July 17, 2024

Best Practices for Utilizing Social Media to Build Your Brand

Social media is a fantastic platform for building a brand. However, it can be viewed as an ever-evolving, overwhelming tool to leverage, prone to shift almost instantaneously with changing user preferences, current social trends, algorithm changes, and emerging technology. 

For digital marketers, utilizing this platform to amplify their business’s reach involves more than intuition. It demands a strategic approach grounded in social media practices that have been proven to work. 

From engaging content creation to community management, we delve into the five core techniques that can help you build your brand using social media and establish a strong online presence in the process. These techniques not only are applicable to each individual business owner but also for larger corporations to reinforce and train channel partners.

Think Platform-First

While it may seem more time saving to repurpose posts across different social networks, it is important to understand how users engage with each platform differently. For example, here are the most prevalent ways people tend to engage with popular platforms:

• X (formally Twitter): Used for catching up on breaking news. It is also the place for real-time updates and discourse on current events and trending topics.

• Google: Used for background information searching, whether for research, finding answers to questions, or gathering details about a topic or person.

• Reddit: Users typically skim the latest headlines and dive into discussions within specific communities (subreddits) that cater to their interests. It is a platform known for its diverse topics and active user engagement.

• Instagram: Users enjoy scrolling through aesthetically pleasing images, videos, and stories shared by accounts they follow, often for inspiration or entertainment.

• Facebook: Participating in discussions with friends and family, sharing personal updates, photos, and articles, and joining groups based on common interests or affiliations. 

Adopting a platform-first approach ensures that every post you publish feels natural to the audience on the network. 

For instance, a post on Instagram should prioritize visually appealing content with creative hashtags. Have the paragraph break be between “network” and “For instance” not “hashtags” and “In contrast” – the latter are closer related than the formerIn contrast, a tweet on Twitter should be concise and incorporate trending hashtags. 

By tailoring your social content to suit the specific nuances of each platform, you’ll reach your target audience more effectively.

Responsiveness Across All Platforms

Humans crave interaction and not just in social settings. They value being seen and heard by the businesses they engage with, which is why brands must prioritize responsiveness across their social media. Providing genuine engagement demonstrates attentiveness, and this, in turn, fosters stronger relationships and builds a trustworthy brand image.

Moreover, with 76% of consumers valuing the speed of a brand’s response and 70% expecting personalized interactions, prompt and tailored replies are critical. To meet these expectations, it is essential for businesses to invest in the necessary tools, such as chatbots for commonly submitted inquiries and support teams for more complex customer issues. 

Use All Available Post Formats

From static images and gifs to short and long-form videos, there are various post formats for you to utilize. While 66% of consumers find short-form video to be the most engaging in-feed content, it is still worth mixing up your content because different formats excel in other contexts. 

For instance, checklists and infographics work best as static images while tutorials and product demonstrations are more effective than videos. By diversifying your post formats, you can cater to different preferences within your audience and maximize brand building engagement across various social media platforms.

Show the Human Side 

Social media should not just be used to promote products or services because visuals quickly become impersonal and monotonous, no matter how entertaining they are. Moreover, you can’t build meaningful connections in a vacuum.

Humanize your business by sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses into your company culture. This can include photos or videos of team members at work, celebrating milestones, or participating in community events. By giving your customers a peek behind the curtain, you showcase the people behind the brand, which makes it more real.

Feature Customers on Your Feed

There will always be a degree of skepticism in the minds of consumers regarding the intentions of a brand because, ultimately, businesses are profit-driven entities. To build social equity and trust, more companies are turning to actual customers who can provide authentic testimonials through their experiences. 

Tapping into the influencer market can be a viable option, and while 81% of social marketers consider it an essential part of social media brand building, there are a few caveats to consider. Not every influencer aligns with the values of every brand. At the same time, target audiences may not resonate with selected influencers. Therefore, businesses must research and meticulously select those whose endorsements truly align with the overall message. 

Be Selective about Social Stands

While it may be tempting to jump on every social issue currently trending in the social sphere, doing so can do more harm than good. It may come across as disingenuous, giving the impression that your business is only engaging for the sake of likes or follows. 

Instead, take a thoughtful approach and be selective about the issues your brand chooses to address. Consider which ones align with your brand values and if your involvement would be perceived as authentic by your audience. This approach can make a meaningful impact while avoiding the pitfalls of performative activism.

Consistency is Key

Consistency breeds familiarity and trust – two essential ingredients for building a strong brand presence on social media. Social media best practices encourage establishing a posting schedule and sticking to it religiously. Whether it is daily updates, weekly features, or monthly campaigns, consistency in posting demonstrates reliability and commitment to your audience.

Maintain a cohesive aesthetic across all your social media channels, from your profile image to your color palette and typography. A visually cohesive feed not only enhances your brand’s aesthetic appeal but also reinforces brand recognition and recall.

Measure, Analyze, Iterate

In the fast-paced world of social media, what works today may not work tomorrow. That is why it’s crucial to continually monitor and evaluate the performance of your social media brand building efforts. Leverage analytics solutions to track key metrics such as engagement rate, reach, impressions, and conversion rate.

Use these data-driven insights to refine your digital marketing strategy, doubling down on content that resonates with your audience and tweaking or discontinuing content that falls flat. Social media is an evolving landscape, and agility and adaptability are essential traits for success.

Invest in Cooperative Marketing

Another powerful strategy to bolster your social media brand-building efforts is through cooperative marketing. Close collaboration between the parent company or original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and their channel partners drives growth for all parties involved, especially when leveraging quality content to establish a strong social media presence, which can significantly enhance your brand’s credibility.

Final Thoughts

In the world of social media branding, success requires strategy, authenticity, and adaptability. From crafting compelling content to leveraging cooperative marketing, there are many avenues to explore. To elevate your brand’s presence, prioritize platform-specific content, engage authentically with your audience, and leverage cooperative partnerships. 

It is equally important to stay consistent, analyze your results, and refine your approach accordingly. By following these social media best practices, businesses can stay attuned to the ever-evolving landscape of social media and elevating their efforts for long-term success. Ready to take your social media brand building to the next level? Contact us at Cooperate Marketing today for expert guidance and personalized support.

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Ryan Parker has 10+ years of experience including implementation lead in several projects. Built and led a team of 25+ while working closely with development through discovery, design, development, testing and client acceptance for several custom enterprise based solutions of core Cooperate clients. Full-service agency experience across verticals such as CPG, Professional Sports, Wireless Providers, Childhood Education, PowerSports, Financial Services, Entertainment, and experiential production. BS in Entrepreneurship & Corporate Innovation, Marketing from Indiana University with a minor in Music. Former Division 1 Football player, Audio Engineer, and when not professionally working, enjoys writing, producing, and performing music with his band, Space Gators.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-parker-187aab47/