According to Urban Dictionary, "On Brand" is a characteristic of the personal image you are trying to project. Although extremely prevalent in society, this idea was conceived rather in the business world.Across industries, creating a reputable and consistent representation is a pillar for success in both smaller companies and big businesses. Developing attributes like mission, vision, values, promise, tone, and voice are essential in building and perfecting a brand. Establishing keeps the line of work consistent.So, how does this relate to everyday individuals outside of the office? Unfortunately, there is no one formula. Branding on the personal level is often tied to a craving for identity. In a world driven and influenced by digital expectations, it feels difficult to create a space all your own that can compete with unrealistic heights in the online experience.Does building your brand inherently grow your social media presence? It certainly can if you follow our roadmap. For example, how often when you think of a certain friend, do you say "that is so . . . fill in their name?" Can you pinpoint someone who always uses the same filter, style, language, or hashtag and somehow maintains a steadily increasing followership?
There are four ways to find success on social through personal branding:
Find those differentiators that are unique, what value can you bring to others, and the interweb - why would a common viewer want to stop their scroll on your profile? Think about the things you are most passionate about, and how they relate to that wonderfully authentic personality that is only yours.Ivan Estrada's Brand With Purpose expertly performs various case studies on finding your passion, staying true to your story, and accelerating your career. His book is a wonderful resource for growth. He highlights Jay Shetty (storyteller, podcaster, and former monk) who believes, "as much in strategy as I do in sincerity. And I believe as much in generosity as I do in generating value for myself."Once you have given some thought to the foundation, here comes the fun stuff: developing a tone and voice. Most people associate tone with personality and voice with mood. Tone, for the most part, stays the same over time, while mood can vary based on both situation and attitude. Creating a way to write and speak that reflects an accurate version of yourself is important. In the same breath, making strong or bold choices when selecting how you will communicate can lead to ultimate success.
Not everyone lives with the same social channels, and by this, we mean LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok. Audiences can vary based on age, interest, and overall objective. Finding a community that reflects the brand you have already built is half the battle, if not just as or more important, because you can have stellar ideals but placing them on the incorrect site can diminish their chances of ever gaining traction.
Stay true to yourself and the brand you have built! Take images, and make videos that speak to those original interests. Not all assets have to fall in line with the list of passions; however, it is important to frame every piece of content in such a way that still matches you and the brand. This can be achieved most simply through language.
Communicate in a way that aligns with your brand. Social media algorithms rely on the dialog that occurs between a user and a profile, person, or business which produces a meaningful interaction. You have to remain active in this area in order to continuously increase conversation and eventually followership.You have solidified your brand, found a suitable platform, created organic content, and are engaging consistently. Congrats, that is so YOU!Follow along with some of our favorite brands for best practices and exceptional examples of business branding as inspiration: Ballet San Antonio, Dripping Springs Distilling, Pur IsoLabs, and Texas Margarita Factory. Explore our site here for more ideation and impact on building mighty brands!Feeling up for more reading on social? Check out Design Rush's article on 17 Expert Social Media Media Strategies for Small Businesses here: Small Business Social Media Strategies
