Finding A Voice For Social Media

This post is written by contributing author Genevieve Brazelton.

I still get told quite frequently by clients, “I know I should be on social media, but I just don’t know what to say.” They struggle with feeling like they’re being too spammy only talking about their products, but not wanting to be too personal because they’re communicating with customers not just friends.

Not only is there a fine balance to be found, but it’s also a level of sharing that isn’t immediately comfortable to most of us. Generally we don’t think our every thought and interest matters to others and I’d say most of us are right, but as a business owner marketing your products there is a level of connection and engagement that customers are seeking. They really do want to know more.

Photo via sasam

So my advice? Find information you would seek out or share anyway that fits with your brand image and would be of interest to your target audience.

It doesn’t have to have a direct correlation to your business, but it should at least have a relationship to brand image you’re building.

A jewelry designer that I’ve worked with asked me this very question in regards to what to post on Twitter and Facebook. Right away I knew the answer. She loves clothing and shoes, she is always saving images and commenting on items she “must have”. I suggested she begin sharing these more regularly. Lusting after products is a great way to connect with people and share your style. It also gives her a way to connect with designers and style bloggers who might also share her jewelry with their audiences.

Because this strategy is easy for her, she already spends her spare time flipping through fashion mags and scouring the internet for cool new finds, she has more of a presence on social media. She’s sharing things that people can comment on easily and it doesn’t feel too personal. She’s also able to connect with potential customers who have a similar style.

In finding content to share via social media you need to pick something or a series of things that you feel inspired to talk about over and over again, most likely information that you already seek out. It might be images that inspire you to create your work, or your hunt for materials or the music you listen to keep you focused. It doesn’t have to be hard.

By creating an overarching theme for your posting you not only create consistency for your readers and followers, but you also establish yourself as a go-to source in a specific niche. You want your business to be known for a certain product or style, it’s the same with the information you share.

Besides the actual “what” that you share, you should also consider the tone in which you share. Will you be funny, conversational, authoritative or informational? This voice or style should mirror or compliment the image of your business. If you make delicate metal jewelry with soft flowing shapes, most likely your tone won’t be short and quip or use a lot of slang. Your tone comes across in the words you choose, the phrasing of your sentences, and even the references you choose to link to.

Use a voice that feels natural and post the types of things you would share with a friend or find yourself talking about to anyone who will listen.

Let’s help each other with some examples. What are some favorite social media posts you’ve read lately? What was it that you liked?

Genevieve Brazelton endlessly researches the newest ideas in creative and social media marketing so you don’t have to. Genevieve’s strength is her keen outside perspective and sometimes infuriating logic that puts structure to dreams and lays out paths to goals. She is also the business side of Lightbox SF. Read more about her here.
Connect to Genevieve via twitter or facebook.