Branding your company (or yourself) on social media

Branding your company (or yourself) on social media

Take a moment to think of a person whom you admire. It could be a best friend, mentor, teacher, or even your grandma. What about them leaves a lasting impression? Their ability to make you laugh, the passion they have for their subject area, the way they put their family first?

Just like the people you look up to, brands are made up of many characteristics. When we truly identify with a brand, we become supporters for a lifetime.

Can I see your ID?

One of the reasons we become loyal to a brand is because of their identity. Modern consumers want brands to feel human. It’s okay, even preferred for brands to have personality traits, opinions, support causes and take actions. Brands are becoming more than logos, slogans or items we see on the shelf. We are buying who the brand is as much as we buy the product or service itself.

Brands should be easily identifiable. Just like when you’re asked to show your ID, consumers should be able to recognize your brand by a short list of characteristics. Is the brand compassionate and family-centered, with donations to the kid’s food pantry for every purchase? Are they unique, colorful and politically active? Take a quick look at the example below! Think about character traits (who you are), a product or service description (what you do) and values or beliefs (the why behind your brand. Keep it simple and start with three things you want to be known for.

Let’s meet!

Interacting with your customers means meeting them where they’re at. Just like you would meet a friend at their favorite local coffee shop to catch up, brands have interactions with consumers via special events, specific locations or social media platforms. Locating the right people in the digital world can seem daunting but tools like Hootsuite, Google Analytics and Meltwater can help narrow down your search. The software also lets you see what people are talking about, liking, sharing and interacting with. Google Analytics provides a free certification and is a great way to dip your toes into the world of social media analytics.

Brand Activism

Advocating for a cause is a meaningful conversation starter. Adweek says, “Companies with a purpose have a greater voice and more connectivity with buyers”. It helps customers identify with and interact with you as a brand. Communications around an organization tend to be “me” focused. Whether it looks like pushing your product, advertising an event or talking about your accomplishments, it can easily turn into a one-sided conversation. Remember back to your days as a student in a classroom. In one day, you would be bombarded with so much information that it was difficult to focus and retain each concept after just one lecture. In a social media society that experiences information overload, we see more information than we are able to process, sharing your beliefs is a powerful way to get engage your tired audience get them talking.

Actress Emma Watson’s #heforshe movement brought men into the conversation for women’s equality. In her opinion, men have a responsibility to stand up for women. She pointed out that it’s their sisters, mothers, wives, cousins, friends, girlfriends who are not be treated fairly. She created heforshe.org to rally her online community. With this campaign, Emma Watson showed us who she is as a human being. Since “HeForShe” began, she is now described as not only an actress or model but an activist. She has inspired conversation and new interactions by sharing what she believes. Companies such as Nike, Aerie and American Apparel are doing this too as a company.