The amount of time we sit scrolling through social media, is probably a little embarrassing. Saying โitโs Ollie Ball hereโ at the end of every sentence and knowing the dance to savage love are also not our best traitsโฆbut also not our worst. We are subconsciously looking at branding on social media all day every day. All of these things highlight the power social media has over our lives.
For businesses, social media ripped up the handbook and plays by its own rules. Such is the grip that the popular social media platforms have over the world we live in. If your business isnโt looking slick 24/7, your sales will suffer.
Reaching potential customers isnโt enough, you need to captivate them, invigorate them and most of all, indirectly sell yourself to them.
Get noticed ๐
The truth is, itโs impossible to put a value on great branding. Branding is the fundamental way that your business will gain attention. Brand awareness drives recognition across the board and means even those who havenโt purchased from you know who you are.
With branding, consistency is essential! Being consistent across different marketing campaigns is difficult enough, so creating total uniformity across platforms can be challenging. Failing to take branding seriously across social media could be the downfall of most of your strategies.
A brand is much more than the colours you use on your posts or the filter you put on your pictures. Itโs the way your customers feel.
The emotion you create is what drives potential customers to become regulars, so think long and hard about it. Think about everything! From your tone of voice to the time you share your content. From your blogs to your photography. Cover all bases because failing to do so is a very slippery slope.
Basic moves โ๏ธ
The most straightforward moves are often the most important, but they can be overlooked. The five-yard pass that splits the defence in the lead up to a goal or that one more move with your pawn before it becomes a queen. In the social media world, you canโt afford to neglect the tiny branding moves that build brilliant brands.
As an example (check out our blog to read even more), but think about the colour you use in your posts, your header images and the use of your logo. The themes you set should be aligned; otherwise, your business will get lost amongst the madness of social media marketing. Itโs little things like font choice and size that can be forgotten.
Even the basic strategies mentioned above should be addressed monthly and tweaked to suit whatever your business is looking to endorse. Keeping things fresh is great for branding, as long as you remain consistent.
Make the visuals do the talking! ๐ฌ
OK. So youโve boxed off the basics; your logos, colours and fonts all match up. If your business was in a police lineup, people would pick you out of the group. This is a great start, but thatโs all it is, a start. Now itโs time to start thinking a bit further outside the box.
Your visual branding is much more than the basics, itโs a vibe and feeling your social media gives off. When someone visits your Instagram feed, is your visual strategy immediately evident? Whether thatโs the layout of your images and text posts or the pop of colour across your feed. If it is, youโre already ahead of the game; if it isnโt, itโs time to start thinking.
A great visual branding strategy makes you recognisable without your logo; this is invaluable. If you can appear on a potential customerโs feed and they can say โoh, thatโs Steveโs burgersโ (insert your company name here), then you have reached the final level of branding. Youโve pretty much beaten the boss!
To create elite-level brand recognition, your theme needs to run throughout. This includes everything from your posts to your stories, your video content and your hard copy marketing.
Colour tones and tone of voice ๐
The same goes for all your written content. Donโt overlook the value of your insight! You should attempt to build a rapport with your customers where your blog content is also recognisable without your logo. This is elite level 2 and is a complicated strategy to deploy and achieve.
The best brands plan ahead. If you donโt have the time, hire a content writer, and stick with one! That way, you can create a recognisable tone and swagger.
How long is forever? โพ๏ธ
Brands like Adidas and McDonalds are instantly recognised because they have time (and money) on their side. But remember, branding is a long-term project, and you really shouldnโt be planning on stopping any time soon.
If you want your business to thrive for the foreseeable, you should constantly audit and analyse your branding efforts. Yes, you guessed it, the time frame on your branding strategy should read, now-until-forever.
Utilise all the tools you have, for example, Google Analytics and Facebook Business Manager. These programmes allow business owners to understand the numbers behind their branding strategy.
As a specialist branding agency, we provide fully bespoke branding packages. Whether you need a complete revamp of what you currently have or youโre building from the ground up, no job is too big or small.
If you are interested in our work, or if you think we could be of use to your business, reach out!
Take a look at some more of our blogs for helpful tips, tricks and advice:
Stockport Business Awards & DEA - Shortlisted โข