Build your brand with social media

Social media is now a way of life so how can you use it to help to build your brand? 

The internet is where people are going to find you or your company and form their perceptions of your brand. So – what should you consider when building your brand on social media? As part of Xero’s Education Month, we’ve pulled together our top tips and considerations. For more in-depth information and a chance to ask questions, register here to access Xero Education Month and join our Build your brand with social media session.

Why use social media?

Before we go into the how, let’s start with the why. Social media offers you direct, personal, two-way interactions with your clients and prospects. But that’s not all. Social media channels also allow you to position yourself or your business as a leader in your area of expertise. Being active on social media makes it easier to keep up with trends and developments in your sector – helping to differentiate you from your competitors. 

Know your audience

Before jumping into creating content and sharing posts, take a moment to stop and reflect on who your target audience is. Here are a few questions to help get you started: 

• Who do you want to grab the attention of? Who are you trying to attract for your business?
• Are you seeking new customers, generating opportunities or looking to engage more with your existing customers?
• Are you happy with your current professional connections?

Once you know who you want to reach, you can then decide which social media platforms make the most sense. Different channels have different demographics. Think about where your customers may be looking for you and where they are spending most of their time online.

You may choose to start off focusing on just one channel, such as Facebook or LinkedIn. Whichever channel you land on – find that spot and claim it.

The details are in the strategy 

When building a social media strategy for your business, first consider your brand voice, which is the way to speak from your social media profiles? Remember, always talk to your audience. Knowing who is listening to you helps to set the tone and add value to them.

Next, create a cadence of how often you plan to post content on your chosen social media channels. Remember to be realistic when setting these goals because consistency builds relationships and trust.

Being actively involved on your social profiles gets the best results. Learn how the different channels operate and build a strategy that works for your business. For example:

• Twitter – to promote special offers and breaking news
• LinkedIn – to build a network of complementary businesses, clients and prospects
• Instagram – to share photos of your product/services or fun and interesting seminars/events
• Facebook – to build a less formal network to generate new business leads
• Blog – to create an authoritative resource that builds awareness and respect for your brand.

There will always be some crossover between social channels. However, over time you’ll work out the best channels to use to effectively engage with your audience.

Grow your online presence

Social media opens up a world of potential for both yourself and your business. It’s both a place to share content to support your agenda and a place to get direct feedback from your customers and your network. 

There’s no ‘perfect’ formula to social media success, but it’s important to find your audience, build a strategy and be open to adapting and listening to your followers. 

For more social media tips and a live Q&A, sign up for our ‘Build your brand with social media’ session as part of Xero Education Month 2021. You can also join one of the other 50+ webinars. With specially curated content for both small businesses, accountants and bookkeepers, there’s something for everybody. Register here.