Authenticity on social media is a huge deal for brands worldwide, but it’s something that so many seem to struggle with these days.
Social media has a bit of a reputation for being less than authentic from time to time. Whether it’s scammers, bots, or blatant lies, navigating the world of social media can be a difficult task sometimes.
Brands often preach authenticity on social media, but how many actually follow through on the promises they make and the values they claim to stand for?
With so many users on social media actively searching for brands they can trust, it’s becoming increasingly important for brands to understand exactly how to build that trust, how to maintain it, and how a lack of trust leads to bad customer service.
Here are a few ways to make sure you’re as authentic as possible on social media.
Share your success and your failures
It’s all well and good to talk yourself up and celebrate your successes as a business. However, it is just as important to let your followers know when things don’t (occasionally) go exactly as you may have planned.
People aren’t perfect. We all make mistakes. Every now and again, your business will make a few mistakes. Embracing your mistakes is a great way to let your followers know your human side and make your brand far more relatable.
When it comes to authenticity on social media, transparency is a crucial factor. If you’re open and honest with your followers, it will go a long way to building trust and creating a more engaged following and sense of community around your brand.
Engage with your community
One of the best ways to be authentic on social media is to engage with your community. This means taking the time to respond to comments, emails, and more. Not only should you respond to your followers’ questions, but you should also do it with a personal touch.
Your followers will notice when you’re overusing canned responses. Even something as simple as addressing your followers by their name adds a level of care that will add to your authenticity on social media.
Bonus: don’t be afraid to ask your followers questions and get creative!
Celebrate your followers/customers
If you want to be authentic on social media, there’s almost no better way to do it than by sharing stories about your followers. Why? Because your followers are real, and real stories have a habit of making a real impact.
Whether it’s reviews, testimonials, an excellent customer service interaction, or even an example of a customer using your product/service, if you want to be authentic online, you have to be real. Celebrate your customers and let people know how much others love using your products and interacting with your brand.
When telling stories about your customers, make sure you get their consent, tag their social media accounts, and don’t be afraid to reward them with a freebie every so often.
Walk the walk
It’s easy for brands to talk the talk on social media. It is, however, to make sure you’re walking the walk. If your brand stands for something, whether it’s a cause or simply just a set of values, make sure you’re following through.
When creating content for social media, you should always have your brand’s values front and centre. Before posting anything, ask yourself: does this represent who we are as a brand and what we stand for?
While it may not always seem to be the case, consumers nowadays are smarter and savvier than ever before. People can smell when a brand is being inauthentic from a mile away. It’s one thing to want to have the appearance of authenticity, but it’s another thing entirely to live and breathe it on social media every single day.
