Are you tired of people telling you to be authentic on social media yet? 

Well, unfortunately, this is another article telling you to be authentic on social media.

Please don’t run. Trust me, I’m well aware of how overused the word is in the current social landscape, and it comes out of my mouth more than I care to admit. It’s easy to say “just be authentic” on social, but seriously, what does that even mean anymore? 

Well, here’s the tricky part. Authenticity isn’t a goal. It’s a byproduct of consistency and honesty. It’s about knowing who your brand is when the cameras aren’t rolling and then showing it to the world; flaws, weirdness, and all. Because the second you start manufacturing authenticity, it might actually have the opposite effect you’re looking for. 

Clear as mud, right? Don’t worry, I put together a few tips to help your brand start showing up on social media the right way. A way that is so perfectly YOU.

Think About WHY People Would Want to Follow You

I tell my clients all the time that they have to give people a reason to follow. Even if you have a beloved brand, if you’re only posting product photos, people might get bored and dip. How could you genuinely provide value? Are you funny and entertaining? Are you educational? How can you get someone to stick around even if they don’t buy your product? 

Stop Chasing Every Trend

I know, jumping on trends is so fun, but if it doesn’t align with your brand’s actual personality, it’s ok to sit it out. No one will be mad at you for missing a trend. Sure, sometimes when the buttoned-up law firm posts a weird trend, it does go viral, but is it attracting the audience they want? Are those new followers sticking around? Will they resonate with messaging once you return to your regular content? 

Honesty Has Always Been the Best Policy

Here’s a stat for you. Mentions of the term “deinfluening” were up 79% last year. If you eff up, people will be talking about it. If your product isn’t great, people will be talking about it. And if you use some sketchy business practices, yup, the internet sleuths will find out, and they WILL be talking about it. If your brand isn’t being transparent about pricing, process, and everything in between, well, your customers will be honest for you.

Here are a few tips:

• If someone calls you out, apologize, and not in the overly corporate, polished manner we’re used to seeing.
• What’s even better than apologizing? Get ahead of it before deinfluencing is needed. Know your product has a small flaw? Let everyone know you’re aware and working on it. 
• And on social media or not, good customer service never goes out of style. 

Are Aesthetic Feeds Dead?

I’ve watched the industry panic every time the pendulum swings. First, we were obsessed with the Lightroom-filtered, minimalist grid. Then, we burned it all down in favor of messy photo dumps. Now, the narrative is that “aesthetic” is over.

This doesn’t mean consumers are craving ugly content. They’re just looking for content that feels like it was captured, not manufactured. (Looking at you, AI! 👀) No brand is perfect, and it’s ok to show that on social media. 

If “messy” doesn’t match your brand’s vibe, GREAT! Don’t be messy. Just be real. Don’t worry about every image being perfectly polished. Show what’s going on behind the scenes. Show your product in the real world. Show it being used in a genuine way. 

And don’t get me wrong. I still love a beautiful grid. While I believe the value of each post is most important, your grid can still be someone’s first impression of you, so it should give them an immediate sense of who you are. 

Find Your Niche

Sunday reset clean girls. Chronically online gamers. Fairy smut book-tokers. No matter how niche your brand is, there’s a community online to match it. Get to know them! Watch their videos, engage with them, ask them questions, find out what they’re looking for, and tap into it in a helpful, genuine, and entertaining way that makes sense for your brand. 

Relinquish Control

This is a tough one. You can’t always control your brand’s narrative. In fact, brands initiate less than 1% of brand-related conversations online. The real opportunity lies in how well you listen and respond to the other 99%. 

And Please, Have Some Fun

Sometimes I feel like we’ve lost the plot of social media. It should be SOCIAL, and it should be FUN! If you’re having a good time doing it, that will ultimately shine through to your customers.
Tori Pangburn is the Director of Social at Morrison – Atlanta’s longest-standing, independent ad agency. She oversees all social strategy, content development, and community management, and has worked with B2B and B2C clients, including Hooters, Paradies Lagardere, Moe’s, BIOLYTE, and CRYOVAC. If you’d like to learn more about Morrison’s social media services, check us out at morrison.agency.