Tips for Selecting a Web Host Using Social Media
In the past few years, social media has become not just a means for people to interact with each other, but also for brands to communicate with their customers. Many companies now use social media to market their products and services, as well as address customer service issues in public. Observing a web host’s social media feeds and stats provides a good idea of their popularity with customers, as well as how they respond to customer needs. Here are some of the things you need to look out for when choosing a web host using social media.
Facebook is the social network which has the highest number of users all over the world. The number of ‘likes’ on Facebook shows the level of confidence people have in a specific brand. Therefore, before signing up with a web host, find out how many ‘likes’ they have on Facebook. However, there is need for caution. Even though the number of ‘likes’ can give an indication about the reliability of a brand, there are some web hosts who actually buy ‘likes’ so as to make themselves appear popular.
Twitter is a social network which enables customers and brands to communicate in an instant manner. You can determine the popularity of a web host by looking at the number of Twitter followers they have. In addition, take time to observe all the ‘@mention’ of the brand on Twitter. This will show you how the web host handles its customer complaints, as well as values its reputation.
However, just like in the case of Facebook, there is need for caution. There are some unscrupulous individuals who create Twitter ‘bots’ which tweet particular brands with fake complaints or compliments. Therefore, when reading the web host’s Twitter feed, try and figure out if the tweets look like they were posted by a human.
Google+
Google+ is a recent entrant in the social networking scene. Google started it with the intention of offering users search results which were most relevant to their personal tastes and preferences. Google+ compares what you and other people in your circles have ‘+1’d’ and displays search results which are closely related to your interests. Therefore, before choosing a web host, find out how many Google+1’s it has. Since Google+ comprises of users who are more technically savvy, the number of Google+1’s should be given more consideration than the number of Facebook ‘likes’ or Twitter followers.
Social media chatter
When perusing through social media chatter, you need to realize that problems are very normal in web hosting. However, what matters is not the frequency or seriousness of the problem, but how the web host handles it. The following are some of the things to look out for in social media chatter.
- Positive feedback
It means a lot when someone takes time to shower praise on a particular brand. Therefore, you need to take time to look at how many compliments a web host is receiving from customers. Keep in mind that for every individual who had something good to say about the brand, it is likely that there are many more customers who are happy with the service rendered, but will not take time to say it in writing.
- Unreasonable customers
Keep an eye out for unreasonable customers who just want to get some attention. It is a fact that customers are to blame for many of the problems experienced in web hosting. However, these same customers will go ahead to make a fuss on social networks about their web hosting provider. If a person is ranting and raving, find out what exactly the issue is and how the web host addresses it. In many cases, customers make a lot of noise over small problems. However, once the web host deals with it, the attitude of the customer is likely to change completely.
- Response time
Information posted on social media networks is usually accessible to the public. Social media can give you a good idea of how a web host responds to customer complaints. You need to be cautious about brands which avoid addressing problems in public. Find out how fast the web host responds to issues raised by looking at the time of posting complaints, as well as the time of posting a response.
Charles is a tech enthusiast and has written reviews about offers such as the anhosting coupons and westhost promo codes. He also writes frequently for blogs which offer tips concerning topics such as domain names, blogging, web hosting, internet marketing, web development and ecommerce. Once in a while, he also contributes to sites such as Sexy Social Media.
Image Credit: 1.
Posted in Social Media Tools and Social Networking. Tags: social media networking, web hosting
No Replies
Feel free to leave a reply using the form below!
