Brand voices we love on social media (and why)
One of my favorite questions to ask in intern interviews is, “Where do you get your news?” First, it’s always nice to hear the variety of responses, from local outlets to major national organizations, but one answer we hear a lot is just broadly, “Twitter.”
Currently, Twitter is still relatively chronological. Like our intern candidates, I also get a lot of my news from Twitter because I follow many outlets and brands, and I’m seeing a feed of news in real time (verses seeing something breaking on Facebook, only to realize the time stamp was from days ago).
And while Twitter is a great place for us to get our news, it’s also a really good place for marketers and content writers to get inspiration, for updates on industry trends and, even more practical, to get knowledge, facts and tidbits as they relate to our field.
Here are a handful of handles that I follow or reference that have helped me every now and again.
@APStyleBook
If I had a dollar for every time I searched, “AP Stylebook Twitter [fill in the blank with literally anything],” my student loans would be paid off. Not only does the account tweet helpful style rules, it also provides a layer of social commentary that’s smart, and not over-the-top and in-your-face overt.
To avoid any suggestion that someone is being judged before a trial, do not use phrases such as “indicted for killing” or “indicted for bribery.” Instead, use “indicted on a charge of killing” or “indicted on a bribery charge.”
— AP Stylebook (@APStylebook) October 15, 2019
@SparkNotes
Do I get every joke and meme SparkNotes posts, no. But it’s refreshing to see an account that uses a format that captures attention and maybe sparks enough interest for someone to look into the joke.
Banquo’s ghost: Macbeth: pic.twitter.com/zUDVa6TJLU
— SparkNotes (@SparkNotes) August 6, 2019
@MeninBlazers
Men in Blazers is a weekly show that downloads soccer fans, specifically Premier League fans, on what happened that week. Rog and Davo are hilarious on camera, and their social media personas are a perfect digital companion. They latch onto pop culture and draw amazing parallels, making this a great account to follow.
SPURS RN pic.twitter.com/uoRSXT61Pl
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) August 10, 2019
@Wendys
We’d be remiss if we didn’t put Wendy’s on the list. Because it is at the top of the charts when it comes to finding a brand voice and owning it.
Oh, hay. https://t.co/2ZukCW2ART
— Wendy’s (@Wendys) May 17, 2019
@MerriamWebster
Turns out the accounts about words really have a way with them. We love when there is a little bit of shade involved, too. Merriam Webster has a couple of regular content buckets, like its #WordoftheDay series and its useful articles about the etymological roots of common words. It’s a great follow for marketers and writers.
Good morning! Today’s #WordOfTheDay is ‘scapegoat’ https://t.co/Pmsg5ZvfmX pic.twitter.com/eEJdb4Oqha
— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) October 9, 2019
@LittleDebbie
Little Debbie took a page out of the Wendy’s playbook, for sure. The maker of our favorite guilty pleasures takes time to respond and retweet its followers in a way that’s genuine and on brand. Little Debbie also posts its iconic treats and other content that just begs for ongoing engagement.
An intellectual: https://t.co/5QjD0sOCuK
— Little Debbie (@LittleDebbie) October 10, 2019
Leave a Reply