We think of branding as something that companies and public businesses do, not individuals. Although most of us don’t realize it, we all have worked to build our personal brands at some point in our lives. We “sell” ourselves at job interviews, on first dates, and in many other situations.
And while some people think that creating a personal brand is dishonest, in reality, it’s all about knowing who you are and what you offer and finding a cohesive way to showcase all of that to the people around you.
Cultivating a personal brand helps you stand out in a very crowded social media room and lets you showcase your personality, talents, and expertise. Your brand creates direction and focus for your objectives and goals. In fact, defining your personal brand is a way to drill down on exactly who you are and what matters to you. And increasingly, people are searching for something authentic. They’re trying to follow and engage with genuine people who are relatable but also aspirational.
So whether you’re selling a vibe, a way of life, or a product, building your personal brand is an essential part of your success. But if you’re not sure where to start, try these six tips for creating your personal brand on Instagram.
1. It Begins With You: Who Are You?
You are the basis for your personal brand, so it will be challenging to know where to begin if you don’t know who you are. Even if you think you do know, take some time to ask yourself a few questions:
- What is my purpose? What is my goal?
- What do I most want people to know about me?
- Who is my audience, and what do I want to offer them?
- Can I boil down a description of my brand into a single sentence?
It might help to write down some of your answers and keep them handy when you’re thinking about the design and aesthetic of your Instagram. Additionally, try asking a close friend or trusted family member what their answers are if you get stuck. It can help you get some perspective on how others perceive your positive traits and qualities.
2. Create a Look That’s Distinctly You
For inspiration, check out some of your favorite Instagram accounts. Compare some of the looks and features that answer your questions from #1. Decide how you’ll tie all your content and look together. Some people opt for a specific color scheme or arrange their content to create a pattern. Or your content might be characterized by a particular filter or format. Visually appealing Instagram accounts are a critical part of your personal branding, so you’ll want to develop a look and consistently adhere to it.
3. Have Your Own Hashtag
It might seem like a minor thing, but creating your own branded hashtag can drive engagement for your brand. You can create your own hashtag, or you can use a third-party app to develop one. A branded hashtag doesn’t need to have your name or your company’s name in it to boost your audience engagement and searchability. Many successful brand hashtags are based on features, skills, or slogans and are a memorable way to keep brand awareness flourishing. Once you’ve developed your branded hashtag, you can use it in your content posts, comment with it on other posts, and include it in your Bio.
4. A Good Bio Will Give You a Boost
You might think that the Bio section of Instagram is too small to make a big difference, but that would be a serious miscalculation. Your Bio can be an integral part of cultivating your personal brand on Instagram, so don’t neglect it. In just a sentence or two, you want to capture the essence of who you are and what you’re offering. It can be blissfully short or take up every single character space available. Length isn’t the most important thing. The key is to make it impactful and genuine.
Your Bio should also include your branded hashtag and a link to a personal website or landing page or your business website. Finally, ensure you’ve also included a call to action (CTA), encouraging people to read more, click, or message you, depending on your goals. All of that may seem like a lot to include, so write down everything and start editing until you get the vital information to fit the space.
5. Maintain a Consistent Posting Schedule
Creating your personal brand includes cultivating an audience by offering useful or entertaining content. But simply offering content isn’t enough—you need to stick to a schedule and deliver content consistently. If you have an Instagram Business account, you can schedule some aspects of your content. But many prefer to use third-party apps to help them create and arrange their content in batches, then prepare it for posting. Handling content this way allows you to ensure that your brand style remains consistent from one post to another. Batching and scheduling also prevent you from posting too often and overwhelming your audience.
6. Core Concepts in Your Content
What are you all about? Focusing on three or four key concepts ensures your content remains cohesive and your audience knows what you stand for. If your posts constantly jump from one topic to another, your followers won’t know what to expect, and you may struggle to develop a consistent following. By sticking with specific topics or themes, you can grow your audience of loyal fans who will eagerly check in and engage with your content because it brings value to them. People will trust you as an expert in your topics and will know where to turn when they need certain content.
Additional Tricks to Hone Your Personal Brand
Don’t forget to develop a unique logo and feature it on your Instagram. It can be your profile pic, or you can showcase it on your content page. If your brand incorporates a specific color, try to include that color in most of your content to create a unified theme. Finally, relying on a core list of filters, settings, and text styles helps polish your personal brand aesthetic.
