Having read the case study about Ikea working with The Socializers to be able to connect and understand their customers further, it is clear that social media is an influential tool for marketers to discover more about those who purchase their products. Both Ikea and The Socializers decided that a ‘listening hub’ would be ideal for the organisation in order to engage with the customer. They selected Brandwatch Vizia which is a customisable platform which distributes insights across the company. The new Brandwatch Vizia has proven to be highly effective and useful providing Ikea with real time infomation regarding their customers, their products and the brand. By comparing online conversations from social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest, they were able to find out information and opinions using specific search terms such as ‘customer service’ that was related to Ikea. The benefit of having this hub is that they can now reflect on aspects of the business where it may need improving or adjusting that have been brought up by customers, thus being able to change their brand reputation online.
2 points to take away from the case study:
- Social media is becoming increasingly influential to brand reputation and the way customer relationship management is applied online.
- Brands should use social media to not only promote their products/services, but use it to gain feedback and improve.
Here is a link to an IBM Institute for Business Value article, further emphasising the importance of social media to brands.