Not to get lost in the vastness of social media, your brand has to have a voice – a unique one. You can dedicate all your energy to bringing the best content to your followers, but if you don’t present it with an admirable voice, they’ll just keep scrolling.
Techniques for finding your voice aren’t set in stone, and that’s probably why only a few brands manage to get it right. Yet your voice is the most crucial component of your brand’s social media marketing.
The sea of generic content on social media leaves people craving for genuine connection. And your voice should do exactly that. What you will get in return are higher engagement rates, increasing numbers of followers, and just loyal customers.
Essentially, your voice is the personality of your brand, which better be a charismatic one. So let us dive into the process of crafting a killer voice for your brand! Let’s understand what makes up an excellent brand voice and how having one will do magic for your business.
The difference between voice and tone
It’s a distinction that gets blurred quite often. The voice is about consistently communicating your values and personality, while the tone changes based on the circumstances: the audience, the channel, and the type of information you share. So think of the voice as your primary goal, and of tone as the secondary.
Humanizing your brand
I know, you’ve heard this one many times. But let’s break it down a bit.
Behind every brand there are people. And guess what? Customers are curious about the humans behind all the work. A brand’s personality is essentially the one of its creators. To kickstart a successful brand, one has to have a strong vision and values to share with the world. So don’t shy away from speaking about what’s important to you.
The four ingredients of a voice
Now, there is much more to a voice than its tone. As proposed by Stephanie Schwab, writing for Social Media Explorer, a voice can be divided into four components: character, tone, language, and purpose.
The character of a voice can be expressed in adjectives that you would use to describe a person. Is your voice inspiring, fun, or gloomy?
The tone of a voice can be expressed in adjectives you would use to describe the way someone talks. How about honest, clinical, or humble?
The language of a voice can be expressed in adjectives you would use to describe the way someone writes. The written word can be serious, complex, jargon-filled, etc.
The purpose of the voice can be expressed in verbs you would use to describe why someone does something. Just like people, brands can entertain, sell, educate, or engage.
Going through these four areas will help you pin down the vibe of your brand’s voice.
The three essentials of your voice
These three C’s as proposed by Marketing Land will help you create your voice from scratch.
Culture
Every company has its culture – small or big. So to attract followers, your voice should be a reflection of a culture that’s unique to you.
What does your brand stand for? What are the characteristics that make you stand out from the crowd? Make sure that things you believe in shine through your voice on social media. It will help your followers know your story and experience the brand from inside. Remember, having an insider’s look is always intriguing!
Community
If your social media marketing tactics create a community around your brand, it’s proof you’re doing something right! To attract a community, you should speak their language. What is your target audience concerned about? What does it like and dislike? Pay attention not only to what they say, but how they say it.
Conversation
Social media is flooded with content. Make sure to add a fresh perspective to the conversation! First, determine what you want to offer, and then think about how to frame it. Pay attention not only to how customers speak with each other, but also how they communicate with other brands. Also, analyze the voice of the companies they follow. And most importantly – don’t just sell.
Staying consistent
Different social media channels demand a different approach. However, this shouldn’t have a negative effect on your brand’s voice. While the content that you post can differ slightly, your voice should stay familiar across different channels.
Your loyal customers are likely to follow you on more than one channel. So if you don’t maintain a consistent identity, you will only disappoint them.
How to find the right tone?
Now, when you have the bigger picture of your voice in mind, how do you turn it into a tone? Writing a checklist based on the points below will help.
The first question to ask yourself is what type of content you are sharing. Is it for Twitter or Instagram? Second, who is your audience and how is it supposed to feel about your content? For example, you might want to make your potential customers feel motivated. Then write down a couple of adjectives you think would best describe your tone for that specific situation. It can be anything from helpful to intriguing.
Where to highlight your voice?
You are clear on your voice and your tone, but there is one thing left. You should know exactly where you are going to stress those the most.
Your social media bios are the first place you can stand out with your mission and, consequently, your voice. If you think of it, bios are really the first chance to make an impression, so make sure they are good ones!
Next, think about the replies. Comments on social media deserve non-generic and personalized answers. So determine the tone in which you are going to reply to comments and stick to it.
On Instagram, you can be much more creative than on any other platform – vibrant photos and lots of emojis. However, what’s tricky with Instagram is that you can get carried away. Make sure with all your creativity to stay true to the voice that appears on other platforms.
Don’t forget about direct messages. Some brands disregard those completely. You shouldn’t only reply to those but do it in a casual and lovely way, making your customers feel special and appreciated.
Standing out on social media is getting harder every day – brands are increasing, and customers are getting savvier. But if your message to the world is good enough and if you work hard enough, your authentic voice is just one step away!
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