The importance of personality in brands’ social media
Establishing a brand voice on social media is a vital component of strong and effective digital marketing.
As PR practitioners begin to formulate their social messaging, they must agree upon a distinctive and recognizable brand voice. This is often conveyed through the company’s written messages, language, images and videos.
According to Target Marketing, “Brands are strong and memorable when they have a distinctive, consistent, relevant brand voice. The cultivation, management and protection of that voice requires a deep understanding of what the brand stands for and what it does not.”
When executed correctly, brand voices increase engagement with followers and open new discussions between other brands.
An unmistakable voice
Since December, Wendy’s Twitter account has been gaining serious media attention for their quick-witted comebacks.
Roasting not only individual twitter accounts that make sassy tweets, Wendy’s also takes direct jabs at other fast food restaurants including their biggest competitors McDonald’s and Burger King.
Since the start of these messages, “Wendy’s has seen an approximate a 35% increase in followers to date, which equates to about 350,000 net new followers,” according to Toast Resturant Management Blog.
This is a major jump in followers in just a little over two months. This increase was not due to a marketing or messaging campaign. Instead, Wendy’s established their brand voice as sassy and relentless.
Followers flock to companies like Wendy’s because they make them laugh and they engage with people who tweet at them. They may not be the top competitor in the fast food industry but they have the strongest social presence.
What this means for PR
Social media managers and PR practitioners must take examples like Wendy’s seriously and focus on establishing a brand voice. To do this, they must have a strong grasp on their company’s mission. A brand whose messages clash with their purpose will only lose their audience.
Once it is established it must be utilized. However, it is more than just sending a voice through messaging. This is the time for PR practitioners to lean into the two-way communication model and increase engagement.
Most, if not every company sends messages out through social media. Yet, many miss the chance to distinguish themselves as a brand with a voice rather than a business trying to increase sales.
Allowing personality to shine through on social media humanizes the brand, starts discussions and improves relationships with followers.
For those starting out, Content Marketing Institute lays out 5 Easy Steps to Define and Use Your Brand Voice.
