Social Messages and User Experiences, Say I Do.

Messages are merely bits of communication, right? Well, yes and no. Online social messages today carry more than just written words. It’s communication, which sparks psychological sensations that drive:

• Benefits
• Sense of Community
• Interaction
• Discussion.

This does not mean that every social post will be successful; however, every post can drive benefit. But; before online social messages can engage, a brand needs first subdivide its larger target audience into manageable personas. By subdividing target audiences into personas, it proffers a brand the ability to breakdown how to communicate as well as solve enigmas about online community dynamics. Beside, it’s easier to communicate when someone’s face is perceived.

Social Community Dynamics

Emphasis on the word dynamics because a brand’s online social community is constantly evolving. Communication is key. Social communication that triggers a desired psychological reaction, which is enjoyable, is what propels user experience. A brand has to muse beyond the immediate, and stir a sense of “WOW” with message feeds that heighten a sense of “what was missed” to draw consumers inside. Persona development is what allows brands to define plus put a face to target consumers. Katie Deausch’s (2009), Going Social is a reference read for understanding why social community breeds more business.

In Social There Is Trust

Consumer trust is not earned by displaying emblems of trust. Instead, social trust is an interpreted notion that the brand is what it says it is by social community as well as general online community. The community, through user experiences, is what implants trust. When a brand does not meet its standard, trust diminishes. It’s that simple. With that being said, trust and authority are not one in the same because testimonials resonate with like kind personas. This drives social engagement.

Social authority, on the other hand, is developed when a brand or individual is recognized as an expert in/on a given subject or point. What you know, who knows you, what you are known for, and who you know have nothing to do with user trust. Authority accrues by mastering and shared willingly without reservation. It is not an objective, but a position taken by brand about how it discerns consumers. Give versus expect pine at how a brand’s optics and expectations need reason.

Summing Up

No easy task at hand when it comes to social messaging and user experience. The beauty of it all is that brands need always be testing to succeed. Questions any brand need ask itself are:

• What do our consumer persona faces look like?
• Do our posts get consumers talking?
• How can we engage more?
• Do our social spheres compliment building trust as well as authority?

For when a brand understands that social messages and user experience are about community, it increases authority, trust, and ROI.

References:

http://profitecture.com/secret-sauce/what-is-social-authority/
http://www.clickz.com/3627657