5 Ways to Build Brand Authenticity

Social media has changed the tides of marketing, or so to speak. Gone are the days of cold, impersonal branding. According to Doug Ackerman, consumers are searching for authenticity before they are willing to develop a sense of loyalty. We've compiled five different ways to foster authenticity in your own brand. When determining the road map for your social media strategy, consider these tips.

1. Utilize Influencer Marketing

In the words of social media guru, Clare Albers, "brand authenticity means honesty." In a recent article, Clare explains that integrity and transparency are two elements that make authenticity so attractive to consumers. In today's culture, authenticity is more than just relatability - it's trust. According to Forbes, consumers are used to years and years of being bombarded by sales pitches, commericals and advertisements. While there's a time and place for each of these, it's important that your brand be trustworthy and accessible. A fantastic resource for achieving this is by working with influencers to promote and review your product. Make sure the influencer you work with is made aware that you are requesting their honest reviews. In seeing influencer reviews about your product, consumers will likely be more accepting of your brand.

2. Dig Deeper into Your Client's Needs

Don't solely offer your clients social media content that sells your company. Forbes notes that digging deeper into the psyche of your target client can pack a big punch. Find out what your client is thinking and feeling by asking yourself three questions.

a. What need does my product fulfill? Consider the honest selling points for your product. What problem does your product solve?

b. Who is my ideal client? Based off of your answer to the first question, determine the basic need-to-knows. For example, if our product is non-fat, hydrating yogurt called Mo0, we need to know that at least one type of our target client is probably the healthy eater and enjoys fitness.

c. What type of person is my ideal client? This is the place to do some research. Become your ideal client and find out what he/she loves, hates, wants, needs - the list goes on. The more detailed, the better!

Once you've learned a bit more about who your ideal client is, use this information to brainstorm potential topics for social media posts that he/she will find useful or interesting. Say Mo0, for example, posts to Instagram an image of a woman just after a workout eating a bowl of Mo0 yogurt. The caption says,

"Post workout tip: it's easy to drink up during your workout, but don't forget to keep hydrating, even after acing that new deadlifting goal!"

A post like this offers value to Mo0's target clients by giving them useful information, while still promoting the product in an honest, unobtrusive way.The key is to keep the content relevant, and allow it to be helpful without giving a constant sales pitch.

3. Be Available

This one is a bit more obvious, but nobody likes the feeling of being ignored. With current social media marketing methods, it can be easy to overlook customer relationships with less face to face interaction.

It is crucial to make sure you don't accidentally ignore customer relationships. Social media is all about being social, so allow it to compliment, rather than to hinder interaction. Simply Measured notes that social media is almost like a great big focus group, right at your fingertips. Take the time to listen and respond to your followers on all platforms, address negative complaints, be grateful for kind words - make them feel important because they are!

4. Be Interactive in the Community

This one goes hand in hand with point number 3, but reaches a bigger audience. In addition to responding to interactions that take place on your social channels, be sure to branch out and network with the community. According to Kim Garst, hashtags can be used to find prospective clients. Utilize relevant hashtags to find your target market where they're at. Make sure to like and comment on posts that involve your brand topic. This is great way to build a sense of authenticity within the community, and to draw in new followers who you've already taken the time to invest in on a personal level.

5.Consistency is Key

It may come as a bit of a surprise, but maintaining consistency both visually and through your voice is a crucial aspect of creating an authentic brand. Your current and potential clients are interested in what you have to offer on both of these levels, especially when it comes to social media. Consistency shows your clients that you are reliable. According to North Star Marketing, a consistent brand eliminates confusion, conveys your outlook and helps to manage perceptions. Keeping both imagery and the type of content you post consistent will allow your followers to know what type of content to expect from you. Constantly changing your brand voice or visual appeal will lose you followers and engagement quickly.

The most important takeaway from these 5 tips is this - care about your consumer. Allow your voice to be honest and genuine, and authenticity will flow through the heart of your brand.

Happy Wednesday!

Alex, Sydney, Cat, Brianna and Cameron.