There are so many platforms and ways to reach your target audience in this digital age. It can be overwhelming with so much choice, and it’s easy to feel like there’s no correct answer when choosing the right social media platform for your brand. However, most businesses jump into these new channels without thinking about their brand identity or what they hope to achieve by using them. There are currently over four and half billion social media users worldwide, and 73% of marketers feel social media is where their efforts should be focused.
However, with so much competition, what will make your brand stand out from the rest, and how can you boost your marketing using these free yet highly effective marketing channels?
Be authentic
The most important thing to remember when creating a social media strategy is that you need to be authentic. The tone and content of your posts must match your brand’s core values. If you try to be something you’re not, you are less likely to engage or build a loyal following. If you want to create a loyal following and engage with your brand, you need to be yourself. Luckily, it’s never been easier to be authentic as a brand on social media. With the rise of influencer marketing and the massive growth in visual content, you can create a truly authentic strategy for your brand and the people you want to reach.
Know your audience
Before you start using a specific social media platform, you must know the type of audience you want to reach. What are their interests? Which websites do they spend their time on? What are they looking for when they engage with brands online? Make a list of the social media platforms where you think your audience is hanging out and the types of people you want to reach. Once you know your audience and where they’re hanging out, you can start thinking about the kind of content you want to create for each platform. For example, if your target audience is millennials, then prioritising a presence on Instagram makes a lot of sense. Instagram is a visual-first platform, making it great for brands and influencers with a strong visual focus.
Work with the algorithm
We’re in the Wild West of marketing when it comes to social media. There are no rules seemingly about how the algorithm is created and what makes certain posts more sharable than others especially when it comes to Facebook and Instagram. However, Twitter is still currently showing tweets where they are posted and on Tik Tok users who like similar content will find you on their page for your age although the more popular your account, the earlier they will see your content. But the trick is to be consistent, post relevant content and make sure you engage as much as possible to help figure out what works best for you in terms of the algorithm.
Join the conversation
When you first begin creating your social media strategy, make it a goal to join the conversation wherever your target audience is spending time. This will help you get your name out there and start building relationships with potential customers. You can begin by responding to comments on other people’s posts. This is a great way to build your social proof and let people know that you are real. You can also use a tool like Hootsuite to monitor different social media channels and let you know when someone mentions your brand.
Refine your visual branding and logo
Next up, you need to get your visual branding and logo just right. This is part of your overall branding strategy, and your logo and colours must match up with your overall brand. It also needs to be clearly identifiable as your brand name and what you are about. A branding agency such as www.toastbranding.co.uk can help you to perfect your branding.
Conclusion
Social media is a critical part of any modern brand’s marketing strategy. However, you don’t want to use social media to use it. The key is to choose the correct channels based on your target audience and what they’re interested in. It’s also essential to be authentic and consistent with your content to stand out. You need to have a goal for each of your social channels and understand how each one works. That way, you’ll be able to get the most out of each channel and reach your target audience on each platform.
