Many of the messages you receive on social media are not social at all, but the result of automation. These items have been sent out using scheduling services, CRM systems, even software “bots” that can intelligently respond to messages. Frequently, on social networks, no-one is actually having a conversation with you; instead, you are talking to a machine.
Marketing automation is commonplace. Indeed, without it, much of social media would not exist. To be visible on social media, companies need to be sending out dozens of Tweets, Facebook posts and LinkedIn updates every day. Indeed, the best-known companies that make the most of social media are sending hundreds, sometimes thousands, of messages each day. Sustaining that volume of output either means the company needs to employ dozens of people, at a high cost, or automation is required.
However, there is a problem with all this automation. Research shows that when people realise that social media activity is automated, they have a reduced “parasocial” connection to the company. Parasocial connections occur when the recipient of the communication believes they have some kind of relationship with the sender. For instance, many people who follow celebrities on Twitter feel as though the individual is talking directly to them, almost as though they have a real relationship.
It is the same with businesses. Lovers of brands feel…
