Social media is more than aesthetics
Ever wondered how and why those favourite brands of yours do incredibly well in such an effortless way with their socials?
Well I (naively) have, mistaking their aesthetic content and clever captions as the one and only factor that makes a business successful. Believing this, I over-excitedly decided to create and manage my own personal social account @thethirstyworm – natural wine x book club (a bit of shameless self-promo never hurt anybody).
It’s easy, I thought.
Boy, was I out of my depth on that one. Little did I know a whole new dimension existed when it comes to social media management. Just posting content when I felt like it, not really sure who I was talking to, and what I wanted to achieve out of doing so, didn’t exactly result in overnight success.
So take it from me, before you and your brand embark on anything, you need to have a solid brand strategy. Without truly understanding and believing in your brand, there’s no clear direction and basis for your business.
Whether it be for personal or professional purposes, we’ve been told that “social media” is a crucial part to a brand’s business plan – especially in today’s world. And yes it is. Actively communicating and engaging with your audience and having an online presence is definitely necessary. But what about all the steps that come before that? What about laying out the foundations before getting to that next stage?
Having said that, let’s check out those crucial aspects that will drive your social strategy.
BRAND STRATEGY
Having a solid brand strategy that is clear and concise will help you communicate and better reach + connect with your audience. So take a moment, dig deep and go through those ‘who, what, when, where, and why’ questions.
Who is your audience? Who are you?
What does your brand stand for? What do you offer?
Where do you want your brand to go/achieve? Short-term and long-term goals?
Your answers to these questions will uncover the key elements of your strategy - acting as a starting point, giving direction to achieve your business goals, and providing a deeper sense of meaning/value for you and your audience.
BRAND VOICE + PERSONALITY
Now that you’ve got your brand foundations and figured out what makes you, it's time to communicate to the world who you are. The best way to do this is by giving your brand a voice and personality. But how do you do that you ask? Try visualising your brand as a person/human.
How would they speak and/or act? Are there certain terms and phrases they would say?
Creating and adopting those human elements will not only help you have a clearer idea of who you are as a brand, but will also help you hone in on the audience you want to speak to, and informs your future marketing and communications activities.
Brand strategy and voice comes to life through all your chosen visuals, photos, copywriting, and online interactions with your audience. Further cementing trust within your relationships, and consistency throughout your brand.
GOING FORWARD
Taking on board these handy little tips, and having discovered what @thethirstyworm stands for, who it is, what it wants to achieve and who it is speaking to - the page will not be disappearing off the face of the online world AGAIN.
Instead, you’ll find me looking forward to meaningfully + purposefully engaging with its audience.
This post was written by Inka Intern Linna as part of our 12 week Intern Program. If you're interested in interning with us, keep an eye out for announcements on our social channels to be the first to know.