We all like to think that we’re good customers. We exchange our hard-earned money for a product or service and expect to receive it in a friendly and professional manner. This isn’t to say that people have poor buying experiences! But as business reviews get more popular with each passing day, that negativity can have profound effects on small businesses – especially on Instagram.
Why being a Great Customer is Vital to Small Businesses on Instagram
Larger corporations that have vast sums of money funneled into them aren’t affected by negative publicity. If anything, it eventually helps them! Even though ‘any publicity is good publicity in their eyes, the same negative publicity can seriously undermine small businesses.
Social media has provided the foundation for thousands of small businesses, many of which use Instagram. But as a small business owner, it takes time and considerable effort to get your dreams off the ground – Instagram is one way to help achieve that.
Having bought a product or service, it’s incredibly beneficial to the business to leave a heartfelt thank you in the comments section. Your simple comment that you just made holds significant value for the business! This act as a good customer can help influence another social media user to go ahead and buy something of their own. As more people begin to leave comments, the greater the chance of the business gaining more sales – which all contributes to their long-term success.
The Perfect Way to Interact with these Businesses
Small businesses are the backbone of many of our communities. With most of them self-run with very few employees, interacting with them is significantly different than those massive companies that take more than their fair share of the pie.
When interacting with small businesses, especially on social media, it’s important to remember that you’re likely communicating with the actual owner of the business. As the owner, it may take them some time to answer your questions or provide help! Unfortunately, they don’t have hundreds of employees in the customer service department to help!
Knowing it may take some time to receive a response, be patient and understand that they may be busy preparing an order or tending to a family emergency. By simply being more understanding of their situation, you’re then able to communicate more effectively that ultimately leads to a positive result – both for you and the small business.
What You Should Expect from Instagram Shops
Instagram has come to the forefront of social media shops. While Facebook has remained dominant in this area, Instagram has encouraged designers, artists, photographers, and other artisans to showcase their products and services. So, what should you expect from browsing through Instagram shops such as these? The short answer – fantastic communication.
Since you’re in touch with the owner themselves, they’re able to give you informative feedback that answers every single question and solves every problem. Having put in many hours (if not hundreds) to develop their business and product, they function as the perfect source of information. Do you think the customer care agent knows everything about the company they work for? Probably not!
With amazing information given, it now enables you to make an informed decision of whether to buy their product or service. By buying, you understand that all your needs are taken care of and have a direct line of contact should there be any issues. If you choose to pass on the opportunity, you’re likely to tell friends and family just how awesome that business is.
Small businesses on Instagram are familiar but above all, they’re personal – just the way we like it.
How to Leave Reviews that Benefit Small Businesses
Business reviews have become increasingly popular with social media particularly driving people to provide their opinions on a product, service, or business itself. According to Review Trackers, as of 2021, 88% of reviews are from just 4 sites – Google (73%), Yelp (6%), Facebook (3%), and TripAdvisor (3%). With Google dominating these statistics, your reviews play a significant role in how businesses rank as well as how other people will perceive the business.
With the details out of the way, how can you leave business reviews that make a difference? Start by leaving your reviews on Google. Reviews heavily factor in how businesses rank as they significantly influence local search results which are vital to small businesses. The more reviews that a business receives, the stronger its coverage in its locality.
Google is by no means the be-all-and-end-all when it comes to reviews. While it severely dictates the SEO of businesses, Facebook should also be used for reviews. The familiarity of Facebook and the culture that it has encouraged since its exception means that if you leave a positive review, hundreds if not thousands of people will see your review. They’re then able to take note of it as they make a buying decision of their own.
Although it’s not mandatory to leave a review for each of your purchases, your reviews can have profound effects on small businesses and their long-term security. If you’ve been treated well and have had a fantastic experience, take the time to leave a detailed review. Your opinion may not seem like much at the time of writing, but it just may make someone’s day.
5 Quick Steps to Find the Best Instagram Shops
Instagram has done a sensational job at incorporating taggable products, services, and shops on the posts and profiles of businesses. While many businesses are still catching up with this leap in e-commerce, it still provides you with the chance to shop a variety of businesses on only one social media platform.
Finding the best Instagram shops can be tricky as it heavily relies on the businesses/brands that you follow while you’re also served a healthy dose of tailored ads. To find Instagram shops that excite you, follow the below tips:
- Find brands and small businesses that significantly interest you.
- Start by scrolling through their feed and get a sense of what they sell.
- With a strong understanding of the available products, tap on their profile.
- Their profile shows you the usual option such as whether you’re a follower or the option to message. Above both, you will find the ‘View Shop’ option.
- Tap ‘View Shop’ and explore all available products.
And just like that, you’re shopping on Instagram! How easy was that? The only thing left to do now is following small, local businesses that interest you and support them in any way you can.
Final Thoughts
It can be infuriating to be treated poorly by a variety of customer service consultants. It can be even more infuriating when all you want is to get a straight answer out of them. Incidents such as these will continue to happen especially with large businesses. Smaller, local businesses however represent your best opportunity for amazing information and interaction.
All it takes is to be as considerate and empathetic as you can. Small businesses on Instagram enjoy interacting with customers. But they absolutely love interacting with fantastic customers just like you.
