Social Media: Building Brands and Business

Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash

Social media has changed the company we keep and the way we communicate with one another. Platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook have taken social networking to the next level. Friends and family can stay in touch like never before. From a business perspective, social media is a powerful tool not only for promotion, but also building brand identity and community. With the rapid fire pace of our digital world, communicating your brand on social media platforms is more necessary than ever.

There is a simple formula that your business can use to positively promote itself:

Listen + Engage + Test = Success

OK, in all honesty… it’s not as simple as it seems. Listening to what your customers want and need while engaging with them creatively is much easier said than done. Testing how your customers are responding to your brand is slightly easier but we’ll get to that later. For now, here is some sound advice when trying to promote your brand on social media.

Build Trust

Build trust and a community of users by being actively engaged and responsive. If a customer has a question or needs assistance with something, quickly responding over social media outlets lets them know you are there to support them. This kind of response lets your customers know that you offer great, on the spot, customer service. This level of service can give your brand an edge by building loyalty and a sense of community.

Humanize your Brand

Social media can humanize a brand and give it a personality. Developing a personality that compliments your brand image is extremely important. If a business has more of a laid-back company culture, using humor or relaxed content is appropriate. If you are a more serious and highly professionally company, humor probably isn’t the best way to go. The goal is to develop a voice that is true to your brand but also engaging with your consumers. Social media doesn’t need to just be a platform for promotion but also personal interaction.

Content is king, keeping it relevant is the Queen.

Content is always referred to as one of the core components of social media. It’s what attracts your followers and keeps them coming back for more. Attention spans are limited to seconds in this day and age; staying creative and informative can keep your customers connected to your brand. Establishing a good reputation with your customers can have a trickle down effect generating new connections with potential clients and business partners. Remember to replicate successful tactics but also continue experimenting. Balancing your content is key; aim to post relevant articles, high quality pictures, and creative text about what’s new with your company.

Engage

Social media can be highly effective when used to your advantage. Platforms allow users to engage directly with brands and promote what they like. The overall goal is to have audience participation and reciprocation. Gaining followers only goes so far; actively engaging with them keeps your brand alive, fresh, and interesting. Contribute, somehow, to your follower’s lives, post relevant information that is connected to the industry you work within and/ or the world. Directly responding to questions or re-tweeting with followers are simple engagement tools that can take your customer interactions to the next level.

Test your impact

The more you know about the return on your social media the better. Sometimes, it’s easy to see how your social media tactics are impacting your business. If you have a surge in purchases and followers, a correlation could be made. However, pinpointing when the best times to post are and what content is getting the best buzz requires more effort. Thankfully using tools like Crowdbooster and Argyle Social can help break down and test the effect of your social media activity. Both are social media measurement tools that can tell you your engagement levels overtime and even how much bang you are getting for your buck.

Brand building on social media can establish a voice for your brand and trust with your customers. Building brand awareness and loyalty can strengthen your company’s position within your industry. Don’t be afraid to experiment with new interactive ideas and keep the conversation about your company alive and thriving. For more information about how to use social media to promote your brand check out the following links:

Clever Ways to Use Social Media to Grow Your Business by Jure

Manage Your Social Media With These Top Tools by Content Marketing Institute

-Mackenzie Priest

About Propel Team

The team at Propel are each growth experts who know precisely how to use their expertise to Propel your business. Learn more at https://propelbusinessworks.com/about/our-team/