Brand messaging: How to create a framework

One of the major benefits of social media is that it creates space to try new things. It’s more casual than email and less expensive than paid marketing—ideal conditions for experimenting with your brand messaging strategy.

However, before you can experiment, you need to have a proper foundation in place. Your fans should turn to your social profiles for more than just great pictures and clever copy. They should feel connected to your mission.

Creating a brand messaging framework for social can help you nail the basics so you can get more inventive with your brand reputation and enhance your brand strategy. To help you get it done, we created this guide to brand messaging basics, along with a step-by-step framework template.

What is brand messaging?

Brand messaging is how you communicate your company's value proposition, personality and competitive differentiators across different channels.

Several factors go into a holistic brand messaging strategy. It’s not just about what you say. It also includes how you say it and who you say it to.

That’s quite a bit to account for, which is why it’s important to set and share communication guidelines that keep marketing messaging clear and on brand. The more consistent you are, the more memorable your brand becomes to your target audience.

Why brand messaging matters for your social strategy

According to a Q2 2024 Sprout Pulse Survey, more than 40% of consumers will unfollow a brand whose values don't align with their own. People want to know that their dollar is doing more than just getting them a product or service. They want to spend with brands that stand up for what matters.

The role of brands has changed radically over the past few years. Now, when a crisis strikes, people turn to their social feeds to find a public apology or announcement. It’s not enough to sit on the sidelines of events that impact your audience or industry. You need to get in the game.

Your brand messaging strategy is the go-to starting point for figuring out how to drive more emotional connections with your target audience. It can also help inform which social issues you weigh in on and how. In today’s social media landscape, that’s worth its weight in gold. 

3 examples of brand messaging frameworks in action

The best way to pick up new brand messaging tactics is to learn from the companies you love. If you’re in need of a little inspiration, check out these takeaways from three top-tier social brand messaging examples:

1. Netflix

Netflix wants to entertain the world, no matter where you’re from or what you like. It’s a noble goal but it’s also a pretty wide net to cast.

Their team overcomes this obstacle by segmenting their social presence into several profiles that speak to specific audiences. For example, check out the Twitter bio for Con Todo, their online community for Latinx fans.

In just a few words, they prove they know how to speak their audience’s language. They do the same for several other fanbases, including sci-fi fans, LGBTQ+ individuals and parents to name a few. This helps them speak authentically to their fans in a way that doesn’t alienate or overgeneralize.

Takeaway: Specificity beats sweeping statements every time. Understanding your audience (or audiences), their interests and their communication patterns will set the foundation for what your brand messaging strategy looks like in action.

2. Bumble

Bumble is a dating app where women make the first move. It’s more than just a clever reversal of traditional gender roles. It’s purposely designed to challenge romantic power dynamics in a tangible way.

Bumble’s social content makes it clear their brand mission doesn’t end at dating. Instead, they use their platform to raise awareness on issues that sit at the intersection of technology and women’s empowerment.

Congratulations to California! The signing of SB 53 in the state makes sending explicit pics without consent prohibited, with damages of up to $30,000. Click the link to learn more. https://t.co/33tUvIgERe #digitalflashingisflashing pic.twitter.com/ca6wpNRizg

— Bumble (@bumble) September 26, 2022