10 tips for being a brand on social media

While it’s expected for businesses to be online and considered risky if you’re not, there’s an unwritten assumption consumers make about brands online — we know you’re here to sell. So you have to be tactful about how you sell.

Here are 10 tips for being a brand on social media today.

1. Be genuine — General rule of thumb, if it’s not genuine, don’t post it. People can smell disingenuous content through their phones. They know when you’re exploiting a topic that doesn’t apply to you. Pride month is notorious for brands doing this and let’s be clear — this is not okay. If you’re going to support the LGBTQ+ community, or any movement that involves human rights, being genuine is the bare minimum; and being transparent about what action is being taken to bring change is necessary. So if you don’t have genuine efforts behind a post, hold fire.
2. Share valuable content — I know you hear this all the time. What even is valuable content? Valuable content engages, entertains, and/or educates. It’s that simple. However, back in 2014, after surveying 115 people and interviewing 20, I came to the conclusion that purpose defines the psychological impact of online marketing. 100% of participants agreed, that when content has a purpose, both the person viewing it and the person posting it are affected positively. When content doesn’t have a purpose, we are all impacted negatively. Valuable content also means having a clear purpose, even if it’s making your audience laugh.
3. Consider your audience — This takes ‘know your audience’ one step further — considering them. The difference is, leading your online presence with empathy. Your audience is inundated with ads, media, and notifications 24/7. Sometimes they don’t need new information or to be sold another new product. Sometimes they need the feeling of being heard, knowing that they’re not alone, or a good ol’ belly laugh. If you know your audience has received some upsetting news, consider their emotional state and how your content will affect them on a day-to-day basis. Always read the room and make adjustments to your content accordingly.
4. Use tracking — and organise it. This isn’t the first time you’ve heard me say this and it won’t be the last. Tracking is what takes your content from noise to data. As mentioned in 5 digital marketing must-do’s, UTM tracking helps eliminate dark social and organises your data effectively through naming conventions. It increases your data accuracy and insights to make more informed decisions. Nobody wants to throw money down the drain, but that’s essentially what you’re doing if you’re distributing content without tracking.
5. Follow the 60–30–10 rule — This framework suggests that 60% of your content should be engaging, 30% should be sharing third-parties content, and 10% should be promotional/direct sales. This ensures that you’re spending more time being genuine and less time being seen as pushy. Once you have your content pillars in order, each percentage of your content can be further defined by topic.
6. Give credit where credit is due — Plagiarism isn’t cool in the real world and it isn’t cool online either. Credit those who deserve it and create original content. Being a noble brand is always a good look.
7. Share your values — If you haven’t defined your business values yet, do so immediately. Values are what help humans connect. Deeply ingrained in all of us, they shape how we interact with the world around us. They define who we are, where we go, and how we represent ourselves. If you want to connect with your audience in the most genuine way, share your values and integrate them into absolutely everything you do.
8. Be transparent about your policies — This includes personal data, diversity, sustainability, pay equality, and everything else. Social media allows consumers to hold businesses accountable. Since this shift in the consumer-to-business relationship, we’ve seen massive changes in the global expectations and responsibilities companies have to people and our planet. Be transparent about where your business stands with its policies, people will trust you more.
9. Create and monitor safe spaces — Protect your customers and your employees with policies, guidelines, and ongoing community management. Let’s face it, the government and tech giants are way behind when it comes to data policies and online bullying. It’s up to us to lead the way and grow our online communities with grace. That means no tolerating trolls, be clear about your anti-bullying policies and don’t be afraid to enforce them. The traditional ‘three strikes and you’re out,’ method applies perfectly here. If someone is causing problems on your page, ‘two warnings and you’re blocked’ is an acceptable response.
10. Give back — Giving back to your customers with prizes and giveaways is great, but you can give back to the causes they care about too. If you don’t have a Corporate Responsibility Department yet, think about creating one. Whether you can donate a small percentage of sales or have a stock surplus you can discount and sell to raise funds; giving back will leave everyone inside of your company and outside of it feeling good.

Need help with your digital marketing? Get in touch or email styledbygracieclemens@gmail.com.