Developing your social media brand voice

Social media is about having authentic conversations with real people, and not just looking at them as potential dollar signs. Trust us, audiences are smart and they can tell when you’re being disingenuous. Your audience wants to have a connection with you. They even get excited about it and will most likely tell their friends!

Developing your social media brand voice can be difficult because it’s not necessarily a tangible piece of information you can optimize like other content, but rather a collection of ideas and personas. To properly develop your voice, you need to dig deep, think about who your audience is and how they prefer to communicate.

1) Tell me about yourself.

If it’s hard for you to answer, that’s okay. Take a step back and write down words or phrases of who you’re not. For example, an animal shelter wouldn’t say they are cruel, dirty or unlawful. The message they would most likely convey is that they are caring, trustworthy and fun. Try to think of your brand in short phrases or adjectives. Just be sure not to use industry jargon.  Also, it’s okay to develop goals or mission statements, but don’t think only monetarily. Ultimately, defining your social media brand voice should be all about your audience.

2) Develop personas.

Sometimes we just need a visual. Once a mission statement or your goals have been determined, develop personas about your brand voice. Literally think of your brand as a person. What kind of personality would it have? Where would it hang out? Who would it’s friends be? How would it speak? Don’t be afraid to create multiple personas for different goals or audiences. For example, a clothing retailer would speak differently to adults versus juniors.

3) Create conversations.

Now it’s time to be social! Since you know your personas, go to different communities and listen to current conversations. Not only can you learn the information they want, but also how to communicate with them. Once you’ve become established in these communities,  it’ll be easier to see how your brand can contribute. This is the opportunity to have a little fun with your brand. If you want to be quirky and informal, go for it! Just remember your voice and be true to your own personality.

When it comes to developing your social media brand voice, just remember the golden rule. Don’t try to be someone you’re not. Be honest and authentic. Try thinking of your brand as a person, and place them in relevant conversations. Remember, keep your audience at the forefront of your mind. And have fun!

Need some help? Download our “Best Practices in Social Media” ebook for additional information and ideas on setting your online content strategy using social media as valid tools to get your messages to your audiences. Oh yeah, if you use the code BLOGSAVE5 you will save $5 on the ebook!