brand strategy: embracing the new year
2023 said hello to a King, goodbye to Chandler Bing and a flourish of hot pink die-hard Barbie fans explode.
Facebook is still the most popular social media platform around the world. Twitter became X when Musk rebranded and lost some of its market share.
So how do YOU check, that your brand strategy is working AND that you’re reaching your ideal client?
As the clock struck 12 we bid farewell to the old and welcomed the new. It’s not just a change in the calendar; it’s a brand-new opportunity to reassess, realign, and rejuvenate ourselves and our businesses. It’s time to re-examine our brand and social strategy and fire it up for 2024.
For freelancers like myself, at Sahara Studio, where every decision is a solo venture, the dawn of a new year is the perfect moment to delve into our brand identity and social strategy.
Embracing
the New Year
Reflecting on Your Brand Strategy:
The landscape of graphic design moves super fast pretty quickly with changes in trends, styles and even new updates in software. The introduction of AI has had major impacts of course, but that has filtered through to the Adobe design software we use, and AI tools available for copywriting.
Staying relevant is not just a choice which I never thought it was; it’s now a necessity. So the start of a new year is a great opportunity to review your brand’s business identity. You have to take an honest look at it and ask some key questions such as:
Does it still resonate with your target audience?
Does it convey the values and essence of your brand?
In a world where the majority of people think visually, its visual appeal really matters. It’s essential to review, to make sure that your brand visual appeal is still hitting the mark. Making sure your brand and your image are not just eye-catching but also reflective of your business brand and easily illustrate its promise to your clients. Sometimes you only need a tweak to make sure your brand voice is consistent and that it’s telling the story you want your customers to hear.
Consider updating your logo or tweaking your colour palette to align with emerging design trends and your business goals, without losing the brand identity you have already established.
Social Strategy Tune-Up
We all know that your online presence is key to your success, along with referrals and repeat business. This is how people see your brand and first impressions absolutely count. Having a solid plan for your social media strategy is key. This doesn’t mean being a slave to the online community, it means making a plan and and assessing it regularly is the key to success. Revisit your social media and see what is the best place for your business that is actually generating leads, not just likes. Think about:
What is working?
Is your brand story one that highlights your business and your passion?
Evaluate the effectiveness of your posts and track your engagement levels.
Use free analytics tools to understand what works. How can you improve your engagement and reach that ideal client?
If your audience engages more with one particular type of content, such as behind-the-scenes, then consider increasing that type of content in your social media calendar on a more frequent basis. Give them what they want.
Planning your content for the quarter.
Having a plan is the key to success. You can always make changes based on the received responses to particular types of content. Now I will be the first to admit, that life doesn’t always go to plan. But enough of punishing ourselves for the bad, and just get on with it, and do better next time. We need to be gentle on ourselves as well because I know for a fact I am my own worst critic!
So go ahead and outline a map of your content pillars for the next three months. What projects are coming up you may want to feature? Are there some big changes happening in your business or what is new that you might need to comment on? Are there any new trends you want to highlight? Set measurable goals and milestones and track successes and failures. And if you miss any, THAT IS OK!
Start with clear intent of what you want to achieve. Is it landing a certain number of clients, generating leads, or creating a larger following? A roadmap will keep you focused and motivated and help you define your direction for each period.
I'm starting the year with a spreadsheet. I have dates of posts and blogs up until April. I have my topic, my statement and my hashtags built into the spreadsheet with visuals. I have an outline for the next three months.
Is it Time for an Update or Rebrand?
This is the million-dollar question. Change for the sake of change is rarely beneficial for any business, but sticking to outdate branding can be just as detrimental. Think about Musk’s rebranding of Twitter…He lost market share, but maybe that was his intention. Maybe there is a method to his madness? Maybe he wanted the loss, to achieve something else?
So take stock and really decide whether your brand and social strategy while your industry’s landscape continues to evolve……. Ask for feedback from colleagues or clients that you trust. Their feedback can provide valuable information about how your visual identity is perceived.
Conduct a brief survey on social media asking your audience about their perception of your business, and if there's anything they'd like to see differently. A handy trick is to ask people to post just 5 photo's from their Instagram feed, and see if they can tell what you do without reading the captions.
Looking Ahead
As the new year unfolds, start with a fresh new canvas (artist background for me don’t forget)for your goals and successes. It’s always scary looking at a blank canvas, but fill it with keywords or hashtags you have already found successful. Regular evaluation of your brand visuals and the story you want to tell with your social strategy and planning is not just a formality; it’s a strategic move towards your business growth and relevance in the marketplace..
Embrace change and the possibilities it brings to your business. And don’t forget that evolution is a testament to your adaptability and commitment to delivering exceptional service.
Here’s to a year of outstanding creativity, expanding horizons and reaching new heights, and a wonderful and thriving year!
more insights
A Case Study in Branding
Laura Scott, a respected neuropsychologist based in Victoria, Australia, approached me with a unique challenge. She needed a cohesive branding identity that could effectively communicate to both the professional legal industry, where she presented reports, and her clients, many of whom suffered from brain injuries.
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