Though intriguing content and eye-catching pictures can draw in a reader, we often forget about the importance of having a unique voice on business social media accounts.

What sort of brands or companies do you follow on social media? Why do you enjoy those brands? I’m most attracted to brands that offer an authentic and relatable voice on social media.

Defining what a “voice” is…

Let’s dissect voice into 4 parts: character, language, tone and purpose. Ask yourself the following questions when considering each trait of your brand voice:

Character: Is your brand friendly and warm, or more serious and authoritative? How do you express an authentic and original perspective?

Language: Are you wordy or concise? Are you technical, or do you use words any layperson would understand?

Tone: Do you want to be formal or informal? Serious, sarcastic or funny? What is your attitude towards your intended audience?

Purpose: What is your end goal for the brand on social media? Are you trying to inform your audience? Entertain them?

By answering these questions, you are already off to a great start! Nice work. Now, let’s dive a little deeper.

How to create a strong and unique voice that is also consistent with the brand.

First, decide how to portray your brand to your audience. Think about your brand, list some words that you think describe it, then link that to your voice.

Personally, I think Taco Bell has perfected their voice on social media platforms. They are consistently witty on all forms of social media and have a more laid back style that sets them apart from competitors. Check out this tweet:

As you can tell, Taco Bell uses simple language and keeps things light-hearted and less informative.  

Be authentic on social media.

Don't be who you think people want you to be—be who you are! Your voice needs to work cohesively with your brand, not fight against it. If people like your brand, stick with that same "vibe.” Do your best to keep things balanced by sharing more personal touches along with useful information.

Make sure that people are aware of your purpose on social platforms. Certain social media outlets can be used to promote or discuss different things—make that clear. Your blog content should be different than your Facebook or Instagram content.

Don’t forget: Engage with people on social platforms! Retweet and favorite tweets on Twitter, like posts on Facebook, share LinkedIn posts and so on. Doing this, rather than simply posting your company’s content, you’ll get notices.

Don’t forget about your customers.

Ask for customer input! Understand how they view your brand and make sure their insights aligns with the way it is displayed on social media. If you want your brand to be viewed in a different light, switch things up and try something new! Customers will appreciate that you care about their opinion and want to make your business better. After all, the customer is always right… right?

Voice often gets overlooked on social media, but it is definitely a way to stand out. Your audience searches for authentic communication and one of the ways to provide that is through voice. How do you make your voice stand out? Let me know in the comments below!