A Blog Isn’t the Only Way to Build Your Brand

 

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: content is king when it comes to building your brand and gaining loyal followers. And yes, regular, SEO focused, quality blog posts are one of the best ways to build your brand and following. But they’re not the only way. This is good news for all of you out there who don’t have the time, energy, or ideas for daily or even weekly blog posts. There are plenty of ways to put out creative, fun and less time consuming content. I’m sharing five of these ideas below. 

 

Build Your Brand Bit by Bit

 

Not everything you share needs to be momentous, and not all of your content needs to be promotional. You want to show that you are more than your job, or your book. You don’t need to always focus on the big things. Because your audience and followers are interested in who you are, not just what you’re selling. And letting your audience get to know you builds trust and loyalty. Here are five types of content you can try out. Some of which can be scheduled in advance, to save you time, or to be timely.

 

Scheduled Content

 

Behind the Scenes/About You/Your Day/Your Reasons

This type of content lets your audience in on how you operate and what you’re all about. It can be as simple as sharing a photo of your work space, a fun fact about your field of work or niche, a snapshot of your to-do list or a quick reminder of why you do all you do. These can be used in conjunction with photos, memes, or hashtags to boost your engagement.

 

 Third-Party Content or Collaboration

This is always an easy option. Share a high quality article, blog, or breaking news story and give your short take on it in the caption. Just make sure it’s relevant to your brand or what you’re all about. You can also do a collaboration. This one can be as simple as a share for a share of a fellow author’s blog, book or latest post, or you could host a guest blogger on your site or have them host your work.   

 

In the Moment Content

 

Create A Challenge

Challenges encourage engagement. You can do something like a word count challenge and ask your audience to challenge themselves to write a certain amount each day. Or, you can challenge them to check something off a long-neglected to-do list. Of course, you’ll be spearheading this, so make sure you’re up to the challenge yourself. 

 

Livestreams/Video

Videos get the most engagement on almost any platform. Choose a platform and show your followers something fun or educational. It can be as simple as a quick tip. You can show yourself doing something you love to do, like attending an event (even a virtual event), or going on a walk in the park. You can even show yourself making your favorite drink (think Ina Garten and her viral giant cocktail recipe) or a breakfast recipe. These can be light and fun, educational, or inspirational. Just keep them short. People’s attention spans are known to drop past the 3 minute mark. 

 

AMA/Q&A or FAQ

Host an AMA (Ask Me Anything) or do a question and answer session, or even post the answers to the most frequently asked questions you receive. This can be in short video format, especially with the FAQ, or you can invite your followers to ask you questions in the comments of a written post. Just make sure you’re on stand-by to respond in a timely manner. You can set a time frame and check in throughout the day. 

 

Some Extra Tips on Types of Content to Build Your Brand

 

Pets: Everyone loves pets! If you have a cat (I share photos of my cat, Mishka, when she allows it) or dog, or bird, or you’re one of the lucky few with a Raccoon as a pet, share some photos! Tell your followers your pet’s story. It gives them insight into who you are and what you’re about on a more personal level without oversharing.

Kids: If you’ve got kiddos in your life, share some fun stories about their antics. If you don’t have children, or don’t feel comfortable sharing kid related content, then see above: Pets.  

What You’re Reading: Snap a photo of yourself reading or just a nice photo of the cover. Tell your followers what you think. If it’s a book by another Indie author, support them by tagging them in the photo.

Personal Flaws: This seems like a weird one right? Well, the truth is, everyone knows that the perfect life we see on social media isn’t quite real. And now, more than ever, your audience wants to know that you are actually human. Exposing some of your flaws can be endearing and it builds trust. 

Goals: Share what you have planned for the day, the week, the month, or the whole year. Tell your audience what your ambitions are and they’ll relate. Plus, it can give them something to look forward to—especially if your goals happen to involve a new book or career move. 

 

See, It’s Not So Hard to Create Content Is It?

 

I hope I’ve convinced you that creating content can be easy, and maybe even fun! There’s no need for everything to be perfect either. Just make sure all your content is on-brand and true to you! Speaking of challenges, I challenge you to use one of these ideas in your social media strategy this week. Good luck, and happy creating!

 

P.S. I’d love to hear about your efforts in the comments. Drop back by on the original post and share your experience with the community there.