Is one of your 2024 goals to step up your online presence? Or maybe you’re looking to take your small business to the next level this year? Well, we sat down with Nika van der Merwe, the savvy founder of Sound + Colour Social, to get her expert insight on everything from why your social media presence is so important, to the five essential things you should be doing to stand out from the crowd.
Despite being founded just last year, Sound + Colour Social have already worked with a number of exciting clients to help them make their mark in the online world. And Nika is sharing her top tips on how you can do the same with your online presence.
Whether you’re just starting out or are looking for some tips to grow your social media, keep reading to find out more.
“Social media in 2024 is absolutely vital for brand visibility and credibility,” Nika tells us. Whether that be your personal brand or that of a business or cause you’re passionate about.
“Your social media presence serves as a modern day ‘business card’,” Nika explains. “The first thing that people now want to know about your business is your Instagram handle or TikTok username – it does the talking for you.”
While it can often feel rather overwhelming, consistently posting on social media is key. “Socials should be at the very top of your priority list for not only visibility, but for creating a community around your brand,” Nika proclaims. And this is what inspired her to start Sound + Colour Social in the first place.
“I witnessed the frustration that small businesses experience of trying to come up with engaging content ideas while staying true to their brand’s unique voice,” Nika outlined. As a result, their social media often took a backseat. “Many small businesses are so busy with the actual day to day running of their businesses and their social media is often an afterthought – often a hasty post with no long term strategy in mind,” she added.
Nika’s passion for all things social media started back when she studied Consumer Science at University. It’s where she first “learnt a lot about what makes people tick.” After working for eight years in the fashion and digital marketing industry, she saw first-hand the struggles that entrepreneurs were facing when it came to keeping up with the ever-changing social media landscape.
But what can you do to keep on top of your social media strategy? Well, Nika is sharing five of her top tips exclusively with us.
The 5 things to focus on when looking to amplify your online presence on social media:
1. Brand identity
“Showcasing what makes your brand unique is essential to amplifying your online presence,” Nika explains. “If you’re struggling to find something that makes your brand stand out, start with the people in your business (if it’s only you running the show, start with you!).”
What truly makes a brand stand out and resonate with people is personality. But it’s also important to carve out a brand identity to keep things cohesive across all different social media platforms.
“Brand identity should run like a thread through everything you put out, from graphics to tone of voice to video style, etc.,” Nika adds. And this is something that she and the team at Sound + Colour Social can help with.
2. Community
We all know how important it is to foster a community online, but if you’re struggling to think of creative and engaging ways to reach your key customer base, there are a number of different ideas that work in tandem to build up that community feel.
“Things like in-person meetups (run clubs), live Zoom masterclasses, members-only access to behind-the-scenes, regularly showing your face in chatty videos are all tools you can use,” she affirms. In her work at Sound and Colour Social, Nika is able to tailor and adapt this depending on your niche. So, what works well for a beauty brand would obviously differ from a bakery or tech brand.
3. Influencers
It’s also time to possibly rethink your approach when it comes to influencers. “Influencers don’t need massive numbers to reach the right people,” Nika explains. “It’s important not to ignore micro-influencers, and true supporters of your brand. When done right, influencers and advocates for your brand can catapult your social reach.”
They will give you an opportunity and tool to reach new communities and even sub-groups of your existing audience.
4. Email
“Email marketing is not dead,” Nika states. But instead of sending out emails for the sake of it, it’s important to think of an email as a way to connect with your community and offer something of value.
“Don’t shy away from creating conversations and sharing valuable resources with your email audience.”
5. Analytics
If you’re not already checking your social media analytics, you could be missing out on a vast array of valuable information. If you’re not exactly sure what you should be looking for, or you find the variety of graphs and statistics a bit confusing, this is when an agency like Sound + Colour Social can break it down into manageable insights. That way, you can see what is being received well by the people you want to engage with and what isn’t.
To find out more about how Sound + Colour Social could help you and your brand, you can check out their website, reach out on Instagram @soundcoloursocial or send Nika an email at nika@soundandcolorsocial.co.uk.
