Social media marketing experts everywhere agree that in order for business prospects on social media to convert to customers, they have to connect with one’s voice. Even through written text, there is such a thing as speaking too loud, or not loud enough. There can also be turnoffs when it comes to language use and tone. Yes, the voice of some brands make social media prospects run away from engagement attempts, while others seem to have the perfect pitch to keep them engaged in conversations “forever.”
So what’s your business’s brand voice? Many businesses have no idea. Making a proper identification; however, is an invaluable asset to the success of any social media marketing campaign. In a past report, Marketing Land identified “20 Great Social Media Voices.” Included on the list was Penmaker Sharpie, newsletter Thrillist, beer maker Sam Adams, retail giant Target and several other big name brands. What did the digital marketing daily publication profess the key qualities of the voices of these and other “greats” to be? “Culture, community, and conversation.”
Identifying the Voice of Your Brand
According to Marketing Land writer Courtney Seiter, dissecting these “three Cs” can help business brands identify their voice in marketing on social media. When it comes to culture, Seiter says “Every organization has something that makes it unique, whether it’s philanthropy or a unique founding story or poker Fridays.” Giving insight into the experiences of a brand can help businesses develop a resounding voice.
Also Seiter suggests that with regards to community, businesses can hone their own voice by first listening to what their online community wants them to say. And in turn, add the third element of conversation by determining, “what you’re bringing to social media by putting your brand out there… How would your company sound at a backyard barbecue or cocktail party?”
The social media marketing strategists of SocialCentiv also agree. SocialCentiv is a developer of a Twitter marketing tool that assists businesses with finding potential customers on the social network through broad scale level engagement. In a blog post titled “Know Your Voice: How Should You Speak with Your Audience?” the company writes, “Learning who your company’s persona is and what your brand is wanting to convey is key to discovering how to talk with the masses.”
Making Your Business Brand’s Voice “The Voice of Reason”
Without offering the pressure filled coaxing of some how-to lists, the following are three tips for businesses that want to make their social media voice one that stands apart from the rest, that can garner great results in marketing.
- Really get to know your customers and their expectations – Social media users express their inner most feelings everyday. Staying attuned to this information can provide invaluable insight into how to respond to their needs in the most effective way, reeling them in as new customers.
- Establish consistency and credibility – Maintaining voice consistency across multiple social media platforms and being able to back one’s statements helps give off a needed allure of authenticity.
- Have a purpose – Whether one believes in the concept of “art for art’s sake” is neither here nor there when it comes to sending out social media marketing messages. They must be functional in order to be appreciated.
These tips just might be what many businesses need find their brand’s voice as well as ensure that it is one potential customers on social media outlets like Twitter would not only find audibly pleasing, but may actually be compelled to talk back to.
Image Credit: Flickr/Beverly & Pack