A well-developed voice/tone on social media can do so much for your brand. From streamlining responses to making your business recognizable and building trust, consistency is key to a strong social media presence.
Many small businesses allow staff to handle their social media pages, passing it off to anyone with a phone and data plan. This creates major inconsistency, which can deter potential followers and make your business look unorganized. This is why it’s important that you have one person that handles all the social media channels and posting. This doesn’t mean that others can’t contribute their creativity, but there should be only one person publishing the content.
If you own a small business and don’t have the budget to hire someone specifically to manage your social media pages, you may choose to hand it off to someone already on your staff. Just ensure this person at least has a little experience and A LOT of passion. If the person is new to this ask them NOT to create graphics until they have had some practice. A strong photo can work just as well as any well-designed graphic. Also, encourage them to ask for approval before posting for a while until you both feel what they are putting out into the world is quality content.
Interestingly enough many brands consider their tone and voice on their website and in print, but either completely forget or don’t give it much value on social media. This is a major mistake. When you use a consistent voice on social media you build a loyal following of people who identify with your voice. A consistent voice creates comfort, whereas an inconsistent one can be chaotic and disruptive for followers.
HOW TO FIND YOUR VOICE
A good brand voice is based on your business’s values. Start by brainstorming keywords that you associate with your business and brand. If you use a content calendar to plan your posts, make a spot for this list of keywords that you can refer to for copywriting inspo when needed. Next, consider if you want your voice to be more casual or professional. Think about the language that these different brands might use. Write a few CTAs using the tone you want to convey.
I use a standard spreadsheet to plan my content and simply designate some cells on the side to regular hashtags and other copy that I use frequently.
You will also want to consider if you want to use emojis. In my opinion, you absolutely should. No matter how professional your brand is, emojis create engagement. The point is, you can’t use them one day and not the next. So figure out if emojis are part of your brand before you start posting.
Unless the brand is specifically you (think influencers), your brand voice should not be your actual voice. You need to protect the business’s reputation when posting and replying to comments. Keeping things light and airy is okay, but jokes can cause major damage and sometimes should be left for friends. Think to yourself would I do business with this brand? Think about the language you use and if you would find it trustworthy.
It will probably feel odd and take some time to get used to using this new voice, but stick with it and over time it will become second nature. You may even find yourself speaking out loud and writing your personal social media copy in the same voice.
Got the voice down and need content ideas? Check out this list of 43 content ideas to get the juices flowing.
