Most business owners have been advised about the importance social media plays in the success of a company. It is the new-age version of word-of-mouth referrals, and it’s more dynamic than any marketing channel that preceded it.

Because social media is essential to your business, conversations about it often take on a tone of seriousness.

However, this mindset is the antithesis of social media’s purpose. There is a way to treat social media as fun and innovative while still enjoying the perks of an effective marketing outcome.

What most businesses fail to realize is how impactful social media can be for showing off your company culture. Years ago, it was unheard of and thought irresponsible to show your audience of clients and prospects the element of play and banter involved in conducting business.

Today, we are able to publish this reality to the world without sacrificing credibility or reputation. Doing this even contributes to our authenticity as a brand, compared to the typically lifeless content our competitors are likely publishing. Increasingly, this is an essential strategy for effective marketing and growth.

You can do this by treating company events as a way to engage staff as “brand ambassadors.” Send a company-wide email to encourage staff to bring their smartphones and take pictures at company events.

Assuming your company has a defined culture or core values, you’ll want to remind your employees to make sure the photos align with those values and that the tone of their social updates aligns with your brand personality. Also, arm them with the necessary hashtags, Twitter handles and Facebook page tags.

Secondly, take opportunities throughout the office to capture moments of interoffice follies of a social nature, which occur daily as we all know. This type of interaction can display to your audience an ability to be laid-back and approachable. Your followers will appreciate the opportunity to see behind the curtain.

Lastly, take advantage of opportunities to acknowledge customer testimonials, internal employee promotions and industry recognition for your company. Moments like these not only build credibility for your brand among followers, but they also encourage your followers to engage with your content, which allows their networks to see your content.

You may elect to have your company’s social media strategy executed internally or via an external agency partner. Either way, it’s important to establish rules and guidelines, such as topics that are inside or outside of bounds, what the content approval process will look like, how content should align with your brand personality, and the process for handling any negative social media commentary, for example.

Leverage these simple strategies for authentically communicating on social media, and your business will see a huge payoff.

Stephanie Glankler, marketing strategist of RedRover Sales & Marketing Strategy, can be reached at 901-266-2662 or visit www.redrovercompany.com.