Social Media Tips for Brands

Marketing experts claim that consumers only remember your brand after 6-7 encounters. Clearly then, companies must pay close attention to every brand interaction and ensure that it leaves behind a positive impression. Social media offers you a fantastic opportunity to connect with a wider audience and burn your brand identity into their minds. Social media branding therefore is an essential element when it comes to succeeding as an online business. Given the modern consumer’s lust for advances in every facet of their lives, you must be prepared to update your marketing strategy as and when is necessary. While there are dozens of social media channels, you should concentrate on the big boys including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Pinterest. Here are 5 social media tips on getting the most out of your brand.  

1 – Consistency

  You could also add ‘patience’ because building a strong brand identity is not something that can happen overnight. It is said that Nike took 15 years to build its brand as it concentrated on consistent 360-degree delivery and focused brand positioning. You should know that consistency does not equal ‘boring’; all it means is that you’re consistent when it comes to the way your business is represented on social media channels. Whilst you may have to change tone depending on the target audience, there needs to be a foundation of consistency in order to build trust and encourage consumer relationships. Using your logo design as your avatar on social media networks helps when it comes to achieving consistency as it exposes customers to your brand every single time they see a post from your company. They also immediately know it is your business that is posting and they soon learn to equate that logo with your organisation.  

2 – Personality

  You need to create a brand persona. Think about how you would create a profile for a person and work from there. What kind of hobbies, habits and interest would this person have and what would they share online? This should help find your brand voice, which should make it clear to visitors what your brand is all about and how it will communicate. For example, you could be looking to be light-hearted, making jokes and being chatty, or formal and serious. You also need to consider the kind of language you will use on your social media channels and finally, you need to decide on your purpose. For instance, are you looking to be an educator or an entertainer? One you have decided on the ‘personality’ of your brand, look to describe it in 300-500 words.  

3 – Be Human

  First and foremost, remember that you are communicating with human beings on social media networks, so drop the ‘corporate’ feel – unless that’s what you’re aiming for. You can’t expect to win over an audience if everything seems forced. The most successful brands manage to communicate in a manner that makes each person feel as if they are being individually targeted. While it is important to have a visual logo or emblem to cement your brand in the minds of people, you must add a ‘human’ side. This means sharing more intimate details of your organisation including events or parties and always taking time to respond to customer queries or comments.

4 – Be Authentic

  As prospective customers on your social media channels expect your profile to be an accurate representation of yourself and not a ‘shield’, having an ‘inauthentic’ voice will see you exposed as a charlatan. Back in February 2013, American Airlines made the grievous error of sending scripted tweets on Twitter. They sent the same replies to each user regardless of whether users sent positive or derogatory tweets. To be seen as more authentic, allow customers to get closer to your brand. Customers like to communicate with regular employees of your company and get ‘insider’ scoops on what goes on behind closed doors. Responding to customer queries with real-time responses that are informative and helpful is also a great idea.  

5 – Focus on Connection

  I have seen plenty of companies make the mistake of posting a host of viral images or ‘memes’ on their social media profiles without much in the way of substance. As a rule, you should focus on audience interaction first, before worrying about your brand and message architecture. Through the act of communication, you’ll quickly get to learn more about your audience and this in turn will enable you to provide value. Once you create relevant and helpful content, customers will begin to track you down. Focus on getting the message across and don’t plaster URLs all over your posts as this may be seen as spam. Becoming a social media brand involves a lengthy yet rewarding journey if you persevere. Along the way, you will learn and grow as your brand evolves. Whilst you may face setbacks, the way in which you respond will ultimately determine whether or not you become a success. Tell your story with articles, tweets, videos, images and podcasts but above all, share this journey with your audience and provide them with a reason to stay tuned.]]>