10 Ways to Give Your Business an Identity Using Social Media

Article By Ilan Nass of New York Based Digital Marketing Agency - Taktical

Social media offers businesses the chance to reach millions of customers multiple times a day. That means it can and should play a key role in your overall branding strategy. The following tips can help entrepreneurs and digital marketing agencies in any industry effectively develop and promote their organization’s branded identities via social media.

1. Choose Platforms Wisely

There are many social media platforms available to businesses. Not all will be the ideal fit. Research the demographics of a given platform’s users before cultivating a social media presence on it. For instance, a Snapchat account may be perfect for an apparel company aimed at Millennials, but it won’t be as effective for a company that sells building supplies to contractors.

2. Share Content from Similar Brands

Although most of your content should be original, you can also help your customers better understand your brand by sharing content from other organizations whose brands are similar to yours. You don’t want to share content from a direct competitor, but there are probably other companies out there who target similar customers but offer different services. You can start by looking at who your direct competitors follow, and do the same.

3. Stay Visually Consistent

Your visual branding strategy should be consistent across platforms. By using similar logos, fonts, color schemes, and other visual elements across your social media accounts, you’ll be more likely to create a brand that customers recognize and remember.

4. Choose the Right Voice

Different companies should communicate with their customers using different voices. A hip, young startup may succeed with a voice that’s humorous and informal, while a consulting firm is better off using language that conveys professionalism. A good digital branding strategist will create a cohesive tone across platforms that expresses the brand message while relating to the target audience.

5. Plan Your Posts

Although there will be times when your posts will be spontaneous (maybe you want to share a major piece of breaking news that’s relevant to your customers), for the most part, you should stick to a schedule. This ensures that you post regularly, and that you have the opportunity to check your posts to confirm they’re all consistently on-brand. Certain platforms have specific times that earn greater engagement than others, so do your research and plan accordingly.

6 .Cross-Promote

Don’t forget to remind your followers on one platform that they can also follow you on another. The more opportunities you have to connect with your audience, the better. Put a link to your website and all social accounts within your bio on each platform, and post often about new content across your profiles.

7. Craft a Compelling Bio

It’s far too common to find businesses and organizations overlooking the bio section of their social media profiles. This section of the profile serves as an introduction for your customers. It’s your first chance to not only promote your services, but also to establish your brand.

8. Engage Directly

Social media is unique because it allows you to have genuine conversations with your audience, instead of simply bombarding them with marketing content. Make sure a reasonable number of your posts are designed to promote engagement with your audience. This allows you to strengthen your brand identity by conversing with them on a regular basis. Posing direct questions, creating a survey, or responding directly to comments are all suggestions for direct engagement.

9. Choose Similar Topics to Cover

Overall, you should cover fairly similar topics and subject matter in your posts. Your customers should associate your brand with a very specific type of content. They’ll engage with you much less if your posts are inconsistent or on too broad a range of topics.

10. Focus on Differences

You need to stand out from your competitors in some way. You can do this by paying attention to their social media profiles. Find ways to differentiate your brand message from theirs, instead of just copying their strategy. Highlight your unique features in your content, and even call out competitors when you can.

Luckily, putting this advice into practice is not very difficult. Social media marketing isn’t just effective – it can also be easier once you develop a strategy and stick to it. Doing so will ensure a cohesive brand identity and encourage greater brand loyalty from your customers.