Social media is a great tool for brands to utilize in order to gain the attention of people who would be interested in their services. However, it can be tough to differentiate yourself from the millions of other brands using these platforms for the exact same reason. 

So how can you stand out from the crowd? How can you make your brand's presence known on social media? 

It doesn't take an overcomplicated method or formula to help differentiate your brand. Chances are, you could actually be overthinking what you can change or implement. Below we've included a few simple yet effective tips to help grab the attention of consumers. 

Stay true to your brand

This seems obvious, but some brands get too caught up in what others are doing, saying, etc. that they begin to lose their voice and what they stand for. Doing so ends up causing your brand to blend in and your content could become just another post to scroll through on someone's social media feed.

People like originality. Another cookie cutter brand isn't going to appeal to them or catch their attention (for very long, at least). Users will notice if you happen to change the look of your brand's feed or the verbiage of your captions. Staying true to your brand and its voice is crucial in keeping and attracting the interest of old and new consumers.

Know your audience

Although it's self-explanatory, knowing the ins and outs of your audience is a must. Who are they? What piques their interest? Why do they follow you? How is what you offer relevant or important to them? These are all important questions to assess and look into.

One way to help you get to know your audience is by looking at social media analytics/insights. What worked and what didn't? How did your audience respond to certain posts and why did they respond the way they did? 

The more familiar you are with your audience, the more you will be able to appeal to their wants, needs, and interests. 

Come up with post/content series

Have you ever found yourself taking part in a poll on a company's Instagram story or interacting with a video series they put out weekly? This content is original, brand-specific, and fun to take part in, especially when people are in the middle of scrolling through their feed.

An example of this would be our founder Tony's weekly video series, This Week at IFC, where he gives updates on our agency's work and some insight on branding-related topics.

Creating post series or weekly activities for social media engage people and keep them coming back to stay in the loop.

Stick to a consistent post schedule

Posting consistently is key to sticking out and popping up on the feeds of consumers. Ghosting your followers or posting whenever you have the time isn't going to work out in your favor. 

Luckily there are quite a few platforms out there that can help you schedule out posts in advance for all social media platforms. No one is left hanging or wondering when (or if) you're going to post next. 

Creating a posting schedule will also ensure that people have your brand on their minds. For example, if you post a weekly update every Monday, your followers will be expecting to see a post and look forward to what is to come.

Not as complicated as you thought, right? Although there are many more ways to help your brand stand out, these are the four that we thought we'd share with you. 

Maddie Szczerba is our IFC Collegiate Messaging Intern. She is currently majoring in Strategic Public Relations and minoring in Business Communication. When she's not in the office you can find her sipping on an iced chai, scouring Hulu for another show to binge-watch, or venturing across Cedar Falls with friends.