Social media users are savvy, active and engaged. They react to content, participate in conversations and interact with both the platform's users and administrators. This means that today's platform administrators must step up to the challenge of responding; the days of canned responses and talking figureheads are over. Competition for attention on social media is fierce. Maximizing engagement requires active, daily commitment and unique content to keep your audience returning for more. Having a voice that users recognize and regularly engage with is critical to garnering a loyal and active audience.
Five keys to unlocking the right voice for the platform are:
1. Consistency
General responses and purely informational posts are jarring on a platform designed to spark conversation. The emphasis should focus on the intent and purpose of the platform. Some platforms have very high engagements with more formal information, but they exist within their correct context and understand the Unique Value Proposition (UVP) of their platform. For example, some audiences, like the press, are okay with straightforward informational posts.
Every post should feel as though a conversation is flowing. The official DoD social media platform establishes a character that embodies the spirit of a unit or service and perfectly aligns with both the military and local culture. Being consistent will help the user know what to expect and notice when something is different, like when you need their attention in a crisis. The voice should stay consistent across platforms. Content needs to be tailored to a specific platform, and the tone should change depending on the purpose of the content. Once the voice for your platforms is defined, document this in a social media strategy and create a branding style guide that includes instructions for maintaining brand consistency across all social platforms.
2. Purpose
Align your purpose with your identified key audience members. Your account will likely serve multiple purposes related to communicating information, informing operations and building community relations. Consider the day-to-day focus and go back to the UVP. This identifies what your social media platform is designed to do and what sets it apart from others in the same category. Simply put, it's a layout describing the benefit offered by a specific platform, aligned with what a user needs or wants and balanced against what distinguishes the platform from other similar types.
3. Character
This is the mission statement for the platform. It establishes the brand personality by using adjectives to describe it. Sometimes it is easier to determine what you want to avoid when determining what brand personality you want your brand to have. Start by narrowing down a list of what personalities, characteristics and intentions you do and don't want your brand personality to have.
4. Tone
This is an element of the voice. The tone incorporates factors like audience, situation and channel to create a flavor or vibe. Voice is the mission statement, while tone is the application of that statement. Make sure to use active voice. Dependent on the intent of the content, write as if you were talking to a colleague or friend using conversational pronouns such as you, us, our or we and contractions where possible. Remember, tone changes depending on the purpose of the content, whether that is to engage, inform, entertain or educate.
5. Language
This is the vocabulary used by the platform. Avoid acronyms and jargon. Eliminate all unnecessary words. Incorporate keywords identified in your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy.
It is important to align your purpose with the appropriate character and have a voice and tone to support that character. This provides the consistency for your audience. Additionally, you should always exhibit a high level of professionalism when using official DoD social media. More information on how to use social media in the DoD environment is available in DoDI 5400.17.
Explore the options below to find a purpose and determine a character that is right for your platform. Remember that these are not all your options, but a starting point to get you thinking about aligning your purpose to your character, tone and language.
Find
Your Voice
Use labels along the top to progress through scenarios. Click the learn more button for more in-depth information.
Find
Your Voice
IF YOUR UNIT'S GOAL IS...
- to build rapport with a community who share the same interest in your organization's niche
- to attract an interactive audience
- to connect with potential and current members in your field of expertise
TO ENGAGE
Be a Facilitator. Take on this character to attract new followers and interact with your community to keep them coming back. Keep the conversation going beyond your own posts by interacting with comments, replies and other organizations' posts.
Post Like This
In this sample, Valentine's Day, from the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC) Facebook page engages service members to post on the page by asking for pictures with their loved ones with the promise of featuring them on the page.
This Facebook post from the SDDC is personal and friendly in tone, and the language is simple and responsive. Photo byDINFOS PAVILION Team
TONE
- Personal
- Friendly
- Approachable
LANGUAGE
- Simple
- Encouraging
- Responsive
Engage
Find
Your Voice
IF YOUR UNIT'S GOAL IS...
- to provide regular updates of base events
- to communicate to the media
- to share releases and articles from the official site
TO INFORM
Be a Subject Matter Expert (SME). Take on this character to keep the media updated, while sending out your own articles. Be consistent with updates, share articles and write like a reporter.
Post Like This
The Navy's Facebook page shares a post for the first day of spring and an article that updates the media and public on what's happening. Rather than posting the article with a caption that repeats what's in it, they use a calendar event with which the community can connect to entice people to click.
This Facebook post from the U.S. Navy is Professional in tone, and the language is straightforward and present. Photo byDINFOS PAVILION Team
TONE
- Professional
- Authoritative
- Serious
LANGUAGE
- Straightforward
- Common
- Present
Inform
Find
Your Voice
IF YOUR UNIT'S GOAL IS...
- to humanize and connect with the public
- to inspire and amplify the services and the community
- to bring attention to your organization
TO ENTERTAIN
Be a Brand Ambassador. Take on this character to use your wit and suave to attract and delight your audience. Be tasteful, and remember you represent your organization, so know your limits.
Post Like This
Minot Air Force Base tweets an eye-catching photo of a B52 Bomber with a fun caption that highlights their equipment's lethality and global strike capabilities while maintaining the humor their social media is known for in a reply.
This Tweet from the Minot Air Force Base is casual and playful in tone, and the language is simple and witty. Photo byDINFOS PAVILION TeamEntertain
Find
Your Voice
IF YOUR UNIT'S GOAL IS...
- to teach the community more about the services, what they do and what's been done
- to memorialize and highlight the achievements of your organization
- to explain the importance of your organization and its mission
TO EDUCATE
Be an Instructor. Take on this character to educate your audience, or students, by teaching them and reminding them of the power of your organization. Remember not to be condescending or too lengthy; that's not what social media is for.
Post Like This
Marines' Instagram Post, Splish Splash, features a short, recognizable caption before going into the details about the photograph. At the end of the post, they explain the purpose of the exercise as a whole. The photograph is eye-catching, and the caption is educational.
This post from the Marines' Instagram is inspiring and informative in tone, and the language is detailed and interesting. Photo byDINFOS PAVILION Team
TONE
- Inspiring
- Informative
- Humble
LANGUAGE
- Detailed
- Descriptive
- Interesting
Educate