I’ve lost count of how many times i’ve had this conversation with people. As the founder and face of Paragon Collective, much of my time has been spent explaining to my clients and consults that my services go far beyond just curating a pretty Instagram feed. While other agencies offer what I would call the ‘operational’ side of branding, e.g. creating a logo and style guide, I believe very few have the expertise and skills to develop a strong brand identity from the start.

With my background in psychology, sales and traditional media, I can balance strategy and creativity to uncover what’s truly unique about a business. While you can’t tell people how to feel about a brand, you can most definitely project the image you’d like to convey. It’s incredibly satisfying working with a client, helping them discover exactly how they want their customers to perceive their brand as a company, product, or service. They may think they know their story but in reality, they may not, and when it transpires, it’s so rewarding to be a part of the process!

When it comes to social media, a lot can be said for having a strong strategy and a sound understanding of your brand before you start working on your captions and images. Posting meaningless content won’t drive sales, and you’ll lose followers quicker than you can gain them. If you think you can build an engaged audience simply by posting ‘aesthetically-pleasing’ photos, then think again. At the end of the day, you should want your content to be so value-packed that it gives people a reason to follow, stick around, engage with it and then buy from you! If it’s done right, they’ll come back again and again. They might even bring their friends.

If you’re feeling a little stuck, some social media tips for establishing and maintaining your brand on social media include:

• Recognising who your target audience is by reflecting on demographics such as age, gender, education, and income level;
• Developing your social media objectives e.g. to drive deals by drawing in clients or to increase awareness about your products;
• Choosing the right social media platforms for your audience by analysing the demographics of your customers and how they interact;
• Keeping your branding consistent across the platforms you’re active on e.g. same colour palette, logos/avatars, filters, templates, etc;
• Developing a social media voice with your audience, culture, and authenticity in mind; and
• Choosing a few topics of discussion that are closely related to your industry and directly related to your brand

 
Some content ideas that relate to the above tips include:

• Delivering tips, tricks and advice relevant to your industry and audience;
• Inducing emotive reactions through the use of customer reviews and testimonials;
• Educating your audience about your products or services and linking them to the benefits they can provide;
• Being transparent about the story, team or person behind the brand; and
• Sharing a funny quote that aligns with your brand personality and tone of voice

At the end of the day, establishing and maintaining your brand on social media will save you money, not cost you more. If you’re a new business owner, the investment might seem hard to make at the start, but in the long run, we promise it will be worth it. You can check out our Brand Guide and Social Media Policy Guide in our online store for more help getting your brand journey started.