The Oscars, the BRITs… that dress. Brands are constantly jostling each other for a seat at the social media table to extend their visibility and adjust their brand identity.
Whether you are looking to social media to appeal to a new target demographic, alter consumers’ current perceptions, or simply explore the added value of a new marketing channel, here are a few things to bear in mind when positioning your brand on a social platform:
Unity – a mixed message is the wrong message. Make sure your press office, website, social channels and other marketing platforms are all in sync, so that your brand’s positioning is recognisable and unified at all touch points.
Purpose – rule number one in Press Release School is “what’s the point?”. A Tweet might be ten times shorter, but the stakes here are even greater: a brand is communicating not just to media, but directly to all its stakeholders. Before hitting the “post” button, question why you’re about to do so.
Commercial objectives – steer your brand away from corporate FOMO (‘fear of missing out’ for the uninitiated): a desire to be on every social network ever. Align your social media strategy with your business objectives and operate when your customers are. Use social listening to find out where they really are.
Differentiate – Twitter ≠ Facebook ≠ LinkedIn. As consumers, we use each social network in a different way. Your brand should, too.
Realism – Facebook is not a facelift, and cannot usher in some sort of new brand truth overnight. Be prepared to invest – both in terms of time and native advertising – in order to get the results you desire.
Finally, don’t forget to plan in campaign measurement and monitoring for potential issues. Social media offers brands greater visibility than ever before – but, by extension, also greater vulnerability, too.
With the twenty four hour news cycle, constant consumer and brand chatter – and not forgetting wearable optical illusions – social platforms are a crowded marketplace: taking the time to position your brand correctly will make sure you are heard.
