Our Number One Rule for Social Media

We had been working on a blog about people’s love-hate relationship with social media, but the pandemic has drastically changed the way people are using it now, including frequency and duration, so much so that most of the data we were working with is now likely wildly inaccurate. So like everyone, we pivot, and instead we’re offering suggestions on who and what to follow on your business social profiles to stay empowered, inspired, and motivated by your feed.

Our #1 Rule for Social Media:
Keep Your Eyes on Your Own Paper

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A person or company’s “feed” is a stream of their thoughts, and being in someone else’s stream of thought does not allow you to develop your own original concepts, or think introspectively and ask yourself the right questions about your business and how to serve your clients better. The definition of a follower is “an adherent or devotee of a particular person, cause, or activity,” or, “a person who moves or travels behind someone or something.” You certainly don’t want your brand to be trailing behind someone else’s ideas, or be seen as another company’s “devotee.”

For instance, there are a ton of people in our field who we like very much and admire… BUT, we don’t follow any of them on social media. We don’t subscribe to their newsletters. We’re not even social media friends with them, even if we know them in real life, and like them perfectly well. If you’re a follower, it’s far too easy to waste time getting caught in a comparison trap. By not following, we stay focused on our own work and mind our business (this does wonders for creativity and productivity, too).

So, who should you follow?

We recommend following leaders in your industry, but not direct competitors. Follow publications, speakers, and other types of thought-leaders. Follow brands and companies who are the best at what they do, even if they’re in a completely unrelated field from what you do.

We follow a lot of software companies, writers, creative conferences, news media outlets, business leaders, futurists, and artists (tons of painters, calligraphers/letterers, hoop art embroiderers, fashion designers, culinary artists – all kinds of art), but not competing firms.

We’ll use a real estate agent as another example: DO follow CEOs, area mommy bloggers, photographers, entrepreneurs, local magazines, family publications, contractors, insurance agents, local event bloggers, home decor brands, DIY websites, furniture companies, pages offering sales or staging tips, marketers, psychologists, networking groups, and connective organizations like your local chamber of commerce. Do NOT follow other real estate agents or groups, especially those in the immediate area you serve.

Everyone should follow authors, speakers, museums, industry experts on a global scale, trusted news sources, and folks who inspire you. Follow pages that post empowering quotes. Follow some meme-rich profiles to keep it light and fresh. And if anything makes you feel like garbage when you read it, immediately unfollow (unless it’s the actual news, which is totally possible in this day and age… maybe just mute it for a day or two to take a break).

Now, with your feed refreshed, you won’t be wasting time comparing yourself to others, and hopefully you’re feeling empowered and inspired every day.

Communications During a Crisis

With my background in magazine and newspaper publishing, I’ve had the pleasure of working with some ridiculously talented writers during my career. One such former coworker, Amy Weiss of BPO Media, recently posted a blog entitled “Communications During a Crisis” and I found myself continually nodding and yelling, “YES!”

It’s everything I’ve wanted to say, and I couldn’t say it any better, so with her permission, I am happy to share some of her post with you here:

It can’t be said enough — we’re all dealing with an unsure and unfamiliar situation right now. As businesses struggle, millions are unemployed and there are a lot of unknowns out there. To date, the COVID-19 pandemic has claimed lives by the tens of thousands in the U.S. and hundreds of thousands worldwide. People are alternately scared, angry, upset and confused. With so much uncertainty, one question for companies still operating and trying to stay afloat is: What can I say in my marketing messages?

We’re not all multi-million-dollar companies hiring top ad agencies to do our work. Most of us are doing our own marketing, email campaigns, and social media, and hoping we get it right – some do a great job but even during our pre-COVID days, making a marketing misstep could prove costly in more ways than one.

What always comes to mind for me when I think of “what can I say?” is Rudy Giuliani’s famous appearance on the first episode of Saturday Night Live after the 9/11 attacks. SNL creator Lorne Michaels, amid an emotional crowd of first responders, asked then-N.Y. Mayor Giuliani, “Can we be funny?” to which Giuliani responded, “Why start now?”

It’s a classic skit but also calls attention to a similar issue many are dealing with now: What’s the right balance? Not much illustrates it better than this spoof ad by copywriter Samantha Geloso, featured by AdAge, titled “Hey. We’re a Brand.”

But that’s not to say it’s wrong to promote themes of solidarity, concern and togetherness, as long as it’s done right. What we’re actually seeing a lot of is known as cause-related marketing – marketing programs built around a charitable or societal cause. In the age of COVID-19 it’s hard not to do this: As I write this, I’m watching a Dunkin’ Donuts commercial giving thanks to all the nurses, doctors, first responders, etc., running on Dunkin. “We’ve got your back,” is the final line (in my opinion the ad might carry more impact if the company offered a free coffee to all healthcare workers and first responders).

Another ad I noticed during my impromptu commercial-break research was from Uber, a company obviously struggling during the pandemic as it seeks alternatives to its primary function of transporting people to places. The ad spotlights people in isolation, finding ways to communicate with each other while staying at home. It looks like so many ads we see on TV, as well as the “We’re a Brand” spoof, but finally at the end comes the tag: “Thank you for not riding with Uber.” I like it.

Then there’s Citi. “Thank you to the nurses, doctors, grocery workers, delivery people, etc. We’ll get through this,” is the gist. There’s no call to action, but unspoken, of course, in all of these ads is “please remember how selfless and thoughtful we were during this global crisis and use our products/services when you need them again.” Fair enough. There is a saying that’s so ubiquitous I had trouble tracking the original source, but it goes: “When times are good, you should advertise. When times are bad, you must advertise.”

These are much larger companies with big ad dollars, of course, and most seem to be doing it just fine – most of what I see on TV these days, and from larger companies in general, doesn’t get things too wrong – big ad agencies (hopefully) ensure that.

Even so, it’s good to make sure we’re keeping a few important things in mind. Considering context and timing is going to be especially important as we move forward with our marketing efforts.

“We’re all in this together” does not work for everything

Google has posted a blog titled “Inside Google Marketing: 5 principles guiding our media teams in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.” It’s something every organization, no matter what size, should at least take a look at. There is no shortage of advice on the internet, but Google, which covers such a broad range of mediums, geography and products, is a source that has something for every brand or company type. In every section there is a guidepost; under “Contribution” it asks: “What ways can our brand — and even our owned media channels — be helpful to people and businesses in this moment of need?” Sometimes the answer to that question is, “it can’t.”

I got an email recently from a photo app I’d downloaded a while ago, telling me something along the lines of, “We’re all in this together. Here’s 20% off one of our apps.” Somehow, I do not feel that the ability to batch-resize photo files for $2 off is going to be particularly helpful in this moment of need. Maybe somewhere out there is someone for whom this particular ability will be useful in getting through a time of extreme anxiety and economic uncertainty, but the potential market seems small enough that the subject line felt inappropriate. Just advertise the 20% off. Not everything in these times has to be about COVID-19.

There’s nothing wrong with the idea that we’re all in this together. We do need a sense of togetherness and solidarity – it’s human nature. But don’t say it unless there is at least a grain of truth to what you’re promoting.

Continue to read the full post HERE.

Brand Guidelines: What Are They, Why Are They Important?

Building a successful brand requires consistency. You may have wondered how businesses are able to operate with multiple departments, divisions, and partners, on multiple platforms, and stay consistent in their look, tone, and voice. The answer is simple: brand guidelines.

What are brand guidelines

Brand guidelines are also commonly referred to as “brand standards,” a “brand book,” or a “style guide.” They’re such a powerful tool that they’re sometimes even referred to as a “brand bible.” Essentially, these guidelines are a set of rules that explain how an organization presents itself to the world – a reference tool to establish consistency in how the brand sounds, looks, and feels.

Brand guidelines provide rules for the visual portion of a brand’s identity such as:

  • Logo usage and acceptable variations

  • Brand color palette with a breakdown of appropriate usage for print, screen, and web

  • Typography specs and proper usage of type

  • Image and photography usage (if applicable) that showcases images that work with the brand 

These guidelines can also include basic information about the brand such as an overview of your brand’s vision, mission, personality, core values, or tone of voice.

“The best and most successful brands are completely coherent. Every aspect of what they are and what they do reinforces everything else.”  
– Wally Olins

Why are brand guidelines important

Think of your brand identity as your company’s personality. It signals to the world around you who you are and what you represent, so it is important to create brand guidelines to remove any ambiguity. Inconsistency can confuse customers but implementing brand guidelines helps your business communicate consistently and effectively across all teams and channels, which helps build customer trust.

Examples of
brand guidelines

DFW Airport lays out a simple color-coded “voice” section in its brand guidelines to keep tone of voice and messaging consistent.

Jones Soda Co. creates products that reflect the colors in their brand guidelines. The usage of three primary color IDs (CMYK, RGB, and Pantone) in their product design and marketing make their style cohesive and easy to identify.

Apple is iconic for its well-maintained brand. They can credit that to a detailed set of style guidelines for channel affiliates and retailers to follow.

In sum

No matter the scale of your organization, creating brand guidelines will give you a better sense of how to standardize your brand’s messaging to form a unique identity in the competitive marketplace. Green Apple Lane Design furnishes a Branding Guide with logo designs we create, or we can also create a Branding Guide for your company using your existing branding as well. Having these guidelines in place will help ensure everyone is using the brand’s fonts, logos, colors, and voice consistently and correctly.