We’ve almost made it through January, can you believe it? By this point, tips and tricks on your New Year’s resolutions have flooded your social platforms Whether they’re relevant to your goals or not, you still manage to see an overload of content promising to help you get there. It's at this point in the year we find ourselves deleting accounts that don't seem quite to fit. I mean, why else would you follow a business on Instagram if they’re over-promoting things you don’t want or need?
This tactic seems inauthentic and unintentional, which are two of the worst moves a business can make in the world of social, making it very easy to get lost in the sea of similar social accounts. Especially if the strategy doesn’t include a strong brand voice or intention. You’ll find that many businesses lack both of these necessary qualities, leading them to create content that falls a little flat.
So how do you avoid the dreaded “blabbermouth,” otherwise known as the business that incessantly pushes content just to get it out? Well, first, you need to figure out who you’re talking to! What type of person are you trying to reach, and how do you get to them? This is one of the most important steps as it informs your voice, tone, and conversation.
Here’s an example: You wouldn’t talk to an adult in the same way you would a toddler, and you certainly wouldn’t speak to them in the same tone! This note also applies your brand style! Putting it into perspective, if you're a charity, your target audience consists of donors and potential volunteers, and your brand voice wouldn't target an audience that isn't interested in philanthropy.. The goal is to find a crowd that hears and feels connected to what you have to say, and that will never happen if your brand hasn’t found its voice. Once you’ve found that crowd, next is research!
Research what your audience likes and dislikes, find out who your competitors are, and create a brand voice that will set you apart from them. It might seem impossible to find your niche in today’s social world, but it’s not! There will always be someone interested in your voice if you’ve made an effort to find them. At their core, people long for connection, and that is what social media is precisely about. Your brand just needs to ensure that it's intentional and authentic!
Once you've developed a brand voice that's loud enough for your audience to hear, you now need to establish your level of consistency. Some brands need to post every day, and others only need to post 3-4 times a week. Frequency is all dependent on YOUR brand and the type of content you develop. Your audience wants consistency, but remember, they don’t want to be overwhelmed! It’s all about finding a balance between allowing your brand to be heard without being too loud.
This balance goes back to research! Each platform has its own type of analytics that provides insightful information to make it easier for you to be deliberate. For example, Instagram will show you what days/times are the best for engagement, and you’d typically want to follow that! Social media platforms have made it much more convenient to report your brand’s performance. Don’t be afraid to utilize these tools in developing your social strategy!
Now that you’ve determined your voice and tone, and the type of consistency your audience desires, it’s time to get even MORE social. We encourage you to authentically engage with your followers! Comment genuine responses to content, like images, and watch their stories! You can market with your heart via social media and make real connections with your audience. This is all part of being intentional with social media. Don’t post and ghost! It creates the facade that you don’t necessarily care about your audience but more so about brand-promotion.
So as we move through the remainder of January, make a point to be purposeful and authentic in the content your brand promotes. Develop a strong voice and use it to make connections! Remember that while it's great to be loud, you must also strategically stand above the crowd. Otherwise, it's just noise.