30 Jul The Power of Social Media for Your Personal Brand
Social media —you either love it or you hate it.
That said, you can’t deny its power for personal brands.
A relatively new sensation, social media marketing is essential to ensure brand growth in the Digital Age.
Don’t believe me? Well, according to a 2019 Buffer study, 73% of marketers are adamant that their social media marketing efforts have been “somewhat” or “very” effective for their company.
I could go so far as to say: if you’re not being active on your social channels, then you’re missing out on a big opportunity.
There are 5.04 billion social media users around the globe as of 2024, ready to receive your marketing messages at the click of a button. And an added bonus? At its basic level, social media promotion is completely free!
To stay ahead of the curve when it comes to innovative digital marketing and stand out from the sea of competition, it’s time to up your social media game.
Not sure how? Don’t sweat it—I’ve got you covered.
Showcase Your Branding
Before you even initiate online communication with your consumers, you need to make sure that your social media channels reflect your branding.
The following aspects should be especially airtight:
- Fonts (including types and colors)
- Colors (from your logo to fonts and imagery)
- Imagery (including photography style and edits)
- Brand voice (consisting of style and tone, i.e. will you write conversationally as “I” or more formally as “we”?)
- Strategy (in terms of the general direction of your brand)
Needless to say, if your website imagery is dreamy and whimsical but then consumers arrive on your Facebook page and they’re looking at cartoon-like graphics as the profile and cover photos, it’s going to make them stop and wonder if they’re in the right place.
There’s nothing more important than having a consistent and cohesive brand identity across all of your online channels.
Why? Well, a disjointed online presence leads to consumer confusion, which then loses trust. And trust is imperative in building relationships.
Utilize Each Platform
The audience present on Instagram is going to be very different from the audience that hangs out on Twitter. The trick is to be more active on the platforms that make sense for your business, Get to know those platforms so you can make use of all the functions available.
Each social media channel offers a multitude of unique content opportunities, from Facebook’s Live videos to Instagram’s Carousel image feature.
The more you use a certain channel, the more your following will feel connected to you.
This connection leads to a higher level of engagement and an audience that sticks around to see where your product is going.
Mix Up Your Content
In addition to making the most of each platform’s cool features, make sure you’re mixing up your content when you use a particular feature.
Twitter doesn’t just have to be one-liners! Post text one day, a photo the next, the next day do a quick video, and then post a deep quote. Keep it varied to keep it interesting!
Also, consider mixing up long form and short form in terms of post length. Sometimes I like to make my posts blog-ish and long to really express myself, and other times I like to keep it short and sweet to connect with people who might be interacting with me for the first time.
Switching it up keeps my presence fresh and interesting so that consumers are more likely to tune in to what I have to say. Some people are at different levels of intimacy with my brand, so having something they can all engage with helps me connect with more people.
If you’re used to relying on one type of post, try writing up a posting schedule of different content types to get in the practice of switching it up.
Show Your Face
The fastest way to connect to your audience is to show your face once in a while. I learned this from a social media coach that I hired for my Usborne Books & More business.
The general rule of thumb? Customers should see your face at least once if they scroll down three times, so try to be as personal and visually present as you can.
One of the best things about social media is that it allows businesses to be more vulnerable and real with their audience.
At the end of the day, not everything has to be perfectly curated. Real life isn’t like that—right? The day you have a messy bun and a messy living room might be exactly the day you connect best with your consumer base!
Remember the line between personal and unprofessional. Don’t go telling your consumers about your money troubles on Instagram live – there is a line where things stop being relevant and start getting awkward! However, when appropriate, the majority of consumers would very much like to see what goes behind the scenes of your brand.
Be Consistent
When it comes to social media- consistency is key! If you want to experience steady, organic growth that ultimately leads to an increase in reach, followers, and website traffic, you have to be posting regularly.
Commit yourself to a daily post or every other day to keep things fresh and consistent. I understand that we’re all super busy as business owners and we may not always have the time to post as often as we like- so I find creating a social media calendar SO helpful in keeping me on track. I often plan out my posts days in advance when I have some downtime and then stick them in Artful so I am ready to post when I need to!
Engage With Your Consumers
For my business, having two or three key platforms where I can interact with my customers (whether potential or existing) has been truly invaluable.
The fact that they have a direct way of reaching me, expressing their concerns, and providing me with feedback has helped me to:
- Tailor my product to my users
- Refine my messaging in line with their wants and needs
- Build stronger relationships
Sure, customer interaction can be time-consuming, but I’ve found that it genuinely pays off!
It’s not enough for your customers just to be able to reach out to you—you need to engage back to keep nurturing those relationships and build brand loyalty.
Harnessing the Power of Social Media
Social media marketing might seem like a minefield in the beginning, but it is the easiest way to put yourself directly in the view of current and potential customers. Start to engage and you can find a groove that makes sense for your brand and customer base!
Once you’re posting consistently and frequently, showing your face, and mixing up your content, it won’t be long before your business experiences a soar in engagement, clicks, and conversions.
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