So, in the last few articles, we’ve introduced some of the essentials in social media marketing; what it is, why it’s important, how it works, and crucially – how it can work for your business. Now that you know the basics then, we’re going to cover another imperative aspect of developing your social media presence.
Standing Out in An Online World
Unfortunately, it’s never as simple as setting up a social media profile and watching the engagement fly in. As there are already so many businesses and brands using social media, plus an even vaster number of potential customers, it’s essential that your business cuts through all this noise and reaches your audience.
And this is where social media branding can make all the difference. In the same way, you’d ensure that the likes of your business cards, uniforms, flyers, and branding on any company vehicles is clear and consistent, you can apply the same techniques to your online presence in several key ways:
A Distinct Tone of Voice
How would you like your customers to be greeted when they drop in or call you? Whether it’s polite and professional, more informal and friendly, or something else, you can apply the same techniques in how you communicate on social media.
Spend some time defining the way you’d ideally like to communicate and remember that you’re writing for people to read. It doesn’t need to be academic or packed with technical jargon, and in contrast, shouldn’t be too casual either.
Ask yourself how you’d like your customers to talk about your business, and reflect the personality of these people that you want to reach – if they identify with what they read, they’re more likely to remember it. And finally, drive home what you’re offering with a clear call to action on a regular basis, reminding your audience that there’s a brilliant product or service available behind every post.
Consistency On All Accounts
With your tone of voice defined, the same consistency needs to be implemented in your visuals, and the starting point is your logo. Make sure it fits the profile pages of your social media channels, and then design social media banners and headers that reflect its colours, fonts, and feel.
When it comes to images, then, you need to ensure that these follow suit. If you’re not taking high quality, professional pictures, then any stock images you download for free, or purchase, need to reflect your brand and its ethos. In fact, research has shown that 90% of information that stays in the memory is visual – what your customers see is how they’ll remember you.
Post Regular, Engaging Content
Content is one of those social media buzzwords used so frequently it can lose its meaning. So, what does ‘content’ mean to you? When you find a business on social media, what do you want to learn from them – and what would you like people to learn about yours?
Whenever you’ve reached a new milestone in your business, tell your audience about it. If you’ve launched a new product, let them know. If one of your services has been adapted or extended, let people know why. Creating content doesn’t need to be complicated.
As long as you have something to say, you’ve got content to post – and by using hashtags in your posts you can reach people far beyond your own, growing number of followers too. Consider which hashtags your own customer might be interested in following, and promote your posts to the masses with a simple #.
Don’t Let The Conversation Stop
Finally, to tie together all your efforts to stand out online, look for any engagement with your posts and respond. If someone leaves you a positive review on Facebook, thank them. If they leave one on Google – shout about it on social. And for those who don’t leave you a review, maybe ask them to do so and thank them in your response.
Engaging with the people who respond to your efforts can make all the difference. It brings personality into your social media posts, adds character to the images you post, and lets people know there is a human behind everything. Essentially, to stand out on social media – don’t forget about ‘the social!’
For more tips on developing a distinct tone of voice for your business, and starting to really stand out on social media, get in touch with our friendly, social team here at Success Local – call 01788 288 800 today.
Posted in Marketing Mondays, News
