It’s difficult to imagine a business without a solid social media strategy. Social media is such an important part of the digital marketing sector that some companies rely on it far more than traditional advertising methods. 

However, it’s not enough to put together a bunch of impersonal, canned posts advertising your business so you can publish them on Facebook and Instagram. Today’s consumer expects more from the businesses they trust. They want relationships, and social media is a great way to both establish and maintain those connections. 

But, you have to know how to create posts that are authentic, meaningful, and show off the “human” side of your business. After all, you have real people working for you — let their personalities come through in your social media strategy.

Not sure how to get started? Let’s cover a few ways you can create more authentic and meaningful social media posts that will attract and engage your target audience.

Start From the Inside

Consumers will know when your social media posts aren’t genuine. Most people can pick up on a marketing technique that doesn’t focus on the human qualities of a brand. If you want to avoid that sort of “fake” perception, start from within. 

When you foster a positive, healthy work environment, your employees are more likely to showcase that through their marketing efforts — including on social media. There are plenty of ways to establish that kind of environment, including prioritizing the well-being of everyone who works for you. Consider giving employees more flexibility, extra time off, and mental health days to reduce stress and avoid the risk of burnout. 

When your team feels cared for, they’ll be more productive and loyal to your brand. They’ll also feel more connected and happy to share positive posts with your social media audience. 

Build Trust and Form Relationships

Another great thing about having a positive work environment is that you can share it with your audience. Because customers are eager to form relationships with companies, you can humanize your brand by mixing up your posts with things like: 

• Behind-the-scenes photos;
• Livestream events;
• Videos;
• Establishing a brand voice for your social media accounts.

Relationships will also grow as you engage with your followers. The great thing about social media is that it’s, well, social. Use that to your advantage by answering questions, getting involved in conversations, and letting your audience know that there’s a real person behind the keyboard interacting with them. While things like chatbots and AI can be helpful when it comes to customer service, there’s no replacement for real human interaction. 

Different generations on social media expect a variety of things, so don’t limit yourself to one platform. While your brand voice should be consistent no matter where you post, keep your audience in mind and think about who you’re really marketing to and how they generally consume content. Depending on your audience, it can help to connect with generational influencers who know what kind of language to use and how to appeal to the right people. No matter what strategy you go with, make sure your posts aren’t leaving anyone out or only appealing to a specific group.

Be Transparent About Your Brand

One thing all generations can agree on is the importance of transparency when it comes to trusting a business. One recent survey found that only 30% of consumers have trust in companies. That should be an eye-opening statistic for anyone who wants to establish a strong brand. 

Thankfully, social media is a great place to build that trust, not just by forming the relationships we touched on above, but by being totally transparent about who you are and what you do. Should you use social media as a sales platform? Sure, but not by throwing around advertisements and hot deals every day. Instead, focus on sharing what your company is about. As more people start to trust you, those sales will come. 

Start by communicating your brand values and goals clearly. It’s a great way for people to feel like they can connect with you in some way. Your core company values are up to you, but some of the most common ones that tend to mean something to consumers include: 

• Loyalty;
• Accountability;
• Simplicity;
• Respect;
• Trust;
• Honesty.

It’s also never a bad idea to share the causes you’re passionate about and what efforts your brand is making to help. For example, sustainability is at the forefront of almost everyone’s mind nowadays. If your brand takes the initiative to be more sustainable and reduce your carbon footprint, you’re bound to build more trust and form stronger relationships with your audience. 

There are plenty of ways for businesses to track their corporate sustainability efforts, from IoT sensors to cloud-based services. Sharing the results of your efforts on social media will not only help your audience realize that you care about something greater than yourself, but it’s a great way to bolster user-generated content and spread word-of-mouth advertising. 

Don’t be afraid to have fun with your social media strategy. The less strict you are about your posts, the more authentic they’ll be. That can often feel like a breath of fresh air for consumers who are bogged down with too many ads and businesses that don’t know how to be social. Keep these suggestions in mind to create more meaningful posts and connect with your audience on a deeper level.

Author: Amanda Winstead