Express Writers

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Building an Authentic Online Brand with Janet Machuka

by | Apr 9, 2021 | ContentWritingChat

Content Writing Chat recap

These days, having an authentic online brand is a huge factor in your success.

After all, people want to know that you’re genuine and that they can trust you. They also want to feel connected to you and your brand.

Without trust, you simply cannot expect to be seen as a leader, generate sales, etc.

So, how can you position your brand as being authentic? This #ContentWritingChat recap has some helpful tips for you!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Building an Authentic Online Brand with Janet Machuka

Our guest host for this month’s chat was Janet Machuka. She’s a social media marketing strategist and she has her own Twitter chat, #AfricaTweetChat. Janet shared some great tips with us, so let’s dive in!

Q1: What does it mean for a brand to be authentic?

If you’re curious what it truly means to have an authentic brand, here’s what you need to know:

Janet feels an authentic online brand is real, genuine, and honest.

For Masooma, it’s all about showing your human side. People want to get to know the real you and see your personality. It helps build a stronger connection.

Being approachable is another great element of an authentic brand. When your audience can relate to you, you have a much better chance at succeeding on the way to your goals.

Transparency definitely helps! Be open and honest with your audience.

Don’t forget that you should never try to be something you’re not. People will see right through that. So, just be you!

And don’t try to copy exactly what another brand is doing. You need to forge your own path and do your own thing. Be your true self and everything is sure to come together.

Q2: Why is brand authenticity such an important factor in establishing yourself online these days?

The authentic brands stand out more than the rest. Here’s why it’s a crucial factor in branding:

An authentic brand is going to stand out from everyone else in the crowd. People are more likely to support a brand that they find to be real, relatable, and trustworthy.

As Michelle said, people want to know who they’re buying from. Through social media, you can help people get to know you and your team. When they know you and like you, they’ll be more likely to engage with your brand and purchase your offerings.

Rachel brought up a great point about how people aren’t likely to visit your website or your shop if you fail to position yourself as an authentic online brand.

At the end of the day, being authentic and showcasing your expertise is what will lead to even more sales in your business.

And you’ll never get anywhere if you’re trying to be something you’re not. Don’t copy the other brands out there. Be yourself and do your own thing.

With so much fake content going around, it’s more important than ever to be genuine.

Q3: Can you share some advice on how to build an authentic, genuine brand online?

These tips will ensure your brand is authentic and resonates with your target audience:

Great answer from Janet! Show your face, be open and honest about your successes and failures, etc. Check out the article she shared for more tips.

Michelle suggests getting clear on your brand’s values before diving in. From there, it’ll be easier to build an authentic online brand people love.

Masooma agrees that you need to know your values first and foremost. After that, it’s about showing up. Behind-the-scenes content is a great way to showcase this!

Q4: What kind of content can you share that will allow you to showcase your personality and the values your brand stands for?

No need to stress over content ideas! Here are some suggestions you can use:

These are some great ideas from Janet. Draw inspiration from those who have created custom GIFs for their brand. They’re recognizable and add a little flair to your posts. You can even share inspirational stories about yourself and your customers.

Behind-the-scenes content is always a great idea. People love to see what your everyday life is like, as it shows off your personality.

If there’s more than just you working on your brand, make sure you’re introducing your team members to your audience as well. Better to get them acquainted with everyone!

Rachel would love to see more brands doing Twitter chats. They provide a great way to make connections, but brands also have the opportunity to just be themselves during chats.

Share your thoughts, challenges, and success. Share your journey with others. The ideas here are truly endless, so get creative with what you post online.

Q5: How can you know if you’re actually resonating as being authentic with your target audience?

To know if you’re truly an authentic online brand, pay attention to metrics like these:

When it comes to metrics, you may notice an increase in engagement. More people starting conversations and offering feedback is always a plus since it’s an essential step in relationship building.

And who does’t love word-of-mouth referrals from happy customers?

You’ll likely see more engagement on your social media platforms and even via email. When people are responding positively to your content, you know you’re on the right path.

Track the numbers over time and watch how things grow. This will be an important way to measure your success.

And if you aren’t seeing the results you want, make some tweaks to your strategy. Don’t be afraid to change directions if needed.

Q6: If you have multiple people creating content for your brand, how can you be sure everything is aligned with your mission to be an authentic brand?

It’s important to keep everything on-brand! You can do that with your team by following these tips:

Guidelines are incredibly helpful when you’re working with a team. Communicate your niche, your brand values, etc. before having anyone create content for you.

Masooma suggests making a document that details everything a team member would need to know about content creation for your brand. Outline your brand voice, as well as any other tips they’d need to know.

A style guide will be a major help! Use it to share details of what works for imagery, brand voice, and more to keep everyone aligned with your brand vision.

It’s also smart to get everyone on the same content calendar. Create a calendar and give everyone on your team access so they can stay updated.

Carla suggests assigning certain people to a specific format. If you have someone that’s great with video, make that their priority. It helps when people are able to shine and showcase their skills.

Q7: Are there any brands that show up authentically online that we can learn from?

Draw inspiration on being an authentic online brand from these examples:

These are some great brands to check out. Visit Janet’s suggestions over on Twitter and pay attention to what stands out about their brands.

Want to join the next #ContentWritingChat? Mark your calendars for the first Tuesday of every month at 10 AM Central. And follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat for all the latest.

Tags: branding