Creating the Right Voice for Your Brand on Social Media
A brand is not a person. But why is it that when we think of certain brands, very specific characteristics come to mind?
This is because successful brands have been focused on creating their brand voice. A brand voice is pervasive: it encapsulates the “personality” of the brand and is present across every touchpoint available.
Take some social media classics for example: Burger King has a very specific brand voice, while The Wall Street Journal has another.
The crucial thing to keep in mind is that your brand voice is your brand, in many consumers’ minds. Getting this right can increase the value of your company by orders of magnitude, while getting it wrong can leave your potential customers missing a sense of connection.
The Right Voice for Your Brand: Creating a Connection
When it comes to your brand, connection is everything. People want to connect to the brands they admire; think Nike, Adidas, Always, or Old Spice. Cultivating your unique brand voice invites people to connect with you.
It’s important to note that your brand voice isn’t your message. They’re related, but not the same thing.
Your message is what you’re saying. Your brand voice is how you’re saying it.
A unique brand voice is an opportunity to stand out, to summarize what your company is all about, to invite two-way communication, and to move from being “just” a brand or business into being something that people can relate to.
A great example of an effective brand voice is Oatly, the plant-based milk substitute. The company’s cheeky, funny, and often self-deprecating messages reflect a brand that is relatable and quirky, just like a real person.
When going up against the multi-billion dollar milk industry, the brand realized that its brand voice will be a critical weapon in this fight.
Great lines from Oatly include “It’s like milk, but made for humans” and “They will stick an ad for oat milk anywhere these days”.
How can we help?
For more questions, or to speak to expert mobile marketers here at Moburst, get in touch.
Tips for Creating the Right Voice for Your Brand
There are some specific, effective tips we’ve gleaned after years of working with some of the world’s most effective brands. Here, we share some highlights:
Who are We?
It’s the toughest part, but creating an effective brand voice means going back to the basics of who you are and what you stand for. This doesn’t necessarily have to speak about the products or services that you offer, but is often related to why you started the company, and what you’re trying to achieve.
We’ve often found that going back to the personality of the founders can be of help here. Someone had a dream (usually a big one) and everything else flows from that. Were the founders flamboyant? Understated? Super nerdy? All of this helps in getting to grips with exactly who you are, and who you want to become.
Gather Your Touchpoints
Specifically, when it comes to social media, there are multiple touchpoints where brand voice is required. You must make sure that all of these are covered, and that your brand voice shines through throughout.
This is relevant in your bio, on any videos or other posts, in replies, and so on.
There’s no point in putting out amazing content, only to have to follow up comments or replies feeling lame and empty.
Infuse the Culture
Your brand voice should be embraced by your team. After all, an authentic brand voice is an extension of who you are.
Whole Foods is a great example of this. The brand is based on being healthy, offering value, and putting the customer first. This comes through the entire experience with the brand, from in-store to online.
Be Courageous
Once you’ve chosen your brand voice, just go with it – through thick and thin. If it truly is an extension of who you are, then you should never be embarrassed or have to ask yourself, “Is this appropriate?”
Dove, for example, has been unapologetic in keeping to its brand voice. There has been backlash at times, but the brand boldly confronts stereotypes and embraces all types of potential customers.
A recent example, the “Toxic Influence” film, is a prime example of this approach. Other examples include the “courage is beautiful” campaign and Project #ShowUs.
Assess Constantly
While staying true to your brand voice is so important, you also need to constantly reflect on whether your messaging is landing with your audience. Circumstances change, brands change, and this is totally consistent with being authentic.
Pay attention to campaign metrics, engagement, and to comments the brand is receiving, and make sure these are taken into account when assessing your brand voice.
Create and Maintain the Right Voice for Your Brand on Social Media
Your brand voice is something that needs to be planned for, executed effectively, and maintained.
It has the power to draw attention to your brand, help you connect with your audience, show how you’re different, and inspire with a big message that’s consistent and authentic.
If you want an effective brand voice across all of your social media assets – from Instagram to TikTok, Facebook to Twitter – get in touch with a social media expert at Moburst.
Moburst will dive deep into the research behind your brand and its unique voice, strategize around your brand voice to ascertain what will resonate most, execute world-class campaigns, and analyze and report on results.
We’ve helped brands like Samsung experience 1,400% growth while emphasizing their brand voice, and we can help you, too.
How can we help?
For more questions, or to speak to expert social media marketers here at Moburst, get in touch.
FAQs
A brand voice is how a brand delivers their message across every touchpoint available, encapsulating the “personality” of the brand. It’s now what you’re saying, but how you’re saying it.
Think about what your brand stands for, gather your touchpoints, infuse the brand culture, be courageous, and constantly assess whether it’s resonating with your audience or not.
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