DOES YOUR BRAND HAVE A VOICE?
HOW TO HUMANISE YOUR BRAND ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
Have you considered how your brand sounds to others? When consumers first see a brand, they are drawn in by attractive marketing content or appealing offers, but they are also drawn in by your tone of voice.
For this reason, it is very important that considerable research and time is given to develop your brand’s tone of voice, particularly when it comes to how it is presented on social media. In the cluttered newsfeeds, a strong brand voice could be the deciding factor as to whether your brand is remembered or if your audience will keep scrolling.
It is also important to remember that humans feel compelled to interact with other humans, not robots or computers screens. It is for this reason that you need to find your unique, relatable, and personal voice to build long lasting brand relationships.
Here are some questions to ask when formulating your brand’s voice:
WHAT DOES YOUR BRAND STAND FOR?
What is at the heart of your brand? This encompasses why you started it and what you are passionate about sharing with your audience. By drilling down on your key beliefs, passions and projects you can determine the true values of your brand and form a solid foundation for your voice.
WHAT DOES YOUR BRAND WANT TO BE REMEMBERED FOR?
This may be an innovative design, a philanthropic message or a solution that sets you apart. Once you identify what sets you apart from others, you will be able to continue to build your tone of voice and add touches of flair that will start to formulate a personality.
WHAT WOULD YOUR AUDIENCE RESONATE WITH?
The questions above are important to discover who ‘you’ are as a brand, but if it doesn’t appeal to your target audience, your tone of voice may fall flat. By clearly identifying your audience and tapping into what they want to hear, NOT what you want to say you can take them from a casual consumer to a loyal fan.
A clearly identified audience will ensure that you not only resonate with potential customers, but that you connect with likeminded brands to help build a community. You will notice that they most successful brands are those that speak not just to their audiences, but those that connect and form meaningful relationships. This can only be done if you know what your audience is looking for.
Just for fun, as a final internal step, it often helps visualise who the brand is in human form, or its Brand Archetype. This is a great way to really add personality to a brand and as most people are visual beings, it is a great way to make sure the whole team is aligned on how to speak.
Whether you are offering a business-based solution to senior management, or selling shoes for those ready for a night out on the town, a well-thought-out voice is a crucial part of your brand strategy and if done well, will cut through ahead of the rest to speak volumes to your audience.