Picture this. You just grabbed a seat at the bar of your favorite local restaurant. When the bartender walks by, you ask what the specialty cocktail is and… crickets. He totally ignores you. Weird, huh? The same weirdness should be applied when businesses fail to respond to the most basic comments, messages and reviews on social media. 

Why is social media management important?

Whether it’s a private message or a public-facing comment, providing answers to loyal customers, prospective guests, influencers and even media members is crucially important. Doing so helps build a brand community and establishes the business as a reliable source. It also allows you the chance to control the message, an act at the top of the list of every PR manager’s to-do list.

Even if a question isn’t posed, it’s nice to acknowledge followers, of course. Responding to positivity gives you the opportunity to make connections, while doing the same with negative commentary and reviews provides the chance to make amends. Addressing not-so-great feedback can be disheartening at times, but letting reviewers know they are heard can go a long way. 

How can I manage comments, messages and reviews?

The simplest way to manage Facebook and Instagram questions, messages and reviews is through Meta Business Suite website or mobile app. I, personally, prefer the mobile option. While the free app isn’t without flaws, its inbox feature puts comments and messages in one place and review commentary can be found in the notifications section.

When should I check my social pages? 

The cadence at which you check your social pages depends on how active your audience is. If you’re running a restaurant’s Instagram page that has 20,000+ followers, your audience is likely quite active. They may ask what time you open, if you charge a corkage fee, how they can make reservations, if kids are allowed, etc. If they’re bringing in a party of 10, answering these types of questions impacts your bottom line. 

I recommend checking pages with an active audience at least twice a day, every day – at the start of the day and the end. If you can fit in a mid-day check, even better. For messages that come through between touch times, set up an automatic response in Meta Business Suite letting the person know you received their message and will be in touch soon. You can even add a few variations that will automatically send depending on keywords used in the message received.

There you have it – the why, how and when of managing communication and feedback through social media. While responding to comments, messages and reviews can get put on the back burner of a business owner’s to-do list at times, it must be a priority. Prefer to tap an expert? Obsidian PR can help!