One of the biggest boosts for very large corporations is the advent of social media marketing. Consumers have a difficult time trusting large corporations (basically, any company with more than 1000 employees), and trust building can be an arduous task for those corporations.

Social media marketing has begun to change the face of this, and larger companies are now given the opportunity, through social media marketing teams, to put a real face and personality on the company.

While Google Plus is still not the hottest area for social media marketing, Facebook and Twitter are still excellent ways to reach out to consumers on a personal level. While smaller companies can tap into this more easily, in this day and age of humanistic values – people want a “face” for a larger company. They want to be able to relate – not just interact with a faceless company that they believe will likely care less about their daily issues.

Tips on Social Media Marketing – Choosing a Face

By allowing a social media marketing team to develop a Facebook page or Twitter account that will reach out to millions worldwide, companies will have to decide exactly how they want their “face” to look. There are many options:

• The “all business” face: while not cold, this face is best for financial institutions and similar companies. It is a serious face that does not use a lot of humor, but gives advice in an almost parental way. It builds trust by being consistent and trustworthy.
• The “family” face: A warm, welcoming face that gives the consumer the impression that everyone who works there has a family to care for and wants what’s best for their children, as well as the children of everyone else. Be certain not to alienate any type of family, either – be inclusive or at least neutral when reaching out – think of single moms, single dads, working mothers, stay-at-home fathers, and all other forms of families in between.
• The “fun” face: A jovial face that engages consumers with light humor (that does not single out a certain subject as the butt of a joke), and generates interest in products by being really excited about, well, just about everything.

These are just a few options that a company can take for their “face” or “voice.” They can adjust accordingly, mix and match, and generate the right feel and impression that the company wants to make.

But it cannot be phony – there has to be authenticity and a willingness to respond in a friendly and respectful manner to those who would challenge the company or complain. There must be consistency and follow-up to anything that is put out on the market, or the social media marketing face will fall apart. It cannot be a mask. It must have genuineness.

While trust building with the public takes time and patience, the advent of social media marketing has made some of these steps a little easier to take.