The term “social” in social media implies that all interactions occur in public and for the public. But with the rise of messaging apps and audience-specific ad targeting, interactions on social media have become much more personalized and private.

A recent survey notes that most people who use social media also use it as their go-to outlet for brand interaction or customer service. It states:

90% of people surveyed have used social in some way to communicate directly with a brand. What’s more, social surpasses phone and email as the first place most people turn when they have a problem or issue with a product or service…

In effect, social media has shifted from a place where brands would blast their message out to a wide audience to a more finely honed instrument intended for personal interaction. And, with the rise of chatbots, it is likely that social media users will increasingly turn to sites like Facebook to interact with brands more easily.

Any interaction’s success depends on your ability to make a personal connection with another person. You cannot achieve this goal through a purely public platform. For this reason, social media is a powerful tool that is best harnessed through a brand’s one-on-one interaction with customers and potential customers.

Sourcing via Social Media Today.