10 Social Media Branding Strategies Every Business Should Follow

Social media can be used for a variety of purposes. Whether it's social selling, content marketing or customer support, social media gives you the perfect opportunity to reach your target audience and build your brand. However, with so many different platforms available and heavy competition on all of them, it can be difficult to set your brand apart and carve out your place on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Is your brand being represented the way you want it to on social media? If the answer is no, follow these 10 social media branding strategies to amplify your results:

1. Choose The Right Networks

If you're not gaining any traction on some of the social media platforms you're active on, it may not entirely be your fault. With hundreds of social media apps out there, and new ones popping up every day, it's tempting to jump into all of them. However, every social network won't be the right fit for your company. Your job is to find the networks that align with your brand's image. Otherwise, you'll struggle to make progress.

For instance, if your company is a steel manufacturer, then Tumblr probably isn't the best option for you. Tumblr's primary demographic is teens and people in their early twenties. A better option would be LinkedIn since it's a B2B network that attracts business owners.

If you're struggling to find out which social networks your target audience is most active on, take a look at these social media demographics to get the perfect starting point.

2. Don't Overlook Visual Branding

Visuals play an important part in social media branding. If each of your profiles looks like they're owned by a different company, it creates a disconnect for your users. You want your branding to be consistent across all channels. This will help people immediately recognize your company no matter which site or app they're using.

One company that does this very well is Coca-Cola. When you look at the company's Facebook, Twitter and Instagram profiles, you'll notice the consistency in color and design:

Facebook:

Instagram:

Twitter:

Here are some tips to take away from Coca-Cola's use of visual branding on social media:

Choose a color palette: Coca-Cola uses its classic red and white color scheme across all social media channels. It doesn't just stop at the logo. When you look at the posts the company shares, you'll rarely find visuals that don't include the color red. The easiest way to develop your color palette is to take a look at your logo. You want to get to a point where people associate those colors with your brand. Keep in mind that different colors can impact the way people perceive your brand.

Use the same logo/avatar: You should be using the same avatar for every social network. The easiest option is to use your logo or a symbol that represents your company. People should see your avatar and immediately associate it with your brand.

Filter carefully: Whenever you're sharing images on Instagram or other visual channels, keep your filters consistent. Whether that means using no filters at all or Mayfair, choose one or two and stick to it. Using a different filter for every image you share makes your posts look unorganized and inconsistent.

Create templates: If you have a team handling your social media marketing efforts, it can be helpful to create templates for any graphics you share on social media. That way, your fonts, colors and designs will always be consistent. You can do this through Photoshop or use a visual tool like Canva.

3. Develop Your Voice

Your brand's personality should be reflected in your social media posts. That means developing a social media voice. This is the way your brand communicates in Tweets, Facebook posts and Snaps. Finding your voice can take some time, but you'll settle into it eventually. To find your social media voice, consider these three main elements:

1. Your company culture: What is the culture like at your company? Your culture is what you stand for, what your company is about and what makes you special. For example, Under Armour's culture is all about performing to the highest level and being innovative. The use of hashtags like #IWILL in social media posts shows that the company's social media voice is a direct reflection of its culture.

"It doesn't matter what happened in the past." – @Andy_Murray

His time is now. #IWILL #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/v6ThtUz1EX

— Under Armour (@UnderArmour) January 31, 2016

2. You audience: Speaking in a way that your audience connects with is very important. That could include using certain lingo and references that are popular in your target market. Taco Bell is constantly in tune with what's popular with its audience (a younger demographic) and crafts its social media posts to fit that voice.

3. Authenticity: Whatever your social media voice develops into, make sure it's authentic to your brand. Trying to sound a certain way just to fit in can backfire. Taco Bell's posts resonate with its audience because the company has been consistent and it feels authentic. If you look at the Huggies Twitter account, you'll find plenty of Tweets that speak directly to the company's main demographic, which is mothers. The Huggies social media voice is genuine and authentic to the brand.

New moms are masters of one-handed tasks. What's your latest feat? #NewMom