- [Narrator] Most companies blend in with their competitors
as they copy what seems to work
without adapting their communication strategy
and positioning to their own brand.
A lot of companies sell similar products
which makes it difficult for consumers understand
what one brand distinctly offers over another.
To avoid that outcome, use social media
to differentiate your organization
and create a memorable brand by communicating
its core values, perspective and visual branding.
The leadership at a company
are often the architects behind a brand,
working to direct what it does and doesn't stand for
and its positioning in the marketplace.
One of the most effective ways
to use social media to stand out
is to communicate the social issues
the organization is most passionate about.
These issues must always relate back
to the organization's core values,
but can cover anything from supporting LGBTQ rights
to sourcing eco-friendly products.
For example, a flower delivery company
could regularly document its political beliefs
and philanthropic efforts across social media
to share what they stand for.
On Twitter, the organization might share
their booth at a music festival
where they gave out free flowers and registered voters
to increase participation in upcoming elections.
In an Instagram post, they could announce the release
of a new bouquet named in support of the LGBTQ community
and that the proceeds will be donated during Pride month.
By expressing their beliefs on timely issues
as a part of the greater mix of content
they're sharing on social media,
they position themselves distinctly
from other flower delivery brands.
The viewpoint of your organization
and the tone it uses on social media to communicate
is another way to stand out.
An organization's perspective is specific
to the values it's lead by
and the audience it's communicating with,
while its tone varies
depending on the medium and the message.
Like how the airline JetBlue has a casual,
familiar tone when communicating on social media
that expresses their desire
to make travel for their passengers easy and fun.
Competing airlines often have
a fairly serious tone with their messaging,
which helps JetBlue stand out as a more approachable brand,
especially with a younger demographic.
Even when the brand tweets to competitors,
it keeps the messaging light, upbeat and friendly
to maintain the casual tone it cultivates across channels.
To differentiate your organization further,
develop a visual identity that aligns with your brand.
Why?
Because our brains process visuals 60,000 times faster
than text, making it quicker and easier
for a person to build a memory of your messaging.
Visual branding on social media consists
of designing your profiles with a consistent look and feel,
aligned with the feature sets of each channel.
Like how MailChimp, the email marketing platform,
always features vibrant colors and modern looking graphics
with all the visual media shared on its social accounts.
Developing a one-of-a-kind brand isn't enough,
you've got to communicate it with the world
in order for it to exist and luckily,
social media is one of the most effective ways of doing so.