In today’s digital-first world, social media plays a huge role in how businesses connect with customers, build relationships and grow. For small businesses especially, social media offers a powerful and cost-effective way to reach new customers, engage with existing ones and create lasting brand awareness.
But how do you stand out in a crowded digital space? Here’s how to get your business noticed on social media while staying true to what makes you special.
1. Be authentic and genuine
If you want your business to be noticed on social media, you must allow yourself to be authentic and genuine. This is the heart of social media marketing success. People want to connect with real, relatable brands – not just the ones that offer the best deals. Whether it’s showing the faces behind your business, sharing your journey, or highlighting the values that drive you, authenticity creates trust and builds a community around your brand on social media.
People can sense when a business is faking it. Instead of trying to mimic others or jumping on trends that don’t align with your brand’s personality, let your true self shine through in everything you do. Whether that means sharing ‘day-in-the-life’ content, showing your team’s creative process or just offering honest customer testimonials, being real will help you connect on a deeper level with your audience.
Pro tip: Use behind-the-scenes content to show the people behind your brand or share personal stories that reflect your mission. This builds a genuine connection with your audience and makes your business feel more human on social media.
2. Clearly communicate your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
In the world of social media, competition is fierce, so to stand out you need to clearly communicate your unique selling proposition (USP). Your USP is what makes you different and why potential customers should choose you over the competition. It’s essential that your target audience understands what you stand for and what makes you unique from the start.
A great way to get started on identifying and refining your USP is by using the Blue Ocean Differentiation Framework. This approach helps you uncover opportunities to truly distinguish yourself in a crowded market. Here’s how to use it:
1. Identify current market gaps
Take a close look at your competitors and their social media presence. What’s missing? Are there customer needs or desires that aren’t being handled? By pinpointing these gaps, you can position your business as the one that delivers something fresh and valuable across your social media channels.
2. Highlight unique strengths
Think about what your business already stands out at – your processes, products or brand values. What makes you different? Whether it’s an innovative product, ethical sourcing or exceptional customer service, these strengths form the foundation of your USP and can feed through to your social media marketing.
3. Eliminate/Reduce
Look at what competitors in the market are doing and nail down some aspects that feel overdone, gimmicky or just a little bit fake. For example, if everyone in your industry is using a generic tone or promoting constant discounts, this is an area you might reduce or eliminate in your own approach to stand out more genuinely.
4. Raise/Create
Focus on the elements that your target audience rarely sees but values deeply. What new experiences, solutions or perspectives can you bring to the table? Maybe it’s personalised customer interactions, transparency in how you operate or creating an entirely new product category – a new way to stand out will raise awareness of your business to new followers and potentially reengage with existing customers too!
By following these steps, you can craft a USP that’s not only clear but also authentic and relevant to your audience. Once defined, make sure your USP comes through in your social media content, profile bio and all your interactions online. When people understand what makes your business special right away, they’ll be more likely to stick around and engage.
Pro tip: Regularly revisit your USP to make sure it grow alongside your audience’s needs and preferences. This ensures your business remains distinctive and impactful over time.
3. Leverage trends, but make them your own
Trends can help you get noticed on social media, but simply jumping on the bandwagon won’t make you stand out. To capture attention, you need to put your own unique spin on them. Trends are ever-evolving, so instead of blindly following every popular challenge or trending hashtags, think about how you can adapt it with original content to reflect your brand’s values and speak directly to your audience.
Take Wendy’s, for example. The brand has mastered the art of engaging with trends in a way that aligns with its witty, irreverent persona. During the #NationalFrenchFryDay trend, instead of simply promoting fries like other fast-food chains, Wendy’s used the opportunity to humourously roast competitors, especially McDonald’s, all while showcasing their own fries. This combination of humour and creativity helped Wendy’s break through the noise, stay memorable and increase engagement rates with a wider audience.
The key here is authenticity. Don’t just imitate what’s trending – make it your own. By aligning trends with your brand’s voice and values, you’ll set yourself apart from the crowd and show your creativity and personality.
Pro tip: Look for trends that align with your brand’s message and values. Find ways to add meaningful contributions to the conversation, and your distinctive take will leave a lasting impression.
4. Create “unexpected” partnerships
Partnerships in social media marketing don’t always need to follow the conventional route – it’s 2025 after all. Instead of focusing solely on grand-scale influencer marketing and thousands of followers, consider collaborating with micro-influencers, small businesses or unexpected partners who align with your brand values and resonate with your target audience’s interests. By thinking outside the box, you can form unique alliances that bring fresh perspectives and impactful results to your online advertising.
For instance, a local café might collaborate with a nearby yoga studio to promote a wellness campaign, or an artisanal bakery could team up with a niche food blogger to host a virtual baking class. These types of partnerships allow businesses to cross-promote their products and services to engaged, like-minded audiences, introducing their brand to potential customers who might not have discovered them otherwise. By connecting with partners whose communities align with your own, you can attract new followers who are more likely to become loyal customers.
A great example of an unexpected partnership is Adidas’ collaboration with Parley for the Oceans. Together, they created shoes made from upcycled ocean plastic. This partnership wasn’t just about the product – it was a bold statement about sustainability that attracted a whole new audience passionate about environmental responsibility. The combination of purpose-driven collaboration and innovation helped Adidas expand its reach and build a reputation for being socially conscious.
Pro tip: Look beyond social media influencers. Partner with local small businesses, community leaders or creators who can bring fresh perspectives and audiences to your brand, amplifying your overall marketing efforts.
5. Choose the right social media channels
Not all social media platforms are right for every business. It’s important to understand where your target audience spends their time and to focus your social media efforts on those platforms. Instagram might be ideal for a visually-driven business like fashion and lifestyle brands, while LinkedIn may be better for B2B companies. Be selective in choosing the right platforms that align with your social media goals and audience needs.
That said, authenticity also plays a big role in platform choice. Use platforms where you feel comfortable expressing your brand’s true self, rather than simply trying to be where the numbers are. The more comfortable you are with the platform, the more authentic your content will be, helping to build a deeper connection with your audience.
Pro tip: Focus on 2-3 platforms where your audience is most active and where your business can present its unique identity in the best light.
6. Use social media platforms in unconventional ways
Think outside the box when using social media platforms. Instead of only focusing on traditional posts or ads on multiple platforms, explore unconventional features like Instagram’s “Close Friends” for exclusive content or X threads to tell a compelling story.
You could also experiment with hosting live, real-time Q&A sessions or creating exclusive AR filters for Instagram or Snapchat that tie back to your brand. These creative approaches not only engage your audience but also set your social media account apart from competitors using more predictable methods.
One brand that has mastered unconventional social media usage is Red Bull. The energy drink company has turned YouTube into a content hub rather than just a promotional tool. With Red Bull TV, they focus on extreme sports, adventure content and epic stunts, moving beyond simple product promotion. Their content strategy creates a dynamic experience for their audience, allowing them to engage with the brand on a deeper, more exciting level – transforming their social media presence into a fully immersive entertainment channel.
Pro tip: Surprise your audience by trying social media platform features that are less commonly used by businesses. For example, use Reddit for an AMA (Ask Me Anything) session or TikTok to create fun behind-the-scenes mini-documentaries.
7. Create purposeful, value-driven content
Content may be king, but purposeful content is what truly rules in a competitive social media landscape. To stand out, your content must go beyond the surface, delivering upfront value to your audience while unpacking a topic in a meaningful way. Every post, video or story should leave your audience with something – a feeling, a thought, an idea or an actionable takeaway. This is what creates connection and keeps them coming back for more.
Whether you’re sharing tips, insights or experiences, valuable content should aim to spark curiosity or resonate emotionally. Avoid generic posts that restate the obvious. Instead, dive deeper into your topic, highlighting unique perspectives, unpacking nuances or sharing lesser-known insights. People will remember you not just for showing up but for showing up with something that makes their day better or their decisions easier.
Pro tip: Before creating content, ask yourself: “What value does this provide to my audience?” Then structure your content to ensure it delivers substance while reflecting your brand’s voice. Whether you’re educating, entertaining or inspiring, make each post purposeful.
8. Invest in paid advertising
While organic growth is important, investing in paid ads can help amplify your reach and gain exposure to a broader audience. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok offer precise targeting options, allowing you to reach your target customers based on their interests, behaviours, and demographics, and share valuable insights into how your ad spend is working for you.
By combining organic content with paid ads, you can elevate your brand’s visibility without sacrificing its unique voice. Remember, paid ads are most effective when paired with compelling and engaging content that reflects your brand’s values and communicates your USP.
Pro tip: Start with small budgets for paid ads and use A/B testing to determine which content and targeting strategies work best for your business.
9. Engage with your audience
To be noticed on social media, you need to be engaging with your audience – not just posting and closing the app till your next post is ready to go. Responding to comments, answering questions and initiating conversations helps build a community around your brand. Social media is a two-way conversation, and when you take the time to engage, you show your audience that you care about their opinions and feedback.
Engagement is also an excellent opportunity to showcase your brand’s authenticity. Whether you’re responding to comments in a fun, conversational tone or providing personalised support and expert advice, it’s a chance to reinforce your brand’s unique personality.
Pro tip: Set aside time each day to interact with your followers. This helps build a community and encourages further engagement with your content.
10. Measure, adjust and optimise
Finally, if you want your business to stand out on social media, it’s essential to measure and optimise your efforts. Use analytics tools to track performance and gather actionable insights into what content resonates best with your target audience. By understanding which posts generate the most engagement or drive the most traffic to your website, you can refine your social media strategy and improve future content.
This is where your authenticity and creativity come in again. Don’t be afraid to experiment with new formats, such as live videos or polls, to see what sparks conversation and drives results.
Pro tip: Regularly check your analytics and adjust your content strategy as necessary. Trends and audience preferences can shift quickly, and staying flexible will help you stay up to date and ahead of the curve.
How Scoot can help your brand stand out on social media
We get it – social media management can feel like a full-time job on top of running your business. That’s where Scoot comes in. Our team of experts works with you to create thoughtful, engaging content that reflects your brand’s personality and values.
By partnering with us, you get more than just posts – you gain access to experts who understand the nuances of each platform, from algorithm updates to content trends. We don’t just post for the sake of posting; we create meaningful content rooted in an all-important social media marketing strategy tailored specifically to your business goals. Think of us as your behind-the-scenes support system, helping your business grow while you focus on what you do best.
Ready to make your brand stand out? Let’s chat! Reach out for a free discovery call today.
Embrace creativity authenticity, and strategy
Standing out on social media isn’t just about keeping up with trends or churning out content – it’s about creating a genuine connection with your audience through bold ideas and authentic storytelling. Whether it’s redefining trends, forming unexpected partnerships or using each social platform in unconventional ways, the key is to stay true to your brand while continually innovating.
