Why is authentic content marketing the key to building a more devoted audience, you ask? Keep reading.
Social media posts are a dime a dozen. Authentic, genuine content on the other hand, far less common. Humans are emotional creatures. We respond best to stories of authenticity, that build trust and connection; in fact, we are 22 times more likely to remember genuine stories that we resonate with. So, what does this mean for your brand and social media? Being your true, authentic self, my friend.
Showing off a “perfect” (fake) life on Instagram and hiding the realities of the day-to-day just isn’t cutting it anymore (influencers, listen up!!). People can be fixated on only presenting a socially desirable, positive self-view to others when online, in turn, painting others an unrealistic picture of reality, disconnecting their true selves from their audience. This can often create a “toxic”, disconnected relationship with your audience, and that is so far from what you want as a business owner and brand. We want to see you, being real, relatable and authentic. After all, we don’t buy the brand, we buy the human/s behind the brand. You are your brand, and we love to see you, hear you, and connect with you.
Below are a few tips and ideas to help you keep it real online...
Be honest.
There is, of course, a fine line to toe here, as you don’t want to present your brand in a negative way, but being open and honest goes a long way in establishing authenticity. Now more than ever, brands are being held accountable for their content, as there becomes a stronger need for brands to be true to their values and brand voice, communicating openly and honestly with their clients and taking responsibility for their actions. If you are posting images of your product or service, please do not photoshop the images to make the product do things it actually can’t do. If you’re hiding or covering something up or making claims that are far from the truth, your followers will sniff out the truth, so don’t even try.
Keep it real.
In a world of carefully curated content, and beautifully lit and perfectly captured candid moments it’s easy to get trapped in the pitfalls of comparison and one-upmanship. Avoid this siren song and let your brand speak for itself through real moments. In order for followers to feel you’re being real, you must actually, well, be real. As a social media manager, I can certainly tell you that the number one performing content of all time, is real, raw and honest (with a picture of the face/s behind the brand, of course). Customers have a sense of self that comes from brands they support, so knowing they’re supporting a brand that is genuine and authentic will make them feel good about their choices, and we love a happy customer!
Show & tell us something about yourself, & often.
What journey did you take to get where you are today? Why are you a trustworthy voice in the industry? What does your day-to-day work life look like? What helps you wind down when you’re not working? We want to see, hear and connect with you on a more personal level, and sharing things about yourself and your journey as a human and brand will help make this happen!
Whether you’re running your business solo or amongst an entire team, we want to see you. You (and your team) are the brand, and putting a face to the brand helps humanise your brand thus creating a stronger brand identity that your audience feels they can trust.
Storytelling.
By coupling beautiful imagery with an authentic message, your content has a higher chance of reaching an audience who actually want to engage with you, your story and your journey. Paint us a picture of your journey as a business, or tell us a story of what you got up to during the week. Believe it or not, we want to know, and storytelling will help your audience understand you on a deeper level, further building community and connection with your customers.
If you’re finding it difficult to create a social media strategy that aims to forge a deeper connection with your audience online, we are here to help.
...
Comments