We’re sure you’ve heard the saying “consistency is the key to success.” There’s a reason why it’s sage business advice — especially when it comes to social media branding.
Much like your print collateral and radio spots, it’s incredibly important that your messaging stays consistent across all of your social media platforms, from Facebook and Instagram to Twitter, Tumblr or Snapchat. Not only will you build brand awareness and trust, but you’ll help increase recall and frequency amongst your target audience. Statistics show that 90% of all consumers expect their brand experience to be consistent across all platforms and devices. Building on that, 71% of users who have a positive social experience with a brand will share that experience and recommend the brand to others.
So how exactly can you ensure that your social media branding efforts are on point? Check out our tips below.
Use Branded Colors, Logos and Overall Layout On All Social Media Accounts
Social media plays an important role in the day-to-day lives of most people, both young and old. A study from Mediakix shows that people spend, on average, 40 minutes on YouTube, 35 minutes on Facebook, 25 minutes on Snapchat, and 15 minutes on Instagram daily. That’s a lot of time where your target market can be exposed to your messaging.
Although each social network has its own dedicated user base and quirks, that doesn’t mean you can skimp on branding consistency. Whether it’s your profile picture, which is a great place to showcase your logo, cover photo, branded videos, color scheme or layout, all of these elements should tell the same story — your brand story — and showcase your company’s personality. This is where your style guide will come in handy, as it will have a detailed account of how your logo and fonts should be used, in addition to proper placement, color palettes, brand images and your overall brand story.
Use A Similar Posting Style Across All Social Media Accounts
Whether you choose to be more formal and buttoned up or loose and fun on your social media profiles, the key is consistency. From one social network to another, be sure that you are using a similar voice and tone when you post. You should also keep your language consistent, so don’t use incredibly simple words on one social media sight while using a more complex vocabulary or jargon on another.
One area where you may not think about consistency is your approach to customer service and questions you receive via social media. More and more people go directly to social media accounts to find information and contact brands. Did you know that nearly 60% of Americans with social media accounts feel that social media has made it easier to resolve issues and get answers to questions? How you handle this direct interaction with customers and potential customers can make or break your business.
Consistent Messaging
The last thing you want to do as a business is to confuse your customer or potential customers, especially when you are conveying an important message via social media. No matter the message, whether it’s a sales promotion, a contest giveaway or a brand statement on a particular topic, be sure that your message stays the same whether you are on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. In fact, 45% of a brand’s image is attributed to what the company says and how it says it. That’s a pretty powerful statement. You want your audience to immediately recognize your brand no matter where they are receiving the message.
As we discuss the importance of consistency, to the same point, if you plan to use curated content as part of your social media branding strategy you need to ensure that you are consistent in the types of content you use, as well as the sources you obtain it from. So what is curated content? Well, it’s essentially the process of gathering and sorting through content that’s relevant to your industry or brand and sharing it, whether on your website or through social media. Curated content can be beneficial to business owners, as they may not have the ability to produce large amounts of content necessary to fill up their content calendars. As long as you put some thought behind the types of curated content you use — it matches and complements your brand and style — you’ll be on the right track.
How Zimmer Can Help
As you navigate the waters of effective branding, remember that the marketing experts at Zimmer Radio & Marketing Group are here to help. As a business owner, building your brand and putting the wheels in motion to drill down on key messages and consistent messaging can be intimidating. There’s no magic pill you can take to make you a branding expert, so don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have. With a well thought out strategy, you’ll be well on your way to increasing sales and keeping your business top of mind in a competitive market.
