As someone who has grown up in the digital age, I’ve realized that a few things catch my attention right off the bat—books, live music, and hockey. Thanks to social media, I always have access to these things.
Recently, a friend from college sent me a LinkedIn post about the “fangirl-to-marketing-professional pipeline,” and it made me think about how branding has changed on social media over the last decade that I’ve been a social media user myself.
Platforms like Tumblr and Instagram were filled with fan pages, and feeds weren’t as curated. What hasn’t changed, though, is the need for visibility, and with social media increasingly being used as a search engine in users’ everyday lives, it is more important than ever for businesses to start establishing themselves on the platforms for maximum reach.
Want to seem like a valuable resource to other professionals? Leverage LinkedIn.
Ready to share your aesthetically pleasing product photos with the world? Hop on over to Pinterest.
Need to connect with my fellow Gen Z audience? TikTok might be the place for you.
Social media has become a fundamental part of our daily lives in the digital age. With billions of users across various platforms, it has evolved from a simple means of communication to a powerful tool for building a brand, whether an established sports team hopping on a viral meme trend or a creator giving BookTok reviews.
If you are looking to start building your brand, here’s where you can start:
6 Steps to Building Your Brand on Social Media
1. Get Your Name Out There
Establishing yourself as a brand can be tricky, especially if you are starting from scratch.
Social media has changed the game when it comes to reaching a broader audience. Platforms like TikTok use their algorithm to push your posts to audiences with similar interests to your niche.
It probably won’t happen overnight (if it does, please share your secret with me), but all it takes is one solid post to hit the trending page, and you can start establishing your audience.
2. Adding the Flair
Social media done right humanizes brands. By showcasing your personality, you have a better chance of gaining the attention of someone scrolling their feed. (For instance, if I see a post using a song by Harry Styles, I’m more likely to like it because I stopped to watch.)
Your brand’s personality is all about connecting with current and potential customers on a personal level. By presenting yourself as more than just a faceless organization, you can resonate with consumers and start to gain their trust.
A few tried-and-true examples I recommend are behind-the-scenes content or user-generated campaigns.
Related Reading: Social Media Marketing in 2023: What You Need to Know
3. Give and Take
With social media, it takes two to tango, and brands can show off their best moves by involving their customers by accepting feedback and putting their ideas into action.
The ability to respond promptly to comments, messages, and mentions fosters a sense of community, making customers feel heard and valued.
Some of the best ideas for social have come from users, as they are the ones actually using these platforms every day. (Other than your favorite social media managers!)
4. Snap, Click, Add to Story
Visual storytelling using images, gifs, and videos is crucial to capturing new audiences’ attention and leaving a lasting impact.
By maintaining a consistent visual aesthetic across platforms, starting a video series, or simply adopting a trademark color palette, brands can reinforce their identity and make their content instantly recognizable.
You may have recently seen this with the Barbie movie’s marketing campaign. Barbie-core is sweeping the nation, and their trademarked pink can be seen (and recognized) by millions of people.
Other brands, such as Spotify, opt for shareable assets, such as Spotify Wrapped at the end of each year and monthly round-ups. By creating shareable content, users are more likely to share your content, and those extend your overall reach.
5. Leave It to the Pros
If you are on any social media platform, you’ve probably seen a content creator post a sponsored video for a company. You might’ve even made a spur-of-the-moment purchase because of one. (We’ve all been there.)
I’ve worked with creators with platforms as small as a few thousand followers and as big as millions of followers, and the key to working with influencers is finding who fits your brand’s messaging and knows how to captivate their audience.
If you need brand awareness fast, having a trusted creator promote your product to their followers could be the boost you need to take your brand to the next level.
Related Reading: The Ultimate Guide to B2B Social Media Marketing
6. Get Your Finger on the Pulse
There are a multitude of analytics tools you can use for tracking engagement and awareness – at this point, I’ve probably tried them all.
Data-driven approaches can help you with the sales end of performance. What’s working? Are your posts attracting sales and/or leads? If not, it might be time to rethink your strategy.
Social media isn’t going anywhere. Brands like Duolingo have taken that in stride and run with it, hoping on trends and working with macro-influencers.
Whether you are B2C or B2B, putting your content out there is the best way to start. You never know who might see it.
Ready to see where your brand fits in with the latest viral trends? Reach out to us at Zen Media, and let’s talk all things social.
