Social media is a vast universe that has immense potential when used correctly. But what’s correct on the internet is also extremely subjective as no one rule applies to all.
It’s easy to call out people, offend, blame and shame them and even openly abuse without being recognised or punished for what you’ve done. This lack of accountability can affect businesses that depend on social media largely.
So how can an individual capitalise on social media and create a brand that’s known to all? How do they get organic followers who genuinely love not only their work but also their ideology and mindset that’s prevalent in their social media strategy?
While it’s essential to put your work on social media and let people know what you do, you also need to create a brand that impresses your current and future clients.
While spending money on likes and shares will help create awareness, what’ll truly retain your audience is the content you feed them daily through social media posts and exciting updates.
So in this article, we will look at some fail-proof tips that’ll help you create a solid brand image and ace the online game.
Be real
It is essential to draw a rough sketch of your work and then address your audience in a consistent tone. Put your personality into your brand; keep it more real. This helps your customers to connect better with you as they believe that they “know” you.
So project your true self, likes dislike to your audience who can then relate to you and hence begin to slowly but surely love you.
A good reference would be the Instagram page of Amrita of Life, a food enthusiast, chef, recipe developer and Ayurveda practitioner who has a vibrant personality that comes through in all of her posts.
I also particularly like how The Souled Store, an e-commerce website selling trending t-shirts and other merchandise have managed to keep their social media, handles relatable yet straightforward.
Address serious issues
Get noticed online by voicing your opinion on current affairs and pressing issues. Give your online social media presence a voice. If you are a content writer, it is a good idea to voice your opinion about issues that you feel strongly about. Not only will your clients notice it, but they may also commission an article to you, written in that same tone.
People should keep coming back to your pages not just to see your work, but also be a part of your thought process.
Rega Jha, the ex-Buzzfeed India editor’s social media profile, is an excellent example of how serious issues can be tackled on social media in a unique fashion. Rega, on her profile, has spoken about everything from mental health issues to the constant need that women have to beautify them, all in her own quirky way that you immediately relate to. She now has her own column in Times of India where she translates those thoughts into weekly articles.
Engage
Engaging with your audience is important as it makes them realise that you are really just like them. There are several ways to engage with your audience, such as quizzes, questions, answering queries, doing free demos or simply replying to comments. You can pick and choose your favourite engagement activity but go beyond the done to death contests that are not appealing anymore.
Akshar Pathak’s profile is a good example of connecting with the audience and engaging with them. His content is extremely relatable and you’ll see it becoming viral within minutes of posting.
If you are a graphic designer, for example, put up an image that narrates your thought about certain issues. For your client, this gives them a good insight about your work, and how you translate ideas into your work, and they may then bookmark you for another similar project.
Social sharing and shoutouts is another vital way of not only encouraging your peers from the same community but also giving your audience insights into what other influencers are doing. I’ve seen many bloggers share each other’s posts and give shoutouts which helps other people discover them while some repost interesting content, giving their followers more reason to keep following them.
Leverage trends
Be it the Delhi pollution level or the upcoming New Year party; if you think you can connect yourself or your brand to the trend, you must post about it. Plus, special days such as Father’s Day, Mother’s Day or voting day are also big on social media where you’ll see every celebrity post pictures to capitalise on the trend.
Take a look at internet celebrity Kusha Kapila’s profile wherein her playful manner she never misses capitalising on any trend.
Track insights
Insights are everything if you want to actively grow your social media presence because unless you know what is working for you or what is not working for you, there is no way you are going to change it. It is essential to keep a close check on the insights and measure them regularly to note the positive and negative differences.
Your social media pages will provide these insights; however, for more in-depth data consider using tracking links in your posts which can be embedded with URL shorteners.
