SOCIAL MEDIA
ALWAYS BE YOURSELF . . . UNLESS YOU CAN BE THE CIA
You may have heard that you need to establish a consistent voice for your website, social media, and emails . . . and that advice is correct. It's important to choose a voice and stick to it, both in the items you post and send and in your social-media and blog commenting. It's also important that every part of your organization maintains a similar voice and tells a similar story, from your CEO to your PR team to those responsible for social media, web content, and promotional emails. The need for consistency is why documenting your voice is so important (and "documenting" just means typing up an overview of your voice, offering numerous examples of your voice in various channels, and keeping the document in an easily accessible and updatable format, like on Google Drive). Marketing agencies, freelance writers, brand ambassadors, and everyone on your staff needs to be aware of, coached on, and evaluated on their ability to stick to the brand voice.
So, yes, consistency is important. However, it's even more critical is that your voice be authentic, truly reflecting your brand. As Drew Barrymore would say, "Let your freak flag fly," because nothing is more jarring on a website, app, or social-media channel than a voice that doesn't match the brand. If your brand is sophisticated and formal, let that be your voice. If your brand is young and hip, that's your voice. If it's gentle and caring, make that your voice.
Of, if you run intelligence for the United States under a veil of secrecy, let that be your voice.
