5 Tips for Managing Your Social Media Accounts: Brand Consistency is Key

Social Media is a great tool for increasing brand awareness, but many companies are not taking full advantage of opportunities to build brand equity because their social channels are not branded and lack consistency. Social media consistency is key to building brand recognition because it means that customers are able to recognize your brand across many platforms, both online and offline. Here are some easy tips for managing your brand consistency on social media that will align your branding across social media channels for maximum brand exposure and awareness.

1. Stick with same, recognizable images. People will be more likely to recognize your brand in its many forms across all channels if you keep logos and imagery consistent. Try to keep these the same:
   -Profile Pictures
   -Cover photos/Headers
   -User Names
2. Use the same “about” descriptions. The amount of brand proliferation and general “clutter” in the brand sphere is incredible, and people may confuse your brand with other brands, or not recognize your presence as the same company across channels if you don’t make sure to craft your about sections the same way. They don’t necessarily have to be word-for-word exactly the same but should be extremely easy for people to tell that it’s the same company with the same offering.
3. Try to keep a consistent “voice.”This doesn’t mean that every post has to sound like it came from the same person, especially if multiple people post for your account, but you should aim to stick with a general tone. This gives people a better sense of who you are as a company and what your brand is all about. When they can “hear a voice” that is consistent, it can become a familiar voice. And the more people recognize your brand’s voice, the better. This is part of “giving brands life.”
4. Post content that is aligned with your strategy. When building your company’s brand on social media, you want to be as personable as possible. When people interact with brands on social media, they aren’t interacting because they think they are talking with a wall and are curious to see what the wall sends back. They engage with a brand for a humanistic connection. So it is only natural to think of your brand in social media as a person. You want to become recognizable, to become familiar, a welcome presence. Think a real person. Share things that this person would enjoy or be interested in. If it doesn’t align with your brand’s persona, leave it out. People will be confused just as they are confused when their PETA loving friends share deals for half-off hamburgers and beer. What happens to the PETA fanatic endorsing hamburgers or fur coats? People call them out for a lack of authenticity and accuse them of being something they’re not. You don’t want to fall into that trap.
5. Connect your social networks. Connect your social networks to each other so that people can easily find your other social channels once they stumble across one of them. This will increase the chances that people who are interested in your company and your content get more of it, and increase your following across all channels. This also shows users of each social network that you are active across all channels, which makes your social media presence stronger as it shows you are active in different channels and have multiple forms of content to offer and can engage with users in a variety of settings.

What do you think is the most challenging part of achieving brand consistency in social media? Share your thoughts in the comments below.