Most brands think they’re crushing it on social media. Behind the curated grid and clever copy? They’re actually bleeding trust, missing revenue, and ghosting their best opportunities.
Why?
Because they’re clinging to outdated ideas about what social media customer experience should be. They’re stuck in “content calendar” mode when their audience is begging for connection.
It’s time for a reality check.
Let’s bust five myths that are holding your customer experience (CX) on social hostage, and show you what high-impact, modern social care really looks like.
MYTH 1: “We’re posting, so we’re engaging.”
Truth: Posting ≠ engagement.
Publishing content is not a conversation. If you’re ignoring comments and leaving DMs unanswered, you’re not building community. In fact, you’re ghosting your audience.
Real engagement happens in the replies. It creates engagement velocity.
Also, content does not fuel social media in the year 2025. Conversations do. If your content isn’t a vehicle for emotion, you’re doing it wrong. (Sorry … kinda.)
Check out my chat with Jeff at Social Media News Live as to why your content needs to spark emotion or be a dopamine machine for your would-be and current customers:
[Source: Watch the clip on LinkedIn]
Finally, if you haven’t yet, take our free course on creating talk-worthy social media content. It’s got a bunch of 5-star reviews and I promise you won’t regret it!
[Source]
(And YES, it’s TOTALLY FREE!!)
MYTH 2: “Social is just a marketing channel.”
Truth: Social touches every department! Marketing, CX, sales, product …
Your audience is telling you what they want in real time on social media. But if you’re only using social to broadcast, you’re missing insights that could shape everything from campaign strategy to feature updates.
Great social customer care doesn’t live in a silo; it echoes across your whole org.
Real-World Proof: Skin Control’s Lightning-Fast Social Media Customer Experience
As an example, Australian skincare brand Skin Control demonstrates this beautifully.
When influencer Phoebe Spiller lost her skincare at the airport and posted about it, the brand didn’t just see an opportunity—they mobilized a team member within 15 minutes to deliver replacements.
That real-time action sparked a viral moment, and delivered ongoing customer trust and awareness
That’s social media customer experience operating cross-functionally:
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CX/Support: Solving a problem in real time
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Marketing: Amplifying brand authenticity
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Sales: Converting response into revenue
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Product/R&D: Gathering insights on what matters to customers
Why this matters for you:
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Real-time moments: Social isn’t just talk, it’s action.
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Cross-organizational alignment: A fast social response informs product ideas, drives sales, and builds community all at once.
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Terrific storytelling: These stories fuel content, PR, and marketing channels far beyond their origin.
MYTH 3: “Likes prove ROI.”
Truth: Likes are vanity metrics. Retention is revenue.
At B Squared Media, we don’t just track clicks, we track conversations. Do you know your return on conversation (ROC)? Most brands don’t.
But here’s what happens when you do:
One client assumed 95% of their social messages were just customer support. But after we implemented our conversation tagging model, we discovered 20% were actually acquisition opportunities: pre-purchase questions from curious, ready-to-buy shoppers.
They were leaving money on the table … because no one was tracking it.
When you start measuring the convos that save accounts, spark upsells, and turn browsers into buyers, you unlock a whole new ROI story. And that story? The C-suite finally understands it.
Want to prove ROI? Start with how many of your social media conversations turn into action.
MYTH 4: “AI will replace our agents.”
Truth: AI helps, but only humans create trust.
AI is great for routing tickets. Drafting quick replies. Answering FAQs. But when emotion enters the chat? You need a human.
Take this real-life moment:
One of our agents spotted a frustrated tweet about a customer’s broken coffee filter. Simple enough. But instead of just saying, “We’ll send a new one,” the agent responded with empathy, plus a coffee GIF, a custom coupon code, and a cheeky note that said “May your next brew be drama-free.”
That response? It got a retweet. A thank-you reply. And a brand advocate for life.
AI could never. (Or at least it can’t right now!!)
MYTH 5: “We respond in a few days … and that’s good enough.”
Truth: On social, “days” is a lifetime.
Today’s consumers expect speed. What’s more, they expect it personalized.
According to the 2025 Sprout Social Index™, nearly 75% of consumers expect a response within 24 hours or sooner—and if they don’t get it? 73% say they’ll buy from a competitor instead (Page 14).
And here’s where things get even more real: fast, friendly replies don’t just retain customers, they also drive referrals.
Responsiveness ranks as the #4 reason consumers say a brand stands out on social, right behind product quality, original content, and how brands engage with their audience (Page 9).
In short: Quick replies aren’t just CX; they’re conversion fuel. Fast service builds trust. Trust builds loyalty. And loyalty = revenue.
From Broadcasts to Back-and-Forths
Too many brands are stuck in 2012 and treating social like a billboard and obsessing over likes. However, here’s the shift: Marketing is a megaphone. Social media customer care is a conversation.
And in 2025? Conversations win.
The ROI of Social Media Customer Experience
We’ve seen a single tweet save a six-figure account. A fast DM response turn into a five-figure lead.
Speed builds trust. Trust builds loyalty. And loyalty drives revenue.
That’s the power of social media customer experience.
Micro-Moments, Macro Impact
That emoji you dropped on a thank-you post? Or your team’s 3-minute reply to a frustrated shipping DM?
Those aren’t small things. Those are everything! They’re proof your brand listens. Cares. Responds.
And when you do that consistently? Customers stay.
Why You Still Need Humans For Social Media Customer Experience (Yes, Even Now)
AI is useful. But it can’t:
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Sense sarcasm or emotion in a public post
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Personalize an apology that doesn’t feel templated
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Celebrate with a customer like a real human would
Your social care agents are brand ambassadors. Train them, trust them, and treat them like the CX superheroes they are.
The Metrics That Actually Matter
Here’s what we track:
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Conversation Type: Is this an acquisition or retention opportunity?
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Response Time: How fast are we showing up?
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Resolution Rate: Are we solving problems, or just responding?
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Sentiment: Are we leaving people better than we found them? [For example, read more on sentiment analysis.]
These are the KPIs that move the needle—and we measure them with tools like Sprout Social, Emplifi, and more.
Final Take
If your social experience feels flat or one-sided, it’s not your content, it’s your lack of social media customer experience.
Today’s customers don’t just want clever. They want connection.
Your next sale could start in the comments. Make sure someone’s there to answer.
FAQs: Social Media Customer Experience
1. What is social media customer experience (CX)? Social media customer experience refers to how customers perceive your brand based on the interactions they have with you on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn. This includes direct replies, comments, DMs, and the overall tone and responsiveness of your team.
2. Why does social media CX matter? It drives trust, loyalty, and revenue. A positive social experience can turn frustrated customers into brand advocates or first-time buyers into lifelong fans. It’s also where customers expect fast, human support.
3. How fast should brands respond on social media? Ideally within 60 minutes. According to the 2025 Sprout Social Index™, nearly 75% of consumers expect a response within 24 hours—and 73% say they’ll buy from a competitor if they don’t get one.
4. Is AI enough for social customer service? AI can help route, tag, and draft replies. But empathy, nuance, and real-time context still require human agents. The best social CX combines smart tech with smarter people.
5. How do you measure ROI on social customer experience? Ditch vanity metrics like likes. Instead, track:
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Response time
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Resolution rate
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Sentiment change
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Acquisition vs. retention convos
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Customer satisfaction (CSAT/NPS)
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And what we call, Return on Conversation (ROC).
6. What tools help manage social media CX? We recommend platforms like Sprout Social and Sprinklr for scaling social customer care—especially for tagging, reporting, and cross-functional insights.
Latest posts by Brooke B. Sellas (see all)
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