Most brands are trying to do the same thing, and that’s connecting with their audience. In a world that’s busier than ever, more and more brands are competing for attention from today’s ever-evolving consumers.

So how can you stand out and build an authentic connection with your audience? The answer is simple: be more human.

Humanising your brand is a great way to have real conversations with your customers, speak to them on a level they really understand, and have a true understanding of their day-to-day challenges and opportunities.

Here are a few ways you can create a more human experience with your marketing that will help you connect with your audience.

Capture real imagery, don’t use stock photos

Stock imagery has its place in marketing, and we’ve all used it when we can’t seem to capture quite the right image, or we don’t have the budget for a new professional photoshoot.

However, we really believe that using real imagery of real people is a great way to humanise your brand. By taking photos and videos of your real customers, or your actual employees, you can start to capture the true essence of your company. It will be much more authentic and your audience will appreciate that.

Embrace reactive marketing

We’ve all followed the usual favorites on Twitter and Instagram and watched as they come up with hilariously witty takes on the latest news or viral memes. Because reactive marketing is a great way to show that your brand is involved in the real world, too.

Whether it’s live-tweeting to Miss Namibia, poking fun at politicians, or just reacting to your customers’ comments – getting involved with interesting topics on social media as they’re happening will help to connect you to your audience.

Inject a sense of humor into your content

Many brands are guilty of losing any sense of humor behind strict protocols and restrictive marketing strategies. Remember that everyone likes a good laugh now and then, and humor is a brilliant way to interact with people and bring your brand to life.

Social media is the obvious place where brands can have a bit of fun and utilize light-hearted content. You might need to think outside the box a little, but don’t be afraid to have a laugh with your audience and try not to take yourself too seriously.

Make yourself available

Instant chats, run by robots, are one of the quickest ways to de-humanize your brand. It is clear why they have their place, and we’re not completely against them, but actually making yourself or your team more available will get you a step closer to really connecting with your consumers.

Humanizing your brand involves utilizing real humans. Whether this is engaging with followers and people commenting on your socials, responding to queries on your website, or just making sure there’s an actual person at the end of the phone makes so much difference to your overall brand experience.

Give your team space to be themselves

When getting to know your brand, people love to see the faces behind the company. Share pictures of your team that show a little personality, rather than just standard headshots. Encourage them to share their uniqueness by speaking about their hobbies as well as their responsibilities. Give your team the space to be themselves and to share what makes them special. There’s a reason you hired them after all.

Adopt a tone-of-voice that’s approachable and fun

Finally, to really humanize your brand, don’t be scared to adopt a more casual tone-of-voice in your marketing. Using language that’s approachable and fun makes your brand much more relatable. Try not to use too much jargon, and there’s no need to be overly professional.

How to humanize your brand and connect with your audience.