Now more than ever, the answer lies in social media marketing. In fact, there are few tools more powerful than social media for boosting your business brand. Read on for the best tips and tricks for using social media to cultivate a brand that your target audience just can’t resist.
Introduce Yourself and Tell Your Story
You don’t have to be a legacy brand or a multinational corporation to make brand recognition a cornerstone of your marketing strategy. Even if you’re a business of one, you can, and should, still cultivate a unique and recognizable brand identity.
An ideal place to begin in developing your personal and/or company brand is where relationships always start: With an engaging introduction.
Use your social media pages to help your target audience get acquainted with you and your business. Tell the story of who you are and how your enterprise was born.
We humans are programmed, after all, to respond to narratives. We need characters to relate to and plots to engage in.
Remember, however, that your story needs to be aligned with purpose. Don’t drown your audience in biographical details that span from the womb to the tomb. Be creative. Use your story to humanize your business and your brand.
At the same time, though, you also need to be mercenary in determining what to include and what to cut from the story of your business. Specifically, if it doesn’t relate clearly and directly to your brand identity, the unique value your company brings to the world, and your target customer, then cut it.
For example, if your business is dedicated to producing hypoallergenic soaps and shampoos for children with allergies, then perhaps you might tell the story of how your child’s first bad reaction to an ostensibly kid-friendly bath product galvanized your determination to start a business selling products that were truly safe for even the most sensitive children.
That’s relevant; the story of you and your sister picking wildflowers when you were three isn’t.
Remember the Visuals
Using social media to build your brand isn’t just about telling a great story. You’re also going to need eye-catching and unforgettable visuals to help you stand out from all the visual clutter online these days.
There are lots of ways to do this, of course, but perhaps the most important is simply to be cognizant of what kind of impression your social media content will make on your target audience. That means all content, including even brief messages video messages from leadership, staff, and partners.
Anything that is posted on social media under your brand needs to have a polished, professional feel, so you’re going to need to sweat the seemingly small stuff in cases like this.
For example, your videos’ backgrounds can make or break your visual brand. You’ll want to have a setting that doesn’t just speak to competence and success but also reflects your company’s unique brand identity.
In addition to a clean, professional appearance, try to incorporate a design scheme or color palette that echos your brand. When you strike such visual notes in every piece of video content, you’re going to leave an impression.
Over time, that means that when your target audience sees your brand colors or a design reminiscent of your logo, odds are they’re going to think of your company. Every time they remember you, there’s another chance to make a sale, close a deal, or win some word-of-mouth advertising!
Know, and Love, Your Audience
As important as it is to have a great story and unforgettable visuals, your marketing efforts are going to be in vain if you’re not reaching the right audience. That’s why it’s important to study who your target market is and to understand where and how they can be reached online.
For example, if you’re trying to build a brand for a Gen Z consumer, you must first understand how this demographic uses social media. Unlike older generations, for example, most Gen Z social media users won’t be found on platforms like Facebook, nor do they typically use PCs or tablets when they’re on social media.
Instead, most Gen Zers turn to platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube. Thus, they tend to prefer short-form video content, which they’ll likely access on their smartphone. These are the essential behavioral details you’ll need to know when you’re defining your target demographics and devising the best strategies for reaching them!
The Takeaway
Social media can be an enormously powerful tool for boosting your business brand. However, to use it effectively, you’ll need a great story, memorable visuals, and a strong feel for the specific audience you are targeting.
Adrian Johansen writes to both teach and learn. She loves sharing her experiences and hearing what other people have to add.