailers responding to questions posted in the comments section of blog posts or videos.