If you want to attract new customers and retain old ones, you must provide excellent customer service. Now that 90% of home searches begin online and Internet users spend three times more time on Facebook than on any other site, social media needs to be part of your customer service strategy. More specifically, it is imperative that you rapidly and consistently respond to questions and comments on social media.

Here's why rapid social media response times are too important to ignore:

1. Consumers Expect Speedy Responses

Research on consumer behaviour shows that your clients expect rapid responses to their questions on social media. A study conducted by The Social Habit found that 42% of customers expect answers to questions asked on social media within an hour. Furthermore, only 33% of customers are prepared to wait more than 24 hours for a response. Rapidly responding to comments on social media is therefore a must. However, according to research from Statmetrix and the CMO Council, "58% of businesses ignore feedback provided on social media." If you want a competitive advantage when it comes to customer service, you need to provide rapid responses on social media.

2. Prevent Contagion

Rapid responses allow you to nip complaints in the bud and ensure that other members of your social networks do not pile on. As social media strategist and author Mack Collier explains:

Often, one negative comment that doesn't get a response will lead to additional negative comments. And 3 negative comments with no response from the company can quickly balloon into 10. But if the company jumps in and responds quickly, that greatly reduces the chance of additional negative comments.

Rapidly responding to feedback ensures that visitors to your Facebook Page will never witness an avalanche of negative feedback.

3. Turn Complaints Into Compliments

Quickly responding to comments on social media doesn't just prevent contagion; it can also turn complaints into positive feedback. According to a Harris survey, "nearly 70% of consumers receiving replies reversed negative content." Indeed, research by Kissmetrics shows that 22% of consumers who receive responses on social media go on to post positive comments. Moreover, Sprout Social's Jennifer Beese reports that 18% of customers who receive a response within 30 minutes go on to become repeat customers. Rapid, helpful responses ensure that all of your customers are ultimately happy.

4. Prove Yourself Socially

Since members of your networks can see your interactions on social media, you can use your responses to prove that you are an attentive real estate professional. This is technique, known as social proof, uses positive interactions with current customers to show potential customers that you will cater to their needs. As Business2Community's Emma Vas notes, "the psychology of social proof enhances your ... sales pipeline and overall lead generation." Social proof turns your customer service into a marketing advantage.

5. Encourage Comments

Since rapidly responding to comments helps you build social proof, you should try to solicit comments. The good news is that there are proven strategies that you can use to encourage engagement. According to the researchers at Kissmetrics, asking questions will double the number of comments that your posts receive. Moreover, according to Hubspot's Rebecca Corliss, posts with images receive 53% more likes and 104% more comments. These strategies will attract more commenters and produce more opportunities to prove yourself socially. If you want help encouraging engagement, try talking to one of CityBlast's Social Experts.

Wrapping It All Up

You cannot afford to leave social media out of your customer service and marketing strategies. Rapidly responding to questions and concerns ensures that you meet your clients' expectations, avoid negative comment contagion, and build loyalty. Rapid responses are also a good form of marketing because they prove to potential customers that you are a responsive real estate professional.

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