Our 3 tips for building your brand on social media and gaining new followers
No matter your business or industry, every company is expected to have a social media presence, and for good reason. A whopping 3 billion people are on social media—that’s close to half of the world’s population. If you are searching for ways to expand your reach and gain new customers, look no further. Read on to find out what you *must* keep in mind when branding your social media platforms.
1. Be Picture-Perfect
Your audience wants to know who you are and what you do within seconds of clicking on your page. Don’t rely on users to read a lengthy description; allow images to tell your story instead. Visual branding is a must! Your cover photo and profile picture are the first things users will see when they land on your page. Ensuring both are engaging and properly sized will go a long way in making sure visitors stay on your page. If you choose one image to represent your brand on Facebook, it should match your company accounts on other platforms. Any variation can cause confusion. Consistency is key to building your customer’s trust.
Although professionalism is important, your logo and images should match your company’s personality and voice. For example, a toy company may have a youthful, colorful logo to match its customer base, while a law firm may have a logo that is more dramatic and serious.
2. Draft a Bio
The second most important way to tell your story: a bio. This is your opportunity to give users the who, what, where and why of your business. That doesn’t mean sharing a lengthy company description. Instead, give your audience a few key details, then direct them to your website for more information. Treat your bio like an elevator pitch.
All of your messaging should be in line with your brand. Be authentic and speak to your customer in a way that will resonate with them. A recent Sprout Social Survey revealed that honesty is the No. 1 trait consumers want from brands. Work to refine your social media voice by reflecting on your company’s values and culture. Your boilerplate and about page are great resources for aligning your bio with your overall brand message.
3. Don’t Just Post, Engage
Defining your brand as having authority in your field should be one of your company’s main goals. How do you separate yourself from the competition? Become your audience’s go-to source. If you don’t post regularly on social media, you run the risk of being forgotten. But that doesn’t mean just posting to post. Create a thoughtful social media and content buckets to deliver your audience content that adds value to their lives.
After you get the hang of posting on a regular basis, engage, engage, engage! Social media should open the floor for an open conversation with your audience. (No one wants to listen to someone who is talking to themselves!) You can start building awareness by interacting with people who fall within your target audience. It’s as simple as replying to tweets and commenting on Instagram posts, but these actions go a long way in growing followers! When someone follows your page, like two of their posts and leave two to three thoughtful comments. That way, they’ll be less tempted to hit the “unfollow” button of a loyal fan’s account!
Social media marketers often focus too much energy on sharing content. Without the nuts and bolts of branding, you could risk a disconnect with your audience. These branding tips will help you to build trust, heighten engagement and overall, convert followers into customers! Want more advice on how to build your social presence? Let’s Yak. We’d love to help.
