Why You Need a Social Media Brand Voice in 2021

Social media is constantly challenging marketers to think differently. The influx of new platforms and evolving mechanics requires brands to continually compete for visibility and engagement, and that includes B2B brands. 

After all, marketing is about understanding people and – even if your brand doesn’t typically face the general consumer – our decision-makers are still people. And they’re still using social media.

In a recent Forrester survey, people were asked what makes brands stand out on social media. Here are the results:

40% said memorable content

33% said distinct personality

32% said compelling storytelling

The basics of marketing haven’t changed; they’ve just expanded. On social media, using your logo, tagline, and stylistic elements are still essential, but they’re not competitive enough to differentiate – brands must develop an additional distinct brand voice or ‘social brand voice.’

Talk your talk

A social brand voice isn’t a radical departure. It’s still your brand’s personality, except now it functions as a peer that nurtures conversation and connections. A social brand voice makes a brand unique, personable, and relatable – qualities that are fundamental to social success.

Here are some examples from Facebook:

Denny’s: “You can have pickup. You can have delivery. You can have EVERYTHING YOUR HEART DESIRES. Well… Diner-food-wise.”

John Deere: “The holiday may look different this year, but one thing remains the same – our farmers make our Thanksgiving meal possible.”

HubSpot: “It’s a creator’s world, we’re just living in it. So, how did we get here?”

Here are some tips:

1. Analyze your content.

Identify your social platforms’ top-performing content; this provides insights on the voice traits that people respond to best and which should influence your social brand voice.

2. Apply your personas.

Your social brand voice should reflect your audience’s vernacular. Analyze your personas and determine what their ‘voice’ sounds like – integrate it into your content and test.

3. Create a guide.

A social brand voice guide is an excellent reference tool to ensure voice consistency. This document should encompass insights from all of the above – including personality traits, common vocabulary, brand phrases, and usage examples.