Speaking as a company on social media comes with some challenges not seen on personal profiles. Company profiles and posts need to incorporate the brand’s message wholeheartedly. In this article, I’ll show you a few tips on how to generate that voice.
Have a Social Media Manager
If too many people have access to your companies social media pages there could be a lot of confusion. Either posts will be stumbling all over each other or nothing will be posted at all as people fear they aren’t the one in charge of it. Another problem with too many cooks is the voice can change dramatically.
If they’re giving their opinions on a certain topic and it’s positive, but another person posts on the same page in a negative way, then the entire brand is shrouded in mystery. Worst yet, it could look like the brand is trying to appease two crowds without taking a stance.
Ethics
Speaking of taking a stance, your company needs to have one. Gone are the days of the silent brand onlooking the world. Your business needs to be seen as pushing what they believe in. Ethical spending has risen almost fourfold in the past 20 years. Showing that consumers are being more careful with their choice of brand. Making sure that their ethics aline when choosing who to purchase from.
Incorporating your ethics into your messaging helps reassure your customers that you’re on their side. If the brand is all about the environment, the voice has to showcase this. Implementing more green language and posting content relevant to the target audience.
Authenticity
Authenticity is another big part of a brand’s messaging and voice. It’s something you can’t fake. 90% of millennials say authenticity is an important factor when deciding which brands they like to support. When you can’t back up your words, each new message just feels like an insult to past clients. So, ensure your message is authentic.
Don’t rush onto the bandwagon for some internet recognition. Complete your research and then if the message fits your brand, ethics and values go for it.
Hashtags
I’ve seen countless businesses try hard to get a hashtag trending. Hashtags are used to encompass talking points, search topics and sometimes even people. Within social media, the most followed hashtags are broad such as Art, Technology etc. To create your hashtag you need a strong following or an existing platform willing to promote your hashtag.
If you’re a small business simply hashtagging your brand’s name isn’t going to help promote your content. Not only that, it makes your brand look a little desperate for attention. Keep your hashtags relevant to your audience. They appear at the end of your content and if used in the wrong manner could destroy a good post. This usually happens when brands over-hashtag, use their hashtag or incorrectly hashtag into a trend.
#IceBucketChallenge.
See What I mean?
If you’re looking to create a unique voice for your brand start simple. Work out what hashtags you want to use, stick to your values and be authentic.
