4 Steps to Building Your Brand’s Social Media Persona

People are like puzzles; all the pieces of an individual come together to create something unique. The same can be said for brand social media personas. Your goals as a brand lend themselves to an identity or social media persona that is all your own; it determines the type of content you publish and the words you use.

When Balcom begins working with a client’s social media, we develop these personas so we can maintain a relatable, consistent voice across platforms. Here are the four basic steps that will help you solve your own brand persona puzzle.

1. Set your sights. Establish an identity that speaks to the target market; the interests of a middle-aged woman with children are going to differ drastically from those of a millennial college student.

2. Make it personal. Identify traits that will resonate with fans, and use them to guide the development of your social media persona – for instance, whether they sound plainspoken or sophisticated. Consumers want to engage with content that relates to their lifestyle and values.

3. Live with the market. Pick social media platforms that are relevant to fan demographics, and make a point to be familiar with industry-specific jargon. The lingo for western wear is going to be a sharp contrast from medical terminology.

4. Find a model. Pick a celebrity that embodies the character traits and interests of your target market. If possible, choose someone with experience in the industry to offer a sense of credibility. Don’t think of this as a rigid identity from which all content originates – it’s more of an inspirational character to put you in the proper frame of mind when creating content.

Laying the framework for a social media persona is vital to staying consistent with your brand’s social media content. We suggest reevaluating your persona as your business evolves; if your goals shift, you’ll probably need to update your persona, too – after all, change is inevitable in today’s marketplace.

More help with your social media efforts:

• How Long Should My Post Be?
• The Rise of Visual Content in Social Media
• Don’t Get Sued: A Quick Guide to Social Media and Copyright Law