A Branding and Social Q & A with Co-Founder Caitlin Villareal
Having a solid foundation on branding and social media is essential to a business’ success. The way companies foster this connection is through cohesive, authentic branding, but it can be hard to know where to start when it comes to building a company's identity and social content. Today we’re talking with our head content strategist and MCA co-founder, Caitlin Villareal to learn a little more about what you can do to build your business’ brand!
Why does having a brand voice matter?
The identity and voice of a business matters to consumers. They want to know what the business stands for, and what they support. If your brand voice is strong enough, it will also help consumers to identify you in the noise of their social feeds, email inboxes, and digital ads.
How does a brand begin to build their voice, and how should they go about choosing that voice?
I love this question! Sometimes business owners think that being as professional-sounding as possible is the best way to signal credibility. In actuality, it’s less about how you “should” sound, and more about asking yourself, “what is the voice that only my business can speak in?” Take inspiration from your business’ colors, style guide, core values, mission statement, and the way you train your staff. Think about what you’re offering that’s special. You’ll find your answer by looking inward, not by looking around at what others are doing.
How does a business build a brand tone/voice that feels authentic and appropriate?
This might be hard for business owners, but sharing the creative control of your social media can have amazing outcomes. Let those who are experiencing the culture of the office, interacting with your customer base, and are potentially younger than you speak as the business on social media. When it’s time to approve work, try to stay open-minded, especially if you don’t keep up on TikTok trends.
How can a business make their social content stand out while still being professional?
Be recognizable. Your voice and branding should be apparent pretty quickly.
Don’t be afraid to play. Interact with trends that speak to you.
Don’t confuse stuffiness with seriousness. If your content is boilerplate, it’s invisible.
Finally, anchor from experience. If you or your social director is working to make the voice sound younger, or you’re trying to be funny, your followers will clock it…and that’s not good.
Honing your brand voice is extremely difficult but gratifying work. If your business needs help defining and using its own voice, I hope you’ll give us a call! Contact us at hello@mca-marketing.com to see how we can help!
