By: Katherine Nguyen, Integrated Marketing Coordinator

If you’re looking to differentiate your brand in the market, one of the most important first steps is to develop your own branded social media content. This can take the form of establishing your brand voice and tone to creating visuals that succinctly reflect your brand identity. 

While it might seem tricky to take on these tasks solo, it’s not impossible. Below are ways you can use branded social media content to turn prospects into customers and build stronger connections with your audience. 

Know Yourself

Before you dive into creating graphics or embark upon any creative endeavors, it’s important to first know yourself. This means understanding your brand and what makes it instantly recognizable. A good place to start is by answering the following questions: What makes my brand unique? How is my brand different from competitors? What is my brand looking to achieve?

The faster you’re able to nail down this down, the easier it will be for you to begin crafting your message and build awareness.

Know Your Audience

Almost as important as knowing yourself, knowing your audience can aid your brand in taking a customized approach to your marketing efforts rather than simply shooting in the dark. Researching the preferences of your target audience and catering to their specific needs can provide them with an incentive to keep coming back for more. 

Actively creating content that resonates with your audience can go beyond just being “relevant” or “accurate,” when done right, it can teach and even inspire. 

Experiment

In the beginning, while it might make more sense to imitate what other companies in your industry are doing, if you’re looking to make a statement, it’s best to offer something more unique. Admittedly easier said than done, this doesn’t mean that you have to completely reinvent the wheel. 

Depending on your company, bold or eye-catching imagery might perform well while something more minimalistic in design might not work at all. Until you’re able to figure out what’s best for you and your brand’s needs, it doesn’t hurt to try different things until you find a surefire winner. 

Discover What’s Out There

Now it’s time to buckle down and get things moving. Don’t know where to start? A quick Google search can open your mind to millions of possibilities, whether they’re easily achievable or simply aspirational. Putting together a “moodboard” can help to organize your thoughts and put everything into perspective – helping you to hone in on specific colors, fonts, or “aesthetics” that speak to you. 

While developing great branded social media content can take some time, it can be a worthwhile investment so long as you know yourself and what you’re ultimately looking to achieve.