Learn how to train and empower your social media team to follow your brand's style guide and create consistent and engaging content.

I'm a big fan of doing deep dives together with the team on very specific posts—especially posts that did pretty well already—and posing questions together like: "How could this have been said in fewer words?" or "What alternative headlines could we have used?" or "How might we make the voice here stronger?" Basically, turning the question of "How can we level up?" into a group exercise. It's a great way to build habits, improve performance, and reinforce the idea that we're all always improving and that's ok.

How do you train and empower your social media team to follow your style guide?

A social media style guide is a document that defines your brand's voice, tone, visuals, and best practices for each platform. It helps you create consistent and engaging content that resonates with your audience and aligns with your goals. But how do you make sure your social media team follows your style guide and feels empowered to create and share content? Here are some tips to train and empower your social media team to follow your style guide.

1 Start with the why

Before you introduce your style guide to your team, explain why it matters and how it benefits them. Show them how your style guide reflects your brand's values, personality, and objectives. Highlight how your style guide can help them save time, avoid mistakes, and improve their performance. Invite them to ask questions and share feedback on your style guide.

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2 Provide examples and templates

One of the best ways to train your team to follow your style guide is to provide them with clear examples and templates of what good content looks like. Show them how to apply your style guide to different types of posts, such as images, videos, stories, reels, and live sessions. Provide them with templates for captions, hashtags, calls to action, and responses. Encourage them to use these examples and templates as inspiration and reference, but not to copy them exactly.

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3 Create a feedback loop

Another way to empower your team to follow your style guide is to create a feedback loop that allows them to learn from their successes and failures. Use tools and metrics to track and analyze your content's performance, such as reach, engagement, conversions, and sentiment. Share your findings and insights with your team and celebrate their wins. Also, identify areas for improvement and provide constructive feedback and suggestions. Ask your team to share their own feedback and ideas on how to optimize your content.

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Shane Snow

Author/Speaker/SHOWRUNNER + Tony-Winning Producer
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I'm a big fan of doing deep dives together with the team on very specific posts—especially posts that did pretty well already—and posing questions together like: "How could this have been said in fewer words?" or "What alternative headlines could we have used?" or "How might we make the voice here stronger?" Basically, turning the question of "How can we level up?" into a group exercise. It's a great way to build habits, improve performance, and reinforce the idea that we're all always improving and that's ok.

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4 Encourage creativity and experimentation

While your style guide sets the standards and guidelines for your content, it doesn't mean you have to limit your team's creativity and experimentation. In fact, you should encourage your team to try new things and test different approaches within your style guide's framework. For example, you can challenge them to use different formats, tones, or angles to tell your brand's story. You can also ask them to explore new trends, features, or tools that can enhance your content. The key is to balance consistency and innovation.

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5 Recognize and reward your team

Finally, one of the most effective ways to empower your team to follow your style guide is to recognize and reward their efforts and achievements. Show them that you appreciate their hard work and dedication to creating and sharing quality content. You can do this by giving them shout-outs, bonuses, prizes, or other incentives. You can also involve them in your content planning and decision making, and give them more autonomy and responsibility. By doing this, you can boost their morale, motivation, and loyalty.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How do you train and empower your social media team to follow your style guide?

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1 Start with the why

2 Provide examples and templates

3 Create a feedback loop

4 Encourage creativity and experimentation

5 Recognize and reward your team

6 Here’s what else to consider

Social Media Management

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