The Right Way to Use Social Media to Strengthen Your Brand

February 2, 2013

Social media is all the buzz right now, and if you want to reach the masses relatively inexpensively then you should be using social media. However, it is easy to become overwhelmed with questions like “what do I say”, “what should we post today?”, “what if someone says something negative?”, ”how many people liked us, retweeted or shared our content?”. 

If this seems familiar to you, take a step back and remind yourself of the opportunity in front of you to talk one-on-one with your fans, customers and prospects.

Social Media offers you a unique platform to tune into and respond directly to chatter about your company and products. Where a few years ago, you would have had to deploy a small army of researchers to collect feedback from your users, today it’s literally at your fingertips. Social Media allows you to strengthen relationships, shape your brand identity, and encourage word-of-mouth marketing.

To build your brand through social media, try establishing these 5 rules:

  1. Choose the social media platforms that suit your audience. Each social media platform has a personality of its own. Not all platforms may suit your company’s products, attitude and customers. Begin by choosing one or two that you know your customers are using.
     
  2. Brand your social media destinations.  Update your brand pages with your company logo, colors, fonts and attitude.  Add images of your products, events, partners, clients, and employees. You want not only to brand these pages so that they are easily identifiable as yours, but also to humanize your organization’s presence so that people can easily connect with you.
     
  3. Start conversations. When you make posts to your social media pages take the time to make them engaging, rather than just posting a link to an article or press release. You want to encourage your followers to respond and share their personal thoughts, experiences, etc. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and request their feedback and ideas.
     
  4. Continue these conversations. When appropriate respond to the posts from your fans. A conversation is meant to be two-way. You want your fans to feel as if they are important and that you are listening. Also, it is inevitable that negative comments will be made, but be careful not to jump in to quickly to defend or correct. Your users will be your strongest brand ambassadors on social sites if you respond and build their loyalty to your products and services. 
     
  5. Follow-up with real life encounters. When possible try to create opportunities to meet and interact with your online fans.  This could be at trade shows, local events, fundraisers, etc.  Putting a face with a name will strengthen the relationships that you have been building online.

Of course, before establishing any social media campaign you should have a clearly defined brand and brand strategy.  This foundation will make it easier for you to extend your identity into social media.

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Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact