Photo by paul bica

With new social media networks and platforms emerging almost every day, organizations must efficiently engage customers while delivering a cohesive experience that drives customer loyalty. During the Total Customer Experience Leaders Summit earlier this month, Nestor Portillo, Director, Social Communities and Customer Experience at Microsoft, shared why customer experience is key to make the content viral and engaging.

Customers in the social media era are in control and are setting companies’ agendas. They:

• Trust in advice made by online acquaintances and strangers
• Read and create product reviews, product rankings and blog posts
• Want to provide feedback about the product, brand and the service
• Seek support to connect with like-minded peers

To move brands faster and longer in the social media era, Nestor contends that organizations must provide a consistent experience across all social media platforms. It should be successful, effortless and quick.

Most importantly, organizations must have a game plan that supports the customer journey by:

• Considering the different ways people learn
• Pivoting on experience and products
• Delivering an emotional hook

This game plan must also include a community that:

• Is healthy and is not intimidating
• Provides a framework for user-generated content and word-of-mouth triggers
• Adds authenticity to help establish brand trust

Following this model will lead your customers to buy more, use more, consume more and tell and share more.