With the multitude of people using social websites and apps every day, social media marketing has evolved into a standard business practice. According to the Sprout Social’s 2018 Index, 97% of social advertisers utilize Facebook, while 88% use Twitter, and 83% use Instagram.

The question now is, what can you and your social media marketing company do to make your brand stand out in such a saturated landscape?

Define your voice

It may seem obvious, but the best way to not sound like all other businesses is to simply sound like you. Cultivate a voice for your brand—a personality that comes through in the tone and language of your posts. With it, customers may read anything from a status message to a hashtag and know that they’re seeing content from you.

Will your voice be conversational or formal? Sassy? Witty? In tune with current trends? Vocal about current affairs? It all depends on what you want your brand to represent and how you want it to be perceived. Sprout Social says that 83% of consumers welcome a friendly tone, 72% love a funny voice, and 33% appreciate a snarky approach. Ultimately, 86% just want an honest one.

Keep your voice consistent, whatever you decide. As Moz.com points out, an undefined voice can leave your posts sounding too much like your social media manager’s own. Otherwise, they can end up sounding generic or robotic. Either way, your customers might feel like they’re not authentically engaging with you.

Decide on your look

Your brand’s personality also emerges through your social media’s look. Defining this not only requires crafting a logo, choosing a color scheme, and picking a design template, but also managing the kinds of images you post. Will you mostly share photographs, or also repost cartoons? Will your infographics be straightforward charts with icons, or more elaborately illustrated pieces?

A professional approach is customary, but playfulness can also be appealing, distinctive, and engaging.

Delve into the personal

You and your competitors may all be promoting the same type of items, but what can you talk about that they can’t?

Behind-the-scenes content is one example. This includes features on how you uniquely craft your products, reflections on how you grew your company, and stories of employees and clients who enjoy working with you. Human-interest pieces like these stand out against other promo announcements and product photos, making your brand more memorable than any alternative.

More importantly, as “personal” content humanizes your business, it transforms you from a social media advertiser into a social media connection. Eventually, that’s how you want your audience to view your brand as it appears on their Facebook or Instagram: just as another trusted friend, sharing a meaningful update and offering opportunity for interaction.

Diversify your content

Lastly, remember that dynamic social media content makes for memorable content; no one wants to see the same kinds of posts appear on their feed every day. For this reason, SocialMediaToday.com recommends mixing up different posting techniques and content types to add “oomph” to your online presence.

For example, do more than post text and graphics; experiment with Facebook Live videos and Instagram Stories. If you prefer simple visuals, you could also explore Instagram collages, or “puzzle feeds”, which can instantly add style and a defining look to your page.

Work with a content marketing agency that knows how to effectively communicate your unique voice, look, and stories. With such a partner, you’ll be able to stand out on social media no matter the content type or platform.