Find and Own Your Brand Voice
Have a Personality
Have you ever walked into a meeting and heard someone mention, "We need to find our brand voice!" And then everyone goes, "Yeah, that's a great idea." But thought to yourself, what does that mean? How does that apply to social or digital? It's a fundamental concept to nail. Some people do it naturally, while others have to work on it. Your voice and tone both build your account's personality.
The best, most engaging brands and social media team accounts have personality. They are an extension of their brand, team, and city. They have an opinion, are confident to share it, and present their point of view. We can only read their post if we identify the source and know where it came from. They are more than score updates and player quotes; they bring their accounts to life.
Developing your brand personality is amplified in today's content-driven world. We are cluttered with content from all over the plant. Developing your personality starts by finding your voice and tone. The two terms are connected but often need clarification with one another. They are different and serve separate purposes.
Voice vs. Tone
Your voice is how you express your attitude and values. In social, it's an extension of your brand. It could be snarky, whimsical, expert, smart-ass, sarcastic, loud, matter-of-fact, etc. It outlines your social media personality. The voice doesn't change. Keeping a consistent voice is essential to maintain authenticity.
Your tone is how you express yourself and will change based on context. Happy, sad, excited, frustrated, etc. A post's tone after a big win differs from a post after a frustrating loss and is certainly different when relaying the unfortunate news that a former player passed away. Also, it builds your account's personality, but there is flexibility in how you react.
Your voice doesn't change - it's who you are and how your fans expect you to act, but your tone will vary depending on the context of the situation and the channel.
Rise Above the Clutter of Content
Why are some accounts better than others? Typically, it comes down to the person - or people - behind the account. A good social media account can succeed with just copy and a strong voice that delivers brand personality. Images, video, and graphics aren't necessary.
An excellent account has it all - voice, proper use of imagery, blends in video, memes, and other graphics, etc. But the most essential quality is the voice. It guides the conversation and looks at the world of sports uniquely. Then uses the other content pieces to emphasize their voice. Collectively, they build their personality. Start with the voice, absolutely own it, and then layer additional content around the account to develop a truly unique account personality.
Why It's Important
Your social media accounts are your storytellers; your voice is how you tell your stories. They are used more frequently than other marketing channels and engage with fans. It humanizes your brand.
Several years ago, some described Social Media as a party, and the social media team was the host. You engage with your followers, keep them interested, introduce them to others to create new connections, and entertain them. A good host has a personality, and they're very social - at least during their party.
This party is on 24/7. We have to host our fans and keep them engaged. Celebrate the highs, struggle through the lows, and be passionate about their team. This interaction builds rapport with fans and builds trust as they know what to expect and what your team account represents. Make sure everyone's drinks are full.
Many, many teams do this well. All should emphasize it. When we build our teams, look for this skill. Look at your potential new hire's accounts. Go outside the interview. Find the personality on their social accounts. It will be the key differentiator to engaging fans.
