Changing Perspectives: how to be unique on social media
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The world in which we live is largely represented in social media – what we say online has become a source of truth, transparency and credibility.
The emotions we experience when receiving online content dominate the way we see the world. We seek connection, effective communication common ground, stuff that we can relate to and keep us cultured.
Traditional media and advertising have posed people as commodities, failing to show a holistic view of who we really are from the inside out. By showcasing your staff and an internal view of your organisation, you can show your audience what makes you unique.
Who are we? We are all different versions of ourselves in each different relationship (parent, employee, student, friend etc), through social media in business we are often one stable self with one tone of voice, created from organisational documents such as objectives, policies and strategies. It’s difficult to humanise this, but we are lucky enough to live in an age where we have the resources to create such powerful visual content and make an unprecedented amount of impressions through social media, impressions that can and do change perspectives. Social media is a powerful tool and it is an expectation from users of social media and our audience that we utilise it, and utilise it we will!
Through visual content we are able to create a positive profile of our business and our people; if your community is positively engaged, they are more likely to share your content through their own networks, which in turn increases brand awareness and trust.
Align your content with current news and affairs to create social comms that are relevant to your audience. In every post, campaign and video you create – you have the opportunity to change perspectives. Little by little, bit by bit you’ll be feeding change – if you want different results, you have to do things differently.
Work in collaboration with your staff and your community, avoid using stock media and instead use the faces and places of your community. This increases engagement as your audience is more likely to tag, share and comment because it relates to them on a personal level. Always gain their consent first and have them sign a consent form that grants you control to use and publish the content for its intended purpose. It safeguards both the talent and your business. Keep your forms simple and easy to understand and always, always let them know if your using the content for social media (some people are OK to be filmed or photographed until they know it’s going on social channels!).
If you have a native language, use it. Social media can be a driving force for keeping native languages alive and normalising its use in the social space, use it authentically and always have it checked by a fluent tongue.
Think about how people with disabilities view your videos. Subtitles make our videos accessible, for those with hearing difficulties and those watching in a public space with sound off, as most of us do. Be mindful of using flashing images and contrasting light and dark patterns in your effects and transitions, these can trigger unwell feelings for those with neurological disorders.
Brand, brand, brand! Videos are another opportunity to strengthen your brand, use your own logos, colours, fonts, and graphics. Branding helps to raise the profile of your organisation and promote your services and assets. Consistent use of branding will build recognition and recognition builds growth and reputation – every positive experience your users have with your content – should come with your brand.
Film in your community, at a range of different locations to keep your audience interested. If you’re filming with people who aren’t comfortable, get creative! Film their hands to show what they do, or film from their perspective. There’s always a way to get what you need and keep everyone feeling comfortable at the same time.
Social media in itself is a global culture, a somewhat universal language, distances are irrelevant and we are connected instantly – within all of this we need to define our identity and celebrate our difference – you can do this by showcasing your staff, your people, their passion, their hard work and in the process, humanise them and change people’s perspectives of your organisation.
Kylie is Horowhenua District Council’s Social Media Advisor, responsible for all social media communications. She advises a team who assist in managing 14 pages across four platforms. Since starting with Council in 2017, Kylie has increased (organically) engagement and reach by over 200% and doubled their followers on the Horowhenua District Council Facebook page. Kylie has introduced two successful video campaigns and worked closely with staff and members of the community.
