Branding
Branding consists of the name, symbol, term, sign, design or any combination of these that identify who you are, what you do and differentiate you from another. Branding is the visual voice of your company.
You should really be consistent in all forms of media both online and offline to have a solid, recognisable voice. Any visual representation of your company should in some way convey the branding of your company.
Why is branding important?
Brand recognition, or brand awareness, is key to building a strong fan base. First impressions go a long way – when someone first visits your website and your social media platforms what do they see? Having a professional looking image will make a big difference to how people portray you. If you are teaching a specific style of yoga then do you have professional shots that really capture the essence of who you are? I highly recommend photographer Karen Yeomans who has plenty of experience in photographing yoga teachers.
Having a logo will help people to recognise your brand as they typically recall images more easily than text, so the logo stimulates them to remember your brand by the “picture” it creates in their minds.
Try to use high quality images in your visual posts and re-size them for each social media platform respectively when posting – use this guide here to give you the exact dimensions for your content, cover and profile images. You can use photo editing software to add your logo as a watermark and for any promotional images such as ones to advertise your events/retreats/class schedules etc.
Your voice
Be sure to develop a consistent brand voice that matches your site image. This brand voice should be used across all your social media and online marketing channels. By consistently using the same brand personality and brand voice, your website’s logo and brand identity will be easily recognisable by your fans and customers.
What tone of voice are you using to communicate with your audience and how are they responding to you?
What is your content about? Are you talking personally to them about other areas of your life or are you only talking specifically about yoga related subjects?
Image quotes drive a lot of engagement, however make sure you choose them wisely – depending on the style of yoga you teach you may not want to come across as ‘spiritual’ or esoteric’ – you want to create content that your audience responds to and engages with
Your content should reflect your personality – let people in and be warm and responsive. Think about what makes you unique. Let your personality shine through and connect to people at an emotional level. Get to know your audience, use the Facebook insights and Google analytics to give you insight into who they are then tailor your content towards them.
Join me this Thursday at the Evolve Wellness Centre in London for a Social Media Workshop for Yoga Teachers from 10am – 1pm to learn how to build your yoga business using social media and market from the heart.
