How to brand your business on social media

Have you ever stumbled upon a brand’s social media page – lets say instagram- and ended up scrolling on their page for hours (okay maybe not hours, but you get my drift) only to eventually click that follow button?

You maybe weren’t in the market for that product or service, but you really admired their content. Then, when the time came, you purchased said product or service since they always engaged back and you sort of developed a camaraderie with the brand.

That brand is displaying a go to goal for your business social media!

A sound and developed brand strategy MUST have a just as comprehensive social media plan with it.

And I get it, social media can be overwhelming as it is…

BUT taking the time to implement these steps can mean the difference of people scrolling on by in this over saturated market!

Here are some steps to develop a great brand on social media:

Have a solid brand identity

Alright, its time to take a big sip of that coffee (or wine) as this is a pretty massive topic.

The harsh reality of social media (and life in general) is that people are judgy as f**k!

First impressions really matter, especially when peoples hard earned money is at stake. Having a solid brand identity is mandatory, and keeping it consistent is key (more on that later).

Think about it… Have you ever stumbled upon a Facebook page that you could tell they didn’t really have a ‘brand’? Perhaps they had a pixelated logo from the 80’s or their posts don’t really look unified (hello 40+ fonts and colors).

Did you end up liking their page?    

Most likely not.

And this happens every day!     

As humans we take in a lot of data on a day to day basis.

Our reptilian brain (yes its a thing) naturally sifts out what you trust and what looks trustworthy without out realizing you are doing so.

Its in our instincts, the self-preserving behaviour pattern. And although we aren’t worried about predators chasing us as much now, we are still in a modern self-preserving society.

Its why you get a gut feeling to go to a different restaurant when the outwardly appearance left you feeling a bit uneasy. That restaurant could have been a local ‘hidden gem’… but would you want to risk it?

The same theory applies for your identity as a brand.

For ages large brands, such as McDonalds and Apple, get into your reptilian brain.

For instance..

They use colors strategically. There is a reason most fast food joints have red or an orange-yellow color to their logos. Those are colors that rev up your appetite.

They also tell compelling stories to convey values that you may not even know you valued. Uma R Karmarkar  says it best:

“People are fairly good at expressing what they want, what they like, or even how much they will pay for an item. But they aren’t very good at accessing where that value comes from, or how and when it is influenced by factors like store displays or brands. [Neuroscience] can help us understand those hidden elements of the decision process.”        

Are you appealing to peoples inner reptilian brain?

How you can start off on a positive visual brand identity:

1. Get a clean, non pixelated logo that will not age and your customers will visually appeal to.

All too often I will receive a logo inquiry and the client will be looking to get what ‘they’ like. Not often thinking what imagery, tone, fonts and color their ideal customer would subconsciously value. Hire a professional and get an actual brand identity; That is one thing I recommend not cheaping out on.

2. Create an identity sheet to reference, and to give future employee or contractors handling your brand.

If you do not have a brand sheet… I suggest you get one! It should have your logo, the different states of your logo, your brands fonts (no more then 2-3 is my recommendation) , all of your color hexes and anything else that is crucial to your brand (such as textures & patterns).

Its all about keeping it consistent!

3. Create sized assets for each platform relating to your brand.

It would be nice if all the social media platforms got together and determined a one size fits all for their cover photos and main pictures… Unfortunately this is not the case. And even more unfortunately is that they always change, Especially that dang facebook! Take the time to create assets that match your brand identity sheet. And apply to all platforms sized perfectly, no cover photo stretching and cut off graphics here!!

4. Create a brand visual moodboard.

This one may sound a little hippy-dippy.. BUT it works. I swear! Put together a board on Pinterest (or however you like to moodboard) and put together visual elements you would like your brand to represent. So for example if you are going for a fun and young brand, you are going to put imagery of young teenagers having fun and being ‘carefree’. You are also going to add elements that are associated with your brand as well. As you grow, it will also help you remember the value behind your brand and the emotion you are trying to convey.

The takeaway: Make sure your visual identity is judge proof!

(Disclaimer: even if you are perfect, people are still going to judge because there may be another personal value to them or reasoning… but even doing this simple step could mean the difference of ‘$’ to ‘$$$’ )

Determine your ‘intangible greatness’ & tell a story

Having a business does not mean you have a brand.

Your brand is that the overall experience that catapults you as a distinguishable business among your competitors.

A brand – if done successfully – understands their customers needs and values and creates an overall experience that leads to an ‘intangible greatness’ that turns regular customers into fans.

For example the brand ‘supreme’ does a great job of this. What they are selling, from a quick glance, is a very simple merch line with their typography based logo. Yet they are selling these items at a premium price.

They provide a solid story and the feeling of ‘exclusivity’. The ‘you aren’t cool unless you are wearing this’ tactic. Its a well told story for those who consciously or subconscious believe that they NEED something ‘supreme’ to be part of that culture.

What intangible greatness are you showcasing on social media?

Are you telling a story that speaks to your customers?

Be consistent on every platform!

I will keep this one short and sweet…

Keep it simple and keep it CONSISTENT!

Change doesn’t sit well with people. Case in point when google slightly changed their logo, it sent people in a frenzy. I personally still remember all the articles.. Do you?

I digress.

Be consistent in social media and I promise you, you will see results!

This means:

• Consistent posting: if you post three times a week then always post three times a week
• Consistent engagement: don’t fall off the face of the earth and not reply for ages
• Consistent visual identity: always ask yourself, does this post make sense to my brand?

Tired of me saying consistent?

Well… Consistent , consistent, consistency!!!

The takeaway: Always be consistent in everything you do in social media.

(side note: this also means in general as a business. Whether its a service or a product, make sure that is consistent as well. Helllooo five star ratings! Which is pretty vital for  building judge proof social proof)

Have a sound personal brand & be transparent

There is nothing more disingenuous then a person trying to be someone they are not. Unfortunately that lack of connection can bleed into the brand.

I am not saying take a complete look at yourself and edit and change who you are to fit what your customers are looking for. On the contrary!

Don’t be afraid to be yourself! Be transparent about your values and your ‘why’.

Magic happens when people feel a part of something.

It is so easy to use the ’scare’ tactic in marketing for a quick purchase. “ If you don’t buy this product, a bad scenario will happen”.

That tactic could lead into that customer not coming back, instead going to a brand that offers authenticity and realism (usually with similar products at a higher price!).

I dare you to try something new and share more about you, your business and WHY you are doing your business. I guarantee you, something great will come out of it!

Start conversations – don’t be a robot!

With automation taking a bigger role in our society, human connection is definitely a unique commodity you can provide on social media.

I am not saying bots are bad or auto posting is bad.

What I suggest is engaging with your customers on top of utilizing atomization platforms!

Platforms such as Buffer and Planoly are great. But if you are always posting and not engaging back, then really you are just a robot in the customers eyes.

Going out of your way to engage on posts that are not only yours can be another great way to form connections with your customers.

People are more likely to like, share, retweet, blog ext, when they have a trust and following for the brand. Communication is the foundation to any great relationship, even business to consumer!

So go out there! Get talking , engaging and social media’ing it up! Your business (and bank account) will thank you greatly.

I hope you take these steps today!

Need any help on this topic? Book your strategy session now and lets get chatting about your business!

Most importantly,

Thank you for being you <3

Steph

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