Tips For Personal Branding On Social Media

In a world where social media platforms are giving traditional websites a run for their money,
curating your personal brand on social media is crucial for any creative professional. As a
photographer however, it’s even more important.

Your images ARE your brand and your personal branding on social media needs to reflect who you
are and what you bring to the table.

Statistics tell us that web users are significantly more responsive towards pages with high visual
impact. This is why being selective and specific about the quality of the images you choose to
represent your brand has become mandatory. Taking care to ensure that the images you share with
your audience are striking, engaging, and visually attractive can make all the difference to your
photography business.

Being decisive and consistent with what images you use within your brand can be challenging.
Without a solid understanding of your personal brand identity, it will be even harder.

Let’s comb through some statistically proven tips about carving out the brand identity you dream of
without compromising on quality or style.

Tip #1: Look Inward

You can’t convince your audience of your brand themes, ethos, or identity if you’re unsure of what it
is.

Personal branding is PERSONAL.

It relates to how you want to present yourself to the world and who you are as a person. Without
knowing what that looks like, you can’t expect others to either.

The first, most important step a creative brand ambassador can make is the allocation of time to
analyze the ideas, ethics, tone, and flavor of the brand itself.

Ask yourself:

What does your brand mean to you?
Why do you want to share it with other people?
What feelings or thoughts are you trying to ignite within others?

Answering these questions will bring you closer to understanding and developing an effective
personal branding plan. They will prepare you for responding to curious followers, interviewers, or
potential clients when they ask similar questions down the line.

Tip #2: Visual Communication

Regardless of what creative field you specialize in or what graphic niche you fill, choosing which
images to share with your audience is extremely important.

Content marketing statistics tell us the following information about the impact of high-quality
visuals:

Tweets paired with images perform 150% better than Tweets with no images
Facebook posts with images perform 2.3X better than text-based posts
People keep up to 65% more information when paired with visual content (as opposed to an
average of 10% when reading plain text)

But with personal branding, images need to be more than just images.

The visual content you choose to represent your identity needs to align with the core values,
themes, tone and style of what your brand stands for. Photographers specifically will need to employ
this mindset to tell their brand’s story.

Are you selling adventure? Use vivid, natural hues that mimic the outdoors. Are you a wedding
photographer? Choose soft, romantic tones that speak of love and ritual.

Curate your images to create a space separate from the rest. You want your audience to step into
YOUR world.

Elements like color, texture, and font choice will all introduce themselves to your audience before
you do. So, make sure they say what you want them to say.

Brands that stick to a simple, yet specific color palette are easier for followers to recognize. This
recognition creates a sense of familiarity that online audiences can come to know and love. This is
where loyal clients and returning customers are born.

Think about what ideas your brand is trying to communicate and aim to express those attributes
using the power of visual signals. Colors, patterns, and textures are used throughout nature and
society to indicate everything from warnings to invitations.

Select the visual signals you think best fit the message you’re trying to convey through your brand.

Tip #3: Consistency is Key

It’s likely you’ve gotten advice on consistency within social media branding before. But this aspect of
internet marketing is worth repeating. It’s absolutely critical for successful engagement.

When it comes to both visual content and brand voice, consistency can pave the way for your
audience to start trusting you. In the same way that you are less likely to trust people whose
behavior is turbulent and unpredictable, your audience is less likely to trust you if your brand
identity comes across as scattered, confused, or volatile.

Your audience wants to know that they can rely on you to satisfy their needs and maintain a healthy
level of composure. Once you’ve discovered your personal branding identity, curate the content that
promotes it in a way that follows a clear, consistent trajectory.

This consistency can carry through all your marketing, from your social media pages to your online
portfolio website, and even to your business cards and email signature. In staying consistent, your
brand becomes instantly identifiable… and this is your aim.

Tip #4: The Power of Authenticity

Nothing turns a potential client off as quickly as insincerity. Your audience can sniff out a
disingenuous campaign from a mile away. Even if they don’t, your reach will become unnecessarily
stunted.

Consumers and clients gravitate towards brand identities they’ve bonded with. It’s your job to make
sure that bond is facilitated. Being authentic isn’t about being perfect—nobody is.

Authenticity is about staying true to your brand personality, being present with your audience, and
occasionally being vulnerable with them.

Without being cliche, show your audience that you’re a human too. You have bad days; you don’t
always hit your marks, and you feel stressed sometimes. These are things everyone experiences, and
your audience will come to both like and trust you more if they feel they can relate to you.

Platforms like Instagram Stories are ideal for adding a dash of authenticity as they offer sneak peeks
into your personality and brand without being too in your face.

Establishing an official social media presence is an ongoing process. But every step forward will bring
you closer to actualizing the personal brand identity you’re aiming to achieve.

Focus on developing a concrete understanding of who you are and what you want to represent. As a
photographer, your authenticity is the most valuable asset you have.