I have become a believer in taking care to draft the role and voice of a brand in social media. Even the best examples of actual real people behind brands - Frank Eliason when at Comcast Cares and Jenny Cisney at Kodak play some type of role consciously or unconsciously for the brands they represent(ed).
Frank was (and is at Citi) a 'customer champion.' His interventions online in the name of customer service for Comcast went beyond just reactive service. Now Bill Gerth follows in his footsteps. Jenny is more like a cheerleader (she is more than a cheerleader, too) where she celebrates what others do and say about Kodak and routinely gives them something to cheer about.
As part of the discipline of defining the social brand (described in this previous post), we can use the discipline of branding to understand and articulate how the brand can participate in social media - platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, FourSquare, Twitter and more. This is the role that brand plays that serves both customers/stakeholders and the brand itself.
Choose from the list below (1-2 choices only but they can vary per platform). Are you:
A friend - few brands can pull this equal-footing role. Brands with real human personalities like many small businesses might make it work
An enabler - service brands who want to help customers reach their potential
A steward (for a community) - many software companies pull this off by helping steward a community vs. drive a conversation
A brand concierge - also good for service brands yet more about matching needs with services (vs. the enabler)
A cheerleader - enthusiastic support for customers and customer evangelists
An entertainer - showing folks a good time
A customer champion - relentlessly in support of the customer
A coach - helping people learn new skills or behaviors
A club host - welcoming people into an 'insider' experience
A deal distributor - many price brands prefer to just deliver "values" without much personality
I am certain there are others as well as variations within each. The point is not to be slavish to one single choice but rather to be conscious and mindful of the role you play. Take a look at two examples from retail: H&M and Victoria's Secret Pink. Each has a big following on Facebook about 7M to 10M. When you look at their posts something is clear:
The Social Team at Pink are part brand concierge, bringing the best of teh brand to their fans and their are club host, forever treating their fans special with an insider like deference.
The Social Team at H&M also give our deals but do it without much of the insider or host sensibility. If they are not careful, they may simply be the deal distributor reducing the wall to deals and photos only.
What role will your brand play?