Customer Insights

How to understand social customers

Make more sales from customers who love social media and sharing. Get tips and tools to help you reach them and make it easy for them to buy from you.

social customer social customer

What are social customers like?

They will often take a lead from others when forming their opinions. And being sociable by nature, they enjoy the sense of belonging that comes from interacting with likeminded people, fellow consumers or brands with whom they have a connection or affiliation.

Social customers love hearing the opinions and reviews of others before and after they buy. And as they’ll talk to anyone, you never know when they’ll recommend your products or services. But be warned - if they are unhappy or dissatisfied, they will also share that with the world.

See our top business tips on getting your customers talking:

Infographic of coffee shop

Customer engagement tools

Organise your social media channels, learn how to spread the word about your business, and give your customers something to shout about – see some of our suggested tools and services to engage and communicate with social customers.

Sprout Social Logo

Sprout Social

All-in-one social media management and analytics platform for businesses.

Facebook Blueprint

A global education program that teaches you marketing skills to grow your business.

Traits of social customers

social customer image
  • Community-focussed
  • Likes many relationships
  • Emotionally-driven
  • Values perception and image
  • Relies on consensus and opinion

Communities are important to me and so is your opinion - but I also want to have my say.

Laura, social customer.

How to get the attention of social customers

  • They love seeing pictures or reviews of what others have done with your products, and discovering how your products or services have made people feel.
  • If enough of their peer group recommend you, they'll feel more confident to buy.
  • You need to be seen in the right place, saying the right thing. Social customers buy based on feelings as much as they do facts.
  • Make sure your brand is visible and active in social media.
  • Say something that supports their point of view - or that makes them feel like you’re part of their network. Being connected to things they care for, admire or follow will serve you well.
  • Being part of their world can be about a cause, a style, an experience or a set of people.

Help them purchase

  • These customers have a strong need to feel part of a group, therefore it is important that you can be identified as part of a group that they would also like to be connected to. You can do this by bringing attention to your customer base, locality, product range or beliefs - ethical and sustainable, for example, could be a significant pull to a social buyer.
  • If social customers have engaged with you, try to acknowledge or include them in some way. Ask their opinion, help them feel involved in your business, your process, your product - they want to build relationships so that they feel connected.

How you will lose them

  • If the brand doesn’t stand for something.
  • Too many facts and not enough feelings.
  • There is no human side to the business.

Other customer types

cautious customer

Cautious Customers

"I want the facts, so that I can make an informed decision."

About cautious customers > 

loyal global ecomm

Loyal Customers

"I like sticking with the same brands and companies because I know I can trust them."

About loyal customers > 

impulsive shopping

Impulsive Customers

"I want to be able to do what I want, when I want."

About impulsive customers >

Tools and services for your business

Discover tools to cover everything from building a website to organising your finances and getting paid.

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