The importance of branding on social media
Ellie Wilbraham - 18 September 2018
Social media is a powerful tool and one which can make or break a business of any size. We’ve all seen those brilliant posts which have gone viral and the ones which have caused controversy or bad press for a company! With more consumers than ever taking to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to find out about products and services it has never been more important to make sure that everything you do or say in the online world is consistent with the brand values that make your business. Posts on social media are often seen before people even visit your website or read your advertising material and so they are the perfect place to make a great first impression. But how can you ensure that you keep your branding consistent across your social media channels and how can you successfully convey your message to the people you want to reach?
As well as being great fans of social media the Wagada HQ team are experts in helping businesses to utilise their social media to create a positive brand image and promote their brand values. We understand the issues that companies can face when trying to create an ‘online voice’ which works well on all of their social channels. That’s why we’ve come up with some great advice about how you can get your branding right, create a brilliant first impression for potential customers and retain the loyalty of the customers that you already have.
Keep your brand values consistent
Social media is the place where customers get to know you and you can give them an insight into what your brand really stands for. This is why it’s essential to keep the messages that you convey on social media consistent with your brand values. Think about what your customers want to see and also about what they don’t want to see! For example an edgy fashion brand might be comfortable sharing more controversial content but a local family restaurant could risk their reputation if they shared the same content. It can be worth putting together some key rules and creating a posting policy so that all of your team know what they can and can’t say on your social media channels.
Use your logo and brand your images
Social media is very image led and so it is the perfect place to get your logo and branding style seen. When you share a fantastic picture, helpful advice or wise words make sure that readers know they come from your company. You can use a design package to create a social media template which you can use for your posts and you can also put an electronic watermark on your images. This is particularly important as it means that when your posts are shared online people will be able to see that they originally came from your business. Of course this branding should also fit in with your social media page header and with your company website so that it all flows together to help create a cohesive impression of your brand in your customer’s minds.
Create a company ‘voice’ for your social media channels
Your online voice centres on the way that you choose to talk to and engage with your followers on social media. What tone of voice do you want to use for your brand? Are you informative, chatty, irreverent or serious and business like? Take some time to find a style which compliments your brand. It could also be worth talking to some of your existing customers to find out how they want to be spoken to. This will help you to really understand how you can best engage with your customers. Remember that it is also possible that you may need to deal with complaints or issues via your social media so it’s vital to get your tone just right or you could end up with negative publicity. You may also want to consider how your voice works with each social media platform and tailor it accordingly. Twitter is chatty and fast paced whereas Facebook can be more informative and content based.
Think about the images and pictures you use
We have written previously about how visual customers are and how images reach the brain far more quickly than words ever will. This means that the photos and graphics that you use on your social media pages are really important. Bad quality images can look unprofessional and give a less than flattering impression of your products. It can definitely be worth investing in some studio time with an experienced photographer to get some great shots that will really stand out on social media and don’t forget to brand them too. Instagram is totally image led with pictures taken from your iPhone. Try out different filters and frames so that you can get shots which capture your follower’s attention and you may even want to come up with a house style that you incorporate into all of your images.
Consider your posting schedule
If you want to use social media to build your brand it can be a great idea to set up a posting schedule detailing the type of posts you want to include on your channels and when you want to send them live. You could help to create excitement by posting certain content on a particular day of the week – maybe a weekly top tip or blog that followers look forward to. You might also like to use popular hashtags which work well with the message that you want to promote. Also think about when your target demographic will be most active on each platform and make sure that you post and engage at these key times. This will make your brand more relevant and you are more likely to be able to answer customer’s queries or comments instantly which is great for brand trust and loyalty.
If you can build a recognised and consistent brand across your social media channels your business will really reap the rewards. When people see your posts they will instantly know who they are from and your branding will start to become recognisable and should have a high impact on your followers. Create a social media brand image and a tone of voice which will help you to engage with your customer demographic and also build trust and loyalty towards your brand. You should make sure you use high quality branded images to help promote your products and services and ensure that all of your team know what they should and shouldn’t be saying on social media! If you want some help to get your branding right then why not have a chat with the team here at Wagada HQ? We are experts in helping you to get the message out about your brand across all of your social media channels, and we can support you in building a dynamic and successful brand for your business.
