Don’t Judge a Company By Its Social Media!
The modern take on “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” but how could we not?
I prefer to support companies that are real. No, I’m not talking about real in the sense of “Santa is real,” (which he most definitely is). I’m talking about the type of real where consumers know there are people on the other end of a social media account or are a huge part of running a company. And this doesn’t just apply to businesses, it applies to people, too.
I mean, take my Instagram, for instance. You can tell it’s ACTUALLY me with the types of pictures I post and even my use of the Highlights feature. I react to people who comment on my picture and if I have time, acknowledge their comment by saying “Thank you!”.
But like some of my blog posts so far, we’re not here to talk about me (saving that stuff for my midterm).
First, let’s ask the biggest question.
Why do brands use social media?
Well, to build brand awareness and to establish a brand personality. Who they are but on a somewhat personal level. What really makes them worthy on a social platform is the type of content they post.
Sadly, we have brands like Park Hyatt. I know, we spoke about their UX two blog posts ago. And no, I’m not being biased against them because I have a Marriott Bonvoy card. Their Instagram is just very…sad.
The brand, when visiting their actual website, gives an elite feel. They speak about wellness and dining and “the experience.” However, their Instagram says otherwise: plain, basic, and boring with no interaction or personality. Where’s the fun? The people? The experience?
When consumers scroll, no brand wants to be overlooked. In Park Hyatt’s case, they’re a prestige brand that is being overlooked by new consumers. Their use of Instagram could be used for so much more than posting professional property content with dull captions. Influencer or other business collaborations that have similar aesthetics or having managers at these locations do a takeover on the profile’s story could be beneficial in creating better brand awareness.
I do believe that some brands may think having a “personal” approach with their content can hurt what they actually stand for and the type of personality they are trying to exhibit. Very similar to judging a book by its cover, some brands are more than what they post on social media. But regardless of what digital platform companies use, growing interest of consumers will always coincide with interaction and engagement on social media, not on a company’s website.
So until next time, dear readers, engage on social media, display your personality, and have fun. Don’t even give people a “cover” to judge!
Love&Light Always — Pari
