As the Founder and CEO of your company, the last thing you should be worried about is your online presence. You have a business to run, investors to please, employees to lead, clients to serve, and a bottom line to meet.
But have you ever stopped to think about how your online presence could be affecting your bottom line?
And by your online presence, I don't just mean your website or social media profiles. I'm taking into account everything that represents your brand online - from the content you post to the way you interact with industry peers to the reviews and feedback from your customers to even the smallest details like your email signature.
Think about it, as a leader in your industry, your online presence is a direct reflection of your business. It's a direct reflection of you.
It's how your current customer and clients perceive you, and how potential customers and clients make their first impression of your company. And on social media, that first impression will make or break a potential sale, the decision to work with you, or even just simply follow your page.
Now imagine this - your online presence is inconsistent. You have a website that's outdated, social media profiles with sporadic and irrelevant content, negative reviews from unhappy customers, and an email signature that still has the default settings.
What kind of message does this send to your audience?
It tells them that you don't care about staying current and relevant in your industry. It shows them that you don 't value their feedback or satisfaction. It shows them that you don't put effort into the small details of your business. Ultimately, it shows them that you may not be a trustworthy or reliable company to do business with.
Inconsistency Leads to Confusion.
When your company pages on different social media platforms have contrasting branding or messaging, it creates confusion for your audience. They may not know which page is the official one, and they may even question if your company is legitimate.
Your website may say one thing, while your social media pages say another.
Inconsistent branding and messaging reflects poorly on your company culture. It shows that there is a lack of communication, organization, and attention to detail within your team. This can lead to a ripple effect of inconsistency, as employees may feel unsure of how to represent the company online.
Inconsistency Breeds Inefficiency
Not only does inconsistency affect your brand perception, but it also leads to inefficiency in your business operations. If you, your marketing department, and your social media team are not on the same page, it will lead to wasted time and effort. Different messages being sent out can confuse customers, and it takes longer to create content when there is no clear direction or guidelines.
Your team may also spend time fixing mistakes and trying to keep up with the changes, rather than focusing on important tasks such as creating effective campaigns or engaging with your audience. This can result in missed opportunities and a loss of potential customers.
Inconsistency Causes Missed Opportunities
Studies have shown that consistent branding across all channels can increase revenue by up to 23%. This is because it builds trust and credibility with your audience. When your branding and messaging are inconsistent, it creates doubt in the minds of potential customers. They may question the legitimacy of your business or have a hard time connecting to your brand.
If potential investors, collaborators or partners visit one of your social media pages and find conflicting information or messaging, they may question your professionalism and credibility. This can lead to missed opportunities for growth and partnerships that could have taken your business to the next level.
Creating a Consistent Brand
To avoid these problems, it's important to create and maintain a consistent brand identity for your company across all channels. This includes everything from the way your website looks to the to the posts you make on social media to the emails you send to your subscribers.
Here are some key elements to consider when creating a consistent brand:
Branding Guidelines: Develop clear branding guidelines for your company that outline the tone, voice, and visual identity of your brand.
Digital Marketing Strategy: Create a digital marketing strategy that aligns with your branding guidelines and set goals for how you want to engage with your audience.
Social Media Strategy: Develop a social media strategy that aligns with your branding and digital marketing strategies. This should include consistent messaging, visuals, and engagement tactics across all platforms.
Content Creation: Ensure that all content created for your brand follows the guidelines set in place and reflects your brand's voice and tone.
Collaboration: Work closely with your team to ensure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to creating and sharing company content. This includes everyone from marketing and PR to customer service and sales.
Consistency: Consistently review and evaluate your brand's messaging, visuals, and overall identity to ensure that they align with your branding guidelines.
By having a consistent brand, you'll not only build a strong and recognizable image for your company, but you'll also instill trust in your audience and establish yourself as a professional and credible brand.
You'll make it easier for customers, partners, investors, potential client to understand who you are, what you stand for and what they can expect from your brand. This will lead to stronger relationships and ultimately, better business.
Remember, your company is not just about the offerings and services you provide, but also about the experience and values that you bring to your customers.
If you need help creating and maintaining consistency on social media and other platforms, book a strategic consultation to see how we can help you elevate your brand presence.