How to Stand out from Your Competitors and Cut Through the Noise on Social Media
Image from Pinterest, by Lux Uncut: @luxuncut
If you’re building a business…
You’re going to want to be on social media.
In today's digital landscape, social media is a vital platform for businesses to establish and communicate who they are, what they stand for, and what the sell. A.K.A - their brand identity.
There are a sea of new businesses popping up everyday, and a huge array of voices online vying for our attention. When there’s already so much happening online…
How do we get our brand to stand out from our competitors?
How do we attract our “tribe” & our “archetype”?
How can we convert our likes and follows to a cult-like community that generates repeat sales?
Good news - you don’t need to be the best.
You need to get super clear on:
Who you are serving
How you’re helping them,
And what makes you different
A consistent and well-defined social media account can enhance audience engagement, build a song sense of trust, and foster a loyal community around your brand.
Stop throwing spaghetti at the wall…
Here are ten effective strategies (tested and proven) to help you get super clear on how you communicate and build your brand identity on social media.
1. Define Your Brand Voice
Get clear on how you want your brand to be perceived.
Establishing a clear brand voice is essential in conveying your values and personality.
Whether your tone is professional, casual, or humorous, consistency in your language and messaging can help your audience and followers understand who you are.
For example, enter Duolingo.
If you’re following Duolingo on TikTok, you would see from a distance that their brand voice is chaotic, funny and very “Gen-Z coded” as they lead the way with front-of-mind trends that young people love. Duolingo’s TikTok presence is intentionally over-the-top and absurd, often poking fun at themselves and current trends to (successfully) connect with a younger audience.
If you kind of get the gist of this, but are still feeling a little stuck - here are 2 practical take-home points you can action.
Use Real Conversations as a Starting Point
Observe how you (or your team) naturally talk to your customers in emails, DMs, or in real life (IRL) face-to-face. Your brand voice should feel like an extension of your real communication style, not something completely fabricated.Create a “Do’s and Don’ts” List
Outline what your brand voice is and is not. For example:✅ Use everyday language, speak to people in a way, tone and manner that they will understand
❌ Don’t use jargon or overly corporate terms
This gives you a tangible framework to stay consistent, especially when outsourcing social media or writing content.
Create a brand voice guide that outlines key phrases, terminology, and the style of communication you want to use across all your social channels.
Getting clear on how you want to sound can help attract the right audience, tribe and customer base in the noisy, online space.
2. Create a Visual Identity
After getting a clear idea of how you want to sound, ask - how do you want to look?
Visual elements such as logos, colours, and fonts are critical in forming your brand identity.
A strong visual brand identity can help your audience instantly recognise and connect with your business - which builds trust and credibility over time (the key word here is “over time”). Consistent visuals across all platforms reinforce your brand’s personality, making your content more memorable and professional.
For example, enter Apple.
Unless you’ve seriously been living under a rock - you would know that Apple is one of the world’s biggest, most innovative and recognisable brands.
Their visual identity? Minimalist, clean, and modern. Defined by simplicity: black, white, and grey tones, lots of white space, and sleek product imagery. Whether on their website, Instagram, or packaging, the look is unmistakably sleek.
Apple is obviously a long shot away from how our small businesses may feel - but there is a lot to be learnt. Here are 2 practical take-home tips to help you get clear on your brands’ visual identity.
Create a Brand Bible or Style Guide including:
Your brand’s colour codes (HEX, RGB)
Logo variations (full logo, icon-only, etc.)
Fonts (headings, sub-headings, paragraphs)
Image style (e.g. minimal, vibrant, moody)
This can keep your content looking consistent. Even if you’re DIY-ing or outsourcing design work.
Use Templates for Social Media Posts
Tools like Canva or Adobe Express are amazing platforms you can create reusable templates that match your brand’s look with. Using the right templates can save you a heap of time, ensure visual consistency and keeps your feed looking polished. Even if you’re not a designer.
Having a Brand Bible and reusable templates can help ensure that your visual identity is cohesive across all platforms with the same colour palette and design elements.
This consistency not only helps in brand recognition but also strengthens your overall presence and aesthetics on social media.
Image from Pinterest by Eleonora Montagner
3. Know Your Target Audience
Understanding your target audience is essential because it ensures your content, messaging, and offers speak directly to the people most likely to engage with and buy from your brand.
When you understand their needs, values, and behaviors, you can build stronger connections and drive more meaningful results.
A brand who does this really well? Spotify.
Spotify is one of the world’s largest audio streaming platforms and it is not only data-Driven, it’s also hyper-personalised. But, how?
Spotify uses listening data to tailor everything for their users. From curated playlists to cheeky, user-specific campaigns like “Spotify Wrapped.”
Throughout each social platform, including their own app - the tone of voice, visuals, and even humour consistently reflects their millennial and Gen-Z user base.
If you don’t know where to start, here are 2 practical tips that can help you define your target audience
Create Detailed Buyer Personas
Outline profiles for your ideal customers: including age, location, job, income level, lifestyle, goals, and pain points. Go beyond demographics and dig into their values, behaviors, and motivations. This will help you humanise your content strategy.Use Polls, Surveys, or Q&As on Social Media
Don’t guess, ask. Use Instagram Stories, email newsletters, or tools like Typeform to gather insights directly from your audience. Ask what they need, what they struggle with, or what kind of content they enjoy most.
Getting a clear idea on who your “Avatar” is (A.K.A. understanding your target audience) will mean you can better connect with your audience as you cater to their preferences, challenges, and interests.
This will enable you to create content that resonates with your followers, which will help them trust your brand identity in the process.
4. Curate Quality Content
Curating quality content builds trust and positions your brand as a reliable source in your niche.
It also encourages people to share, save, and continue to engage with your content - which will ultimately help you stay top-of-mind with your audience.
A brand that does this really well? National Geographic.
National Geographic is known for its stunning visuals and in-depth storytelling, Every social platform they use consistently delivers high-quality, educational content that aligns perfectly with its mission and audience interests.
How do we create and post consistent, quality content as small business owners?
Get clear on your Content Pillars
Define 3–5 core themes (e.g., education, inspiration, behind-the-scenes) that align with your brand and rotate content around them to maintain consistency and variety.Invest in your Visuals
Whether you decide to invest in professional photography, branded templates, or high-quality user-generated content - investing in strong visuals will instantly elevate the perception of your brand, and increase engagement.
All in all, high-quality content is vital for showcasing your brand’s expertise and maintaining audience engagement.
Prioritise posting informative, entertaining, and visually appealing content that aligns with your brand values.
And regularly check your content strategy to ensure it reflects your identity and meets your audience's expectations.
5. Be Authentic
Authenticity sets your brand apart in a crowded digital space by making it relatable and trustworthy. When people feel a real connection, they're more likely to become loyal followers and advocates for your business.
For example, enter Ben & Jerry’s.
This ice-cream legend openly share their social values, activism efforts, and company culture, reinforcing a sense of purpose and integrity that resonates deeply with its audience.
So, how can we take our own twist to show up authentically on social media as small business owners?
Show the “Imperfect” Moments
Share behind-the-scenes content, mistakes, or lessons learned. It makes your brand more human and approachable.Let Your Team or Founder Show Up On Camera
Introduce the faces behind the brand through short videos or personal stories to build emotional connection and authenticity.
Remember, authenticity is key to developing trust and credibility with your audience. Share genuine stories about your brand's journey, values, and behind-the-scenes moments.
This transparency will humanise your brand and encourage followers to connect with you on a deeper level.
Image from Pinterest - Source: @isabelle.dk
6. Engage with Your Audience
Engaging with your audience is one of the most important steps to build a sense of loyalty that turns passive followers into active participants in your brand’s story. Meaningful interactions with your audience also helps you better understand your audience’s needs and adapt your content accordingly.
Who does this well? Starbucks.
Starbucks is a coffee giant that frequently responds to customer feedback, features fun user-generated content, and encourages conversations in the comments-section through interactive posts. All these things tie in really well and show the brands’ genuine interest in its community.
How can we remember to interact and engage meaningfully with our audience as small business owners?
Set Time Aside Daily to Respond
Dedicate 15–30 minutes each day to reply to comments, DMs, and mentions. Consistency builds trust and shows you’re present.Use Interactive Features Like Polls or Question Stickers
Tools like Instagram Stories polls or Q&A boxes are quick, effective ways to spark conversations and invite your audience to participate in your content.
Remember, social media is a two-way street. So actively engaging with your audience is crucial. Respond to comments, participate in discussions, and acknowledge feedback. This not only builds relationships but also demonstrates that you value your community.
7. Leverage User-Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) builds trust by showcasing authentic customer experiences and turning your audience into brand advocates. It also adds variety to your content while reinforcing your brand’s values through real-world social proof.
For example, take GoPro.
GoPro masterfully integrates UGC into their content strategy by regularly featuring customer-shot footage, making their community the face of the brand and demonstrating the product’s capabilities in real-world settings.
How can we learn from GoPro, and other strong brands who seamlessly use UGC to elevate their brand positioning?
Create a Branded Hashtag
Encourage your followers to use a specific hashtag when sharing content related to your brand, making it easy to find and feature their posts.Always Credit and Thank Contributors
When reposting user content, tag the creator and show appreciation. This can strengthen the creator’s relationship with your brand, and inspire others to participate too.
UGC can be a powerful tool for reinforcing your brand identity, especially if done right. Encouraging your followers to share their experiences with your products or services, and feature their content on your profiles not only creates a sense of community but also validates your brand through real-life testimonials.
8. Remember to share your Brand’s Values
When you consistently share your brand's values online, you go beyond selling a product. You build a mission-driven brand that people want to support. Values-based content fosters deeper loyalty and helps attract followers who align with your purpose.
A brand who does this really well? Patagonia.
Patagonia consistently champions environmental activism and responsible consumption across its social channels, aligning its content with its core mission and attracting a community that shares those values.
How can we learn from Patagonia and take simple actionable points for our small business?
Integrate your business’s values into Everyday Content
Don’t reserve your values just for special campaigns. Embed them in product launches, captions, and storytelling so they become a natural part of your brand narrative.Share Real Impact Stories
Highlight behind-the-scenes efforts, donations, team volunteer days, or customer stories that show your values in action. This can make your message more tangible and credible.
Communicating your brand values is vital for attracting like-minded individuals. Use your social media platforms to highlight social causes, sustainability efforts, or community involvement. This can help your followers feel a sense of belonging and strengthen their emotional connection to your brand.
9. Monitor and Adapt Your Strategy
Regularly tracking your social media metrics helps you understand what’s working and what isn’t, so you can make informed decisions. Staying flexible and adapting your strategy keeps your brand fresh and aligned with your audience’s evolving preferences.
Enter: Netflix.
Netflix uses data-driven insights to tailor their content recommendations and marketing campaigns. The marketing team behind Netflix continuously refines their social media strategy to engage diverse audiences effectively.
What can we learn from this? How do we monitor our small businesses’ social media strategy?
Set Clear, Measurable Goals
Define specific KPIs like engagement rate, reach, or conversions to track progress and make performance evaluation easier. Is there a post, or type of post that performed best? What was it about that post that connected with your audience?Schedule Regular Strategy Reviews
Dedicate time monthly or quarterly to analyse your analytics and adjust your content plan based on the results and audience feedback.
Posting intentionally is important - but so is continuously monitoring your social media performance using analytics tools.
Pay attention to engagement rates, follower growth, and feedback to identify trends and areas for improvement. Be open to adapting your strategy so that your brand identity remains relevant and resonates with your audience over time.
10. Stay Consistent
Consistency is really important to connect with your audience. Showing up consistently will build familiarity, making your brand feel reliable and professional to your audience. When your visuals, tone, and posting cadence align, followers know what to expect and are more likely to engage and stay loyal.
Let’s talk about how the iconic powerhouse brand, Canva does this.
Canva maintains a consistent, friendly, and empowering tone with bright, colorful, and clean visuals across all their social media channels.
Their posts regularly showcase helpful tips, tutorials, and user success stories, reinforcing their brand as an accessible and creative design platform.
What do we have to learn from this? How can we achieve this level of consistency with our social platforms?
Create a Content Calendar
Plan your posts ahead to ensure a steady flow of content that stays on brand and hits important dates or campaigns.Use and Repurpose Brand Templates
Use branded templates for posts and stories to keep your visual identity uniform and save time on content creation.
Consistency is paramount in reinforcing your brand identity across social media platforms. Maintain a regular posting schedule and ensure that your messaging aligns with your visual identity and brand voice. This coherence will help establish a recognisable and trustworthy presence online.
Building a business is no small thing - and showing up online to stand out from the noise is no small thing too.
Refining and building a strong brand identity on social media is an ongoing process that requires attention, strategy, and authenticity.
By implementing these ten strategies, you can enhance your presence online, foster connections with your audience, and ultimately create a strong and recognisable brand. On every platform you decide to show up on.
