Brand

  • Entrepreneurship

    Why you need to start building your personal brand today!

    When it comes to everything social media I definitely don’t have all the answers, but one thing I am certain about is that if you’re on social media with a purpose then you need to be building a personal brand. That purpose could be something as simple as building your own like-minded community through your followers, it could be selling products (either yours or another’s), it could be building your own business, it could be getting involved in influencer marketing, being a blogger or it could be offering a service. If you are online with intention then this is for you – it’s time to really start figuring out how to build a personal brand.

    Social media is constantly filled with people launching, growing and  developing their own business and it fills me with so much joy to see people running after their dreams, taking their passion and turning it into their own business or another stream of income. That being said, there is such great importance in sharing your business online in the right way. We’ve all been party to or have noticed our social media connections dropping unsolicited messages in our inboxes telling us we’d be great at what they do and we’ve all been added to the facebook groups that we never asked to be a part of. It isn’t the ideal way to start and grow a business, so let’s dive into some ways that you can start authentically start growing a personal brand and why it is 100% the best thing you can do for yourself and your business.

    So what is a personal brand?

    So before we delve in any further I guess we ought to outline exactly what a personal brand is and why you ought to grow one online. A personal brand is brand YOU. It’s about you first, your life, your thoughts and who you represent. It let’s people get to know the person behind the business/community and lets them into your world. People are inherently curious about other people and love that glimpse into your world, and it gives your brand or business that human element, and it is these sort of connections that people are crying out for.

    personal brand

    So how can I start creating my personal brand?

    Your personal brand goes far beyond what you have to sell or offer and really starts with just you. The great thing about this is that you already know you, and who better to start representing you than you.

    Like I said, being brand you goes far beyond what you sell or offer, and can include some of the following:

    • What you share.
    • What you photograph.
    • The words you write.
    • Who you are.
    • The colour palette you choose.
    • The filters/presets you edit with.
    • The personality behind the posts.
    • The voice you have.

    Start thinking about who you are, how you want to market yourself and what you want to share with the world. You are going to be showing up as the most authentic version of yourself and you are wanting to connect with like minded individuals. One of the ways I find really helpful is to think about some categories you are known for/are passionate about/represent you. Once you dig deep and really understand who you are, what you want to share and what you want to show up as it will make creating your personal brand all that much easier.

    Some categories might include:

    • Food
    • Parenting
    • Fashion
    • Parenthood
    • Wellbeing
    • Health
    • Fitness
    • Journalling*

    You can choose anything that you feel represents you, your business or your brand, but my main piece of advice would be to ensure that it is authentic and really represents who you are as a person. 

    personal brand

    How do I share myself as a personal brand?

    So lets talk about what I personally do to build my personal brand online:

    1. I share within the 5 categories I want to be known for on my grid. These include running my own business, parenthood, wellbeing, growing a personal brand online and home decor/decluttering/being more minimal. These are all things I am passionate about which means I am always authentic when I am talking about them. My stories however, are a bit more a free-for-all.
    2. Using a grid planner to see how my grid will look. I am all about the aesthetically pleasing, so I use this predominantly for myself. I like to see what looks aesthetically pleasing to me, so I’ve been using Planoly and love it.
    3. Being creative with my photos and create photography that I love.
    4. Editing my photos using the same presets, I use my own Signature Lightroom Presets which include 15 different variations.
    5. Showing up as the real deal in my photos, in my captions and in my stories.

    Let’s build that personal brand

    Think back over the points I shared above (I’ll include them again below because I believe they are really important) and start brainstorming every element of your brand story (ie, YOUR story) and start thinking of ways in which you are able to grow and build as yourself.

    • What you share.
    • What you photograph.
    • The words you write.
    • Who you are.
    • The colour palette you choose.
    • The filters/presets you edit with.
    • The personality behind the posts.
    • The voice you have.

    Share the messy, the imperfect, the behind the scenes, the raw and the real. Sharing the human aspect of who you are and showing up as the truest version of yourself is the best way to build and grow online. 

    *This post contains affiliate links. This means if you purchase through these links I get a small financial kickback at no extra cost to you. Thanks as always for your support.

  • Entrepreneurship

    Building a brand: Why less is sometimes more

    Social media is exploding and more than ever building a brand and building a business are hand in hand with sharing yourself, your passions and who you really represent as a person. This can sometimes mean showing up as your whole self online and can leave you burnt out and wondering how to do it all. There are so many social media platforms out there combined with so much pressure to feel as though we need to show up everywhere and never does this feel more overwhelming than when we are building our brand online.

    Whether it be to work for ourselves, to share our creativity and content with the world, or while building our empire we know social media presence is important but what if we didn’t have to do it all in order to succeed? Today I wanted to come to you, with a little a revelation I have had since coming back from maternity leave, about finding deep joy in the power of saying no and the realisation that when it comes to developing your own brand sometimes less really is more.

    Why can less be more on Social Media?

    Since the emergence of social media and the evolving understanding on how important it can be when building a brand or business online we’ve tried to do it all. We’ve tried to grow a Facebook page, build up and Instagram following, grow our Twitter reach and so much more. Businesses, brands and content creators around the world have come to the conclusion that they *need* to be on social media without really reliving into how to do it all effectively. I was no different and diligently set up a Twitter profile, Facebook page, Instagram account and more recently I briefly dipped my toe into the world of Tik Tok (and then quickly retreated) and tried to figure out each platform at mostly the same time, posting appropriate content for each one, spreading myself thin, making myself stressed and, for most, unable to excel in any one place. 

    So, what did I do?

    If I have learnt anything over the last 14 years it is this: Less is always more. Three years ago I decided enough was enough with my social media game, I was going to stop spreading myself so thin, stop ploughing my time and work into platforms that I didn’t love (Facebook I am looking at you!) and start using my time to build my brand not only productively but intentionally too. If you would have asked me a decade ago what my favourite social media platform was I would have probably said Twitter (and I’ll always have a place for it in my heart as it is where I first connected with my husband). As time has moved on, the social media space has become more varied, platforms have come and some have gone and the world of social media is a vastly different space than it was 10 years ago. Now, my favourite spot on the internet is Instagram; its the place I love the most, it’s the place where I have connected with some of the best humans and it’s the place where I have thoroughly enjoyed building my brand. I am a creative at heart and therefore I think Instagram is my natural social media home. It allows me to marvel at other peoples beautiful photos, connect with other mama’s who are going through this crazy journey of motherhood alongside me, read the in depth stories behind the photos, keep up with friends every day lives and create and curate the beautiful content that I love for myself.

    I very much find my joy in creating beautiful photos (I’m no photographer but I do my best), sharing my own story (because everyone has a voice) and serving with integrity. Instagram is my passion project when it comes to social media and I have carved my own corner of the internet just for me. It is where I work, play and serve and I’ve been so lucky that I am now able to share my knowledge with others with the pre-release of my 5 days to level up your Instagram free course. Aside from Instagram as my social media platform of choice you can also find me here on my blog and curating and saving on Pinterest, but you won’t find me many places else, or at least you won’t find me active anywhere else. For me, for enjoyment and growing an online brand, I only commit to spending my time doing things I love and that I am passionate about. For me, less is most definitely more.

    So how can I start?

    Focusing on one social media platform, at least at first (there is nothing to say once you have cracked one you can’t move onto being awesome on another), gives you the ability to do it and do it really well. I don’t know about you but I would rather see success in one place than see little success because I have to spread myself too and thin and end up overwhelmed. I know many of you feel it too and I just want to say that it is ok not to be everywhere, it is ok to have focus in one or two places and it is absolutely ok to rock one platform before moving onto figuring out the inner workings of the next. Not only is it ok but you heard it from me: I encourage it. It will strengthen your brand, your voice, your exposure and most importantly it will go some way to supporting you, the creator, in not getting overwhelmed and burnt out. 

    But can I really be successful if I am not everywhere?

    The simple answer is of course you can and this is why you will see that people may be doing particularly well on Instagram but not so much on Facebook, or someone will come along and take a platform like Tik Tok by storm. My advice here is not to leave other platforms entirely (although that is totally your call) but to just take them one at time or in a way that feels authentic to you. For example, like I said above, Instagram is my passion project on social media and it is the place I want to be and I enjoy being. I have profiles in other places that I don’t use or rarely use so my brand is visible, Maybe when I feel like I have Instagram, Pinterest and Blog all where I want them to be I might move onto Twitter and/or Facebook, but the point being that you don’t have to do it all, have it all and make time for it all. Find one that you love, work hard, grow and serve with authenticity and integrity and see where that takes you.

    So which Social Media platform’s do I pick?

    This is going to be a different answer for everyone because we all have different passions and skills, and what works for one person/business/brand won’t necessarily work for another. The biggest piece of advice I can give you is whether you’re a business or individual you want to start showing up and growing a true brand on social media. A brand where people recognise you for your authenticity, honesty and the way you show up. Being who you are will always be more important on where you are.

    Social media isn’t supposed to be a chore and I cannot emphasise enough the power in saying no to some and only indulging in those that bring you joy. It’s ok to not have the same passion projects as others in your industry and it is ok to pursue your own things. If you can show up on your chosen platform, excel there and share and serve in an authentic way then this is your first step to finding your way as a true brand online. 

  • Entrepreneurship

    Why less is more when building your social media brand

    From Instagram to Twitter, Facebook to Tik Tok, Blogging to Freelancing – there is so much out there that we feel a pressure to explore. Never does this feel more overwhelming than when we are building our online brand; whether it be to work for ourselves, to share our creativity and content with the world or while building our empire. We know social media presence is important but what if we didn’t have to do it all in order to succeed? Today I wanted to come to you, with a little a revelation I have had since coming back from maternity leave, about finding deep joy in the power of saying no and the realisation that when it comes to developing your own brand sometimes less really is more.

    hands holding mobile phone with instagram grid open on social media
    Photo by Georgia de Lotz on Unsplash

    Why can less be more on Social Media?

    Since the emergence of social media and the evolving understanding on how important it can be when building a brand or business online we’ve tried to do it all. We’ve tried to grow a Facebook page, build up and Instagram following, grow our Twitter reach and so much more. Businesses, brands and content creators around the world have come to the conclusion that they *need* to be on social media without really reliving into how to do it all effectively. I was no different and diligently set up a Twitter profile, Facebook page, Instagram account and more recently I briefly dipped my toe into the world of Tik Tok (and then quickly retreated) and tried to figure out each platform at mostly the same time, posting appropriate content for each one, spreading myself thin, making myself stressed and, for most, unable to excel in any one place. 

    So, what did I do?

    If I have learnt anything over the last 14 years it is this: Less is always more. Three years ago I decided enough was enough with my social media game, I was going to stop spreading myself so thin, stop ploughing my time and work into platforms that I didn’t love (Facebook I am looking at you!) and start using my time to build my brand not only productively but intentionally too. If you would have asked me a decade ago what my favourite social media platform was I would have probably said Twitter (and I’ll always have a place for it in my heart as it is where I first connected with my husband). As time has moved on, the social media space has become more varied, platforms have come and some have gone and the world of social media is a vastly different space than it was 10 years ago. Now, my favourite spot on the internet is Instagram; its the place I love the most, it’s the place where I have connected with some of the best humans and it’s the place where I have thoroughly enjoyed building my brand. I am a creative at heart and therefore I think Instagram is my natural social media home. It allows me to marvel at other peoples beautiful photos, connect with other mama’s who are going through this crazy journey of motherhood alongside me, read the in depth stories behind the photos, keep up with friends every day lives and create and curate the beautiful content that I love for myself.

    I very much find my joy in creating beautiful photos (I’m no photographer but I do my best), sharing my own story (because everyone has a voice) and serving with integrity. Instagram is my passion project when it comes to social media and I have carved my own corner of the internet just for me. It is where I work, play and serve and I’ve been so lucky that I am now able to share my knowledge with others with the pre-release of my 5 days to level up your Instagram free course. Aside from Instagram as my social media platform of choice you can also find me here on my blog and curating and saving on Pinterest, but you won’t find me many places else, or at least you won’t find me active anywhere else. For me, for enjoyment and growing an online brand, I only commit to spending my time doing things I love and that I am passionate about. For me, less is most definitely more.

    So how can I start?

    Focusing on one social media platform, at least at first (there is nothing to say once you have cracked one you can’t move onto being awesome on another), gives you the ability to do it and do it really well. I don’t know about you but I would rather see success in one place than see little success because I have to spread myself too and thin and end up overwhelmed. I know many of you feel it too and I just want to say that it is ok not to be everywhere, it is ok to have focus in one or two places and it is absolutely ok to rock one platform before moving onto figuring out the inner workings of the next. Not only is it ok but you heard it from me: I encourage it. It will strengthen your brand, your voice, your exposure and most importantly it will go some way to supporting you, the creator, in not getting overwhelmed and burnt out. 

    But can I really be successful if I am not everywhere?

    The simple answer is of course you can and this is why you will see that people may be doing particularly well on Instagram but not so much on Facebook, or someone will come along and take a platform like Tik Tok by storm. My advice here is not to leave other platforms entirely (although that is totally your call) but to just take them one at time or in a way that feels authentic to you. For example, like I said above, Instagram is my passion project on social media and it is the place I want to be and I enjoy being. I have profiles in other places that I don’t use or rarely use so my brand is visible, Maybe when I feel like I have Instagram, Pinterest and Blog all where I want them to be I might move onto Twitter and/or Facebook, but the point being that you don’t have to do it all, have it all and make time for it all. Find one that you love, work hard, grow and serve with authenticity and integrity and see where that takes you.

    woman laying on bed surrounded my photos for social media

    So which Social Media platform’s do I pick?

    This is going to be a different answer for everyone because we all have different passions and skills, and what works for one person/business/brand won’t necessarily work for another. The biggest piece of advice I can give you is whether you’re a business or individual you want to start showing up and growing a true brand on social media. A brand where people recognise you for your authenticity, honesty and the way you show up. Being who you are will always be more important on where you are.

    Social media isn’t supposed to be a chore and I cannot emphasise enough the power in saying no to some and only indulging in those that bring you joy. It’s ok to not have the same passion projects as others in your industry and it is ok to pursue your own things. If you can show up on your chosen platform, excel there and share and serve in an authentic way then this is your first step to finding your way as a true brand online.