To build a loyal brand following, hire a social media assistant. That’s probably the most effective, efficient, and affordable way to keep your customers engaged and always patronizing your product and services. That social media personal assistant keeps the conversation going with your target market. He or she makes sure that there is no vacuum or ‘dead space’ in the online space. They make sure that the latest news about you reaches your customers. They answer their questions in such an informative but pleasant way that satisfies them and keeps them connected to you. They also have a hand in stopping potential crises by putting out fires like rumors and gossips that can hurt your reputation. Finally, they all do it almost 24/7 as the activities in the social media feeds also go on non-stop.

One important thing to remember about your social media VAs is that they are incredibly organized. Think about it — there are numerous social media accounts that they have to handle. It’s not just one platform but several: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, just to name the more popular ones. They see to it that they keep those feeds and platforms humming with posts and images that have to be posted at the right time — just when your customer base is watching what’s happening in their local media accounts. As a business owner, you would spend a lot of time doing all that on your own, which in turn would consume those hours that should have been spent on selling your core business and keeping the revenue flowing.

Social media marketing is vital because it is indispensable in remaining strongly connected to your customer. Just take a look at the data presented by Smart Insights: The total number of social media users as of 2018 is now 3.196 billion — showing a 13 percent growth from last year. Facebook still reigns supreme as number one with over two billion followers. YouTube, What’s App, Messenger, and Instagram follow closely behind. You have to reach out to your market in all these platforms, and your social media virtual assistant does that for you.

A social media VA does not have to be a full-time employee. They can work virtually with you on a project basis with communication ongoing. At the same time, they do fulfill your deliverables and meet the metrics you have set. This arrangement actually saves you overhead expenses, and you can use the savings for other things needed by your business. HOPLA has a team of remote workers including social media professionals who can give your brand the boost that it needs at a budget that you can afford.

A social media assistant has also been called a social media personal assistant because what they do is personal. It is not cold or calculating. The conversation they conduct with your client base is warm, inviting, and very personalized. Yes, the images and posts they post are read by thousands of your followers — but watch them when they chat up the followers who do ask questions or make comments. There is no one cut-out answer. They take the time to get to know the customer behind the question and respond to their concerns. They get to know the issue behind it, and give customized answers, and even helpful advice. They make the customer feel cared for and valued.

In short, the social media marketing puts a very human face to your brand, one which the customer likes and wants to interact with. That is how they create a loyal brand following for your business.