In the ad industry we are reminded almost daily of the importance and relevance of social media in our clients’ marketing strategies. We are always told that social media is all about how you engage the consumer or potential client with your brand – there is no better way to directly make an informal connection with your customers.

Yet a recent study has shown that many brands aren’t engaging with their social media fans at all.

In fact, the study, conducted by social media statistics site, Socialbakers.com, determined that brands are not responding to 95% of questions that fans post on their walls.  This means that a measly 5% are being answered. It also means that brands aren’t doing what they are supposed to do on Facebook – keep customers engaged and address problems as quickly as possible.

Brands, early on in their social media strategy, need to determine how they will engage with their consumer via social. Will they only respond to posts  that include their brand as a tag? How will they respond to positive feedback? To negative feedback? Companies on Facebook need to monitor and evaluate closely what their consumers, who show a level of affinity for their brands, are saying about, and especially to their brand.

Yes, social media takes time. And businesses, especially small ones, don’t have a lot of extra time on their hands. Our advice: make time. If Richard Branson can do it, you can. Or if you can, pay someone to devote their time to it.

Brands who ignore their social fans on a regular basis run the risk of damaging their brand, dooming future product launches, and ultimately diminishing their bottom line. And nobody wants to do that.