A few posts ago, I spoke about how one
could use digital media and social media branding. However, this post, we are
going to talk about how you can build your social media brand and what tools and
methods are the most proven to work. Within today’s society, roughly 64%, or
two-thirds of adults have not only home Wi-Fi, but they have access to at least
one, if not more, smartphone, desktop, laptop, or tablet that enables them to
have consistent access to the internet. (Source:)
Because of the easy access to the internet and the quick availability to the
multiple online channels of information, people are starting to spend more time
online, than anywhere else. However, even though there are millions of websites
and apps, social media apps are among the most used out of all them. It is
because of that, that it is becoming imperative for media organizations, such
as magazine, newspapers, television and even radio stations, to not only have
an online presence, but to develop a social media brand, as well.
However, before we can start talking about how to build up your social media
presence, we need to fist discuss what a social media brand is. So, what is a brand? No, we are not referring to the kind
of permanent mark that a farmer leaves on their cattle. The brand that we are
referring to in this sense is that of a
“name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers” (Source:)
Brands are usually synonymous with big corporations.
While these brands often have a large budget for advertising and marketing,
these large corporations have also taken notice of the benefits of utilizing
social media and developing a social media brand. Brands often work tirelessly
to leverage social media in order to boost online visibility and revenue. They
want more clicks, more likes, and they want to create a positive user
experience.
But what happens
when a brand is a person instead of a company? When it’s just you, you need to
take a different approach to growing your brand through social media. Since
over 90% of customers trust information from people they know when making a
purchase decision, building personal connections might be the most effective
way to develop trust and authority with your audience.
Well, below I have
provided you with some tips and tricks as to how you can use social media to
help develop your social media brand.
1. Find the Right Groups
Some social media
platforms offer their users opportunities to join, or create, groups with other
likeminded people to focus on specific topics within different industries. If
you can find groups that line up with your area of expertise, then you’ll be
able to share that experience and build authority around your personal brand.
Some groups might be overcrowded. Therefore, you might want to consider thinking
outside of your direct industry.
2.
Keep the Image Consistent
With all things in
business, you want to maintain a level of consistency. This is still true
within the social media realm. Across all of your social profiles, you have to
maintain a certain consistency with your brand. When people want to learn more
about you, they may search for you on a number of social outlets. Presenting
yourself in a consistent manner helps you control their perception of your
personal brand. You can damage an otherwise impeccable reputation if one of
your profiles shows up with content or images that don’t represent you well.
3.
Engage Regularly
Building a brand
is not as easy as some make it out to be. Being a social media influencer,
although it looks like a lot of fun, is actually a lot of work. Same with
building a social media brand. Information within the social media realm is
constantly being updated and is ever changing. Therefore, it is easy for
someone, or some brand, to be hot one moment, and then irrelevant the next. Every
day, you should be sharing and producing content. Adjust the frequency and
types of content based on the audience presence.
4.
Diversify Your Content
Posting everyday about the same topic can become monotonous.
Therefore, I would suggest that you craft your communications strategy for your
personal brand that includes and editorial calendar and diverse content plan so
that you won’t resort to publishing the same types of articles each day. Be
sure to include images, videos, articles, and even questions. I see a lot more
reciprocal engagement when I change up the type of content that I post daily. Another
benefit is that this diversity prevents you from oversharing your own content.
Even if your own content is fantastic, your followers will appreciate when you
source and share authoritative content from other people.
5.
Study Influencers
Social media influencers are becoming a huge part
of every day society and are definitely something to be taken seriously. Social
media influencers have amassed large amounts of loyal followers. Some of these
influencers have the ability to make or break a brand, or product, by posting
one single review. Therefore, connecting with and even collaborating with
influencers is a smart way to build your personal brand and get yourself seen,
but it takes time. You have to develop a relationship with influencers before
they’ll want to work with you.
There are many other ways to build your social
media brand. If there is one other piece of advice that I can give you is to
remember to get involved with your fan base. Don’t be afraid to add your voice
and make yourself visible to your audience. In today’s society it is imperative
that brands, especially personal brands, remain in touch with their consumers
and develop a personal relationship with them. Don’t be afraid to jump into the
discussion and add your own voice. This is especially true if you have unique
insights and value to add. You won’t have much luck when it comes to building
your brand if you remain a wishful lurker. Being responsive will keep you on
track to grow your personal brand and your network of connections.
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