This is both the simplest and hardest thing to do as a business owner: be yourself in your content marketing. So why is it so important, and how do you actually go about doing it? Read on to find out and tap into the unreal benefits.
Why is it important to be yourself in your content?
From my three years’ experience of running my own business and putting it out into the world, the most important thing I’ve done to build my visibility and earn trust from my audience is actually showing up as myself.
I used to envy other people’s polished selfies, wistful scenery shots and succinct captions.
But then I realised we’re all different, and the only way we can attract people who share our vibe is to be fully ourselves through the content marketing we put out into our little corner of the internet.
Here’s why it matters.
If you’re a personal brand, people are buying YOU
Running a personal brand has its pros and cons, right?
There’s just you, which can be daunting and challenging at times, for sure.
But there’s also just you, you know? So you don’t have to immerse yourself in complex brand guidelines to market a huge corporate organisation, you get to do things exactly how you want to because it’s your business.
No lengthy approval processes, no dickheads in the boardroom to crush your creativity, no rigid hours that drain your time and compromise your wellbeing. When you look at it that way, it’s kind of exciting, isn’t it.
So being yourself is a great way to get people to buy into your brand and buy whatever you’re selling.
Other people do what you do
The reality is, you’re probably not offering something nobody else offers.
The difference is how you do it and how you make people feel when they work with you.
How will they understand this important difference unless you’re being yourself in your social media posts, blogs, emails, and videos?
What’s going to stand out about you to make people choose to work with you over the next person on Google or Insta? How will they develop that know, like and trust to pick you?
This is why you need to be yourself: because if you don’t, someone else will convert your customers by showing their own personality and vibe.
How to be yourself through your content
So you get that it’s important to be yourself through your content, but how do you go about it?
Define your brand voice
One crucial step is to determine your voice as a personal brand so your target customers start to notice, remember, and identify you amid the noise.
Define your voice as a business by noting down key descriptors – here are some examples:
- Friendly
- Professional
- Quirky
- Casual
- Authoritative
- Fun
- Serious
- Positive
- Inspirational
- Caring
- Warm
- Strong
- Weird
- Down-to-earth
- Cheeky
- Respectful
- Mature
Which are you?
Now, when you’ve chosen 3-5 adjectives to sum up your brand voice, write them down and keep them to hand so you can check every piece of content you write is recognisable as you.
Be inspired, not jealous
If you see something you like online, rather than being jealous, think about what you like about it and how you can apply the same sort of idea to your own content (without copying, obviously).
What do they do well that you want to try?
Is it the type of image, the style of post?
Use them as your inspiration. Hell, why not connect with them and ask for advice? Why does everyone have to be our competition? There is power to be had in teaming up and sharing expertise. Maybe there’s something you can do for them in return, or maybe they’ll help you without needing anything in return.
There’s enough business out there for everyone, so connect with people and learn from them.
For me, showing up as myself through my content means:
🧇 Filming waffley Insta stories from my messy car
🥲 Being honest when I’m feeling sh*t personally rather than putting on an act
🗣 Sharing that I’m sometimes posting on the fly and haven’t always got a perfectly mapped out plan for my content (this was big – I thought you’d think I was crap at my job, but hey, even content writers are human lol)
🦮 Posting make-up free dog walking selfies with a spontaneous caption because it sprung into my head
🧣Writing in my own style, even if it’s long-winded and features my weird witticisms and random Taylor Swift lyrics.
It took me a while to do all of that.
For months, I hid behind graphics and wrote in a much more cold, clinical tone than I do now, because I was scared I wouldn’t be liked or hired.
Is it the same for you?
If so, tell me – how is authenticity going to look for you?
Get help being yourself online
If you need help finding your voice and sharing your gorgeous personality with the world, I’ve got you!
You can get my support in the following ways:
🧡 Join Content Club – a monthly accountability community to share ideas, get feedback, have your questions answered by a professional, and connect with like-minded peeps who will cheer you on!
CONTENT CLUB – a supportive space for likeminded business owners to write better content
🧡 Binge my online course – develop lifelong content writing skills and switch on your content brain by downloading my online content writing course. You get lifetime access to all six masterclasses to binge or work through at your own pace.
Be A Content Queen – Online Content Writing Course – Words By Ali
🧡 Work with me 1-1 – book a discovery call to explore your options if you prefer personalised, intensive support to get comfortable and confident creating amazing content that grows your business your way.
