Most brands in the modern age have started to market themselves on social media. After all, a huge number of consumers have social media accounts, which makes it easier for companies to get in touch with them. However, merely having a social media presence doesn’t get the job done, you have to be unique and have an original identity that sets itself apart. Many brands have made the mistake of not caring about their voice on social media. Because of this, not only do they hardly gain an audience, they start losing some people as well in some cases. Creating a strong identity of a brand involves several factors - taglines, typeface, logo, etc. are just a few things that are important for developing a brand’s voice.
In case you do not know what brand voice means, it essentially means the authenticity of your brand’s personality. To determine a brand’s voice, entrepreneurs should always ask them this question “If my brand was a person, what would it be like?” No brand is complete without having a voice. It is a critical aspect to define its identity. The reason for it is that it works like a framework for content posted on social media platforms. It does not matter whether it is blog posts or tweets; your brand should have a seamless unique voice that speaks to audiences across various posts and platforms. Having a voice and identity is not all; you have to be consistent with it as well. Inconsistency confuses the audience and creates a disconnect that could sabotage your social strategy in different ways.
Mentioned below are 4 useful steps to simplify the process to demonstrate your brand’s social media voice in the most effective way possible:
Knowing the Audience
Pay attention to what your followers are looking to hear from your brand. Determining it isn't easy. It takes time. However, the time invested in understanding the demands and requirements of a customer is worth it as it gives you a clearer picture of the direction you should take your brand in. Facebook Audience Insights is a great tool for determining psychographic and demographic information about a brand’s audience. It can also help to give you an idea of how to frame your content and voice on social media.
If you find out that there are more than 70 followers on your page, then making meme-based content will not do you any favors. Take advantage of the smaller number of followers on your social media account by getting to know them. Bounce ideas off them to determine the voice that would suit your brand the most.
Give Some Experimental Exercises a Try
A famous exercise that quite a lot of successful brands with social media presence try is the “we are not, we are” exercise. It is extremely helpful for determining boundaries and limitations for the style of writing that you will adopt for social media. Although it is not that difficult, it can mess up quite easily. Determining the “we are not” and “we are” will work as your voice and writing’s boundary.
Good Example
We are funny
Bad Example
We are smart
If you look at the first example, you’ll notice that the brand is describing one of its features. On the other hand, the second example only diminishes that feature. It does not say anything. All it says is that it is smart. Smart can be a broad term. Is it the know it all smart, or smart without the technical prowess.
By using this exercise, you will be able to come up with terms that are easy to follow and narrowed down to frame a voice best suited for your brand. Once you establish it, future writers will have no problems referring to it. Go for 20 to 30 exercise statements of similar examples for guiding your writing style.
Mapping out the Essentials
A unique aspect of good social media writing is that it is more about the way you say things instead of what you are talking about. Details do matter, therefore, outlining a verbal identity is of extreme importance.
Will you use emojis? Will there be slangs? How about writing in shorthand?
Create guidelines that help you determine how your social media copies will be written. It will work as a blueprint, which will help you to keep things consistent. It will save time by preventing you from contemplating irrelevant and meaningless things.
Look for Inspiration
Look for inspiration wherever you can find it when you are developing your brand’s social media voice. Fellow social media marketers are a good place to start looking for inspiration. By now, hundreds and thousands of brands have established their unique identities and voices on social media. Follow celebrities and top brands to see how they give their voices a unique touch in their posts on social media. Try to implement their approach for your brand if it is suitable for it. Also, do not make the mistake of completely copying someone’s voice. The right thing to do is take the essence of what you are inspired from and put your own unique twist on it. It could go both ways. If it is successful, great! However, there is no need to worry if it does not work out. Adopt a trial and error approach, and you will eventually come up with a suitable voice.
Also, remember that the celebrity or brand that you follow does not necessarily have to be from your industry. There are many places where inspiration can come from. All that you need to do is make a conscious effort.
Bottom Line
Although coming up with a brand voice requires effort and time, it proves to be an invaluable tool for giving your brand an edge over its competitors. It also integrates into your audience’s lives. Follow these steps to get your brand on the path for gaining consistent brand voice and recognition to resonate with your social media audience.
