Nehlsen Notebook

Conforming Social Media to your Brand

By Lee Brinckley, Web Marketing Director  11.11.09

With the rising popularity of social media, many businesses have started using platforms like Twitter, Facebook and blogs to promote their product and services, but you will find, many times, there is no consistency between the look of each platform. Information on each platform may be wonderful, but there is a disconnect between them visually or even with general information. Brand consistency has been neglected. This can happen for several reasons:

  1. The decision makers do not see the value of social media as being a vital part of the marketing strategy.
  2. It is a side project or “hobby” of an employee that is trying to engage their company in social media.
  3. It is recognized as a marketing tool and the responsibility is given to an individual or group without brand guidelines or goals.

This usually occurs because there is a misconception that social media is its own thing, but quite the contrary it is not. If your company wants to engage with social media, in order for it to be successful, you must conform social media to your brand by including it in your strategic marketing plan. It may be necessary to bring in a marketing firm to help you incorporate social media into your strategic marketing plan. There are many benefits to using a marketing firm to help with social media:

  1. Help your decision makers understand social media and the value of it within your marketing plan
  2. Recommend which social media platforms should be used for your company and industry
  3. Layout business goals for social media that work in tandem with your overall marketing plan
  4. Establish brand usage and employee guidelines for social media
  5. Layout staff responsibilities and time management expectations
  6. Provide tailored education/workshop for your company
  7. Build an integrated marketing campaign to build awareness of the social media. This could include the collaboration of web, print, pr, non-traditional or guerrilla marketing.

Social media can be a tremendous asset to your company, especially when it is a part of your marketing plan and brand identity. Knowing how to use it as a business and as individuals will also alleviate any misunderstandings of brand expectation for social media. Are you conforming social media to your brand?

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