It is right to say that Social Media marketing can have a positive impact on your brand if used in the right way. Different companies have seen their business thrive since the introduction of social media. How did they succeed? The answer lies in appropriate branding.

Branding tells people what you stand for, what services and products you sell. Inappropriate or wrong branding can see you attract the wrong customers to your business. Good branding can also help you outsmart out your competitors. You can even track social media shares to gauge how your brand is performing in comparison with your competitors. It is for these reasons that you should pay close attention to branding.

The good news is that branding can now be done effortlessly on social media platforms. With billions of users, they can easily pick you out from the rest of the crowd, giving you a marketing edge altogether. If you have not distinguished yourself from your competitors, here are eight ways to do so.

1. Choose the right social media platforms

Social networks are found from numerous platforms. As a marketer it can be daunting when it comes to choosing the right platform. Not all social media platforms can serve the purpose of your brand. For example, Facebook is by far the most used social media platform, but have ever asked yourself why your brand is not doing so well on this platform? It could be that your target audience rarely uses it.

Let’s see which platforms different demographics tend to socialize:

• Younger generations tend to use Instagram and Snapchat
• Business and career-oriented individuals will populate LinkedIn
• Tumblr is mostly used by people in their teens and early twenties
• Young adults use Twitter

With the above information, you can anticipate where your brand can do well.

2. Be consistent

Prominent and influential companies have mastered the art of consistency. For example, Coca-Cola will use the same font colors on all platforms. Post content that aligns to the principles of your company. This gives your brand a voice too.

When it comes to your wording, ensure the use of at least two consistent fonts. Also, use a similar logo for your company across all platforms. It will provide recognition for your business. Ensure that your content is excellent, relevant, informative and not pushy.

3. Be visual

Integrate the use of videos and images in your social media posts. Video content can generate more sales and impact your ROI. Also, video posts lead to enormous shares and likes, driving more clients to your website. In fact, some companies registered growth in sales by 200% when they integrated videos in their posts. Videos tend to drive information more clearly and straightforward than plain text posts.

4. Post regularly

With the help of post scheduling tools, posting is not such a difficult task. You can automate when specific posts will appear to which platforms. You should know that irregular posting won’t do you any good. In fact, you are bound to be forgotten. Posting only once a week or tweeting once every two weeks can be suicidal to your business.

You will know when to post depending on your audience. Better yet, you can leverage tools such as Sprout Social’s analytics or other social media publishing tools.

5. Engage with influencers

Starting out can be a hard task since you are not conversant with the nitty-gritty of the branding process. At this stage, your posts might get a few likes and shares, but not nearly as much when compared to already established companies that can drive millions of likes with a single post.

To get fast results, you can reach out to brands and social media influencers. These individuals have thousands or hundreds of thousands of followers on various social media platforms.  Getting a mention from them can have a positive influence on your brand. Within no time you are bound to have more likes and shares.

6. Engage with your audience

This can be as simple as replying to Facebook comments or tweets. This way you assure your audience a two-way communication that fosters a healthy relationship. You should not just share information, but if so, make it humorous or engaging. For example, if you are selling electronic appliances, you can post a “how to” guide.

Do not shy away from engaging with your competitors. This will introduce you to their audience which can translate into new customers.

7. Develop a brand voice

Your words, images, and videos should reflect the brand personality. Let it resonate with the audience as this will cement authenticity. To develop a voice, you can consider the following:

• Your audience

Use specific lingo that connects with your audience. If you’re targeting a younger demographic, use lingo and phrases that are familiar to them.

• Company’s culture

What does your company stand for?  What makes it stand out from the rest? Answering these questions will point out the company’s culture. The kind of hashtags you use should also voice your culture.

• Authenticity

Trying to sound a certain way that you don’t stand for will hurt your brand. Let honesty be your priority when it comes to your voice.

8. Adapt to new trends

Keeping your company informed with the latest fads and trends is a benefit to your business. For example, your audience expects some goodies such as discounts on holidays and other seasonal events. You can offer them discounts and incentives to drive traffic to your site.

To keep abreast of the latest trends, pay attention to what the branding gurus are saying about future trends. Then devise strategies that ensures your brand takes advantage of these trends and you stay ahead of your competitors.

Bottom line

The above tips will see your brand get noticed quickly. Customers view and buy from those brands that appeal to them. Make sure your brand has an edge so you are guaranteed of more clients.

Branding will make you interact more effectively with your audience. Be strategic with your branding efforts to give you the desired results.

The post 8 Ways to Elevate Your Brand on Social Media appeared first on BiggieTips.