If you want to build relationships with your audience, never let a comment or wall post go unanswered.
Sound simple enough?
Well if you have seen the shape of Facebook brand pages, Twitter users, and numerous blogs, it's obvious that many people are not following this simple rule.
The world of online media is moving toward one-on-one communication and connecting with your audience on a personal level is more important than ever. Social media managers and bloggers need to be aware of how personal interaction can build a loyal community. Though personally responding to each interaction is time consuming, you are simply paying time back to your audience.
Three things happen when someone leaves a comment on a blog post or Facebook wall:
1. The person spent time reading/noticing the content
2. They felt a connection
3. They took their time to agree/disagree/compliment...
If someone "commented" in real life on a piece of your work or what you were wearing, you would definitely respond. This should be no different in the online world!
Dailygrape is a perfect example of a company who treats their customers as people instead of just consumers. They used to (still might) call every new customer that bought something off their website and personally thank them for purchasing their product. (They are now an immensely successful company)
The man behind the Dailygrape madness, Gary Vaynerchuk ...Is also a living example of how far personally responding to customers can be. His social media presence and number of followers can do the talking on his behalf.
In short...every interaction counts and can be the difference between a one-time visitor and someone who converts to your company or blog. It may be time consuming, but responding to your audience will ultimately build a loyal following.