How “personal” should your brand really be?

Have you ever heard people tell you that you need your brand to be personal, and that your audience wants to know and connect with the person behind the brand? Sounds great in theory, right? But how do you know how personal to be?

Are you supposed to share every thought you've ever had? Tell the world when things happen in your personal life? Document what you had for breakfast even if that has nothing to do with your work?

In this episode, we're exploring exactly how personal your brand really needs to be and how to find a balance that works for you.

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So, how personal does your brand need to be? We know that people connect with people - that's true. So yes, your brand needs to have an element of personal connection. But how much is the "right" amount of personal in your brand? Annoyingly, the answer is that there isn't really a right answer.

The most important thing is that whatever you are sharing and how much you decide to share. It needs to be authentic. If you really don't want to share something, forcing that is not going to work, it's going to feel forced and you are not going to have a great time.

At minimum, people just need to know there's a real human behind the business. Whether you just introduce yourself every now and then, show your face, or share glimpses of your work process - that can be enough. From there, you can share a little bit, a lot, or everything in between.

Let's dive into some practical tools to help you figure out what works for you.

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#1: Your business type

Figure out what kind of business you have and tweak your sharing approach to match.

If people are hiring you to work directly with them (service providers, coaches, etc.), it helps to be more personal. Clients want to know who they're working with and whether you'll be a good fit. Sharing more personal elements helps them see if you'll gel together and have common interests that could make working together a great experience.

If you run a solo creative business selling products, a balance of personal content works well. Your customers want to know that they're supporting a real person whose values they connect with. Sharing who you are and why you do what you're doing helps them feel good about their purchase.

For larger businesses where you're not the sole face or there are multiple people involved, a little personal touch is enough. People just want to know who founded the business and who's behind it, but you don't need to share as much personal information.

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#2: What resonates with you

Have a look at creators and creatives whose personal sharing clicks with you and think about why it works.

It might seem contradictory, but while it doesn't matter what other people are doing, it can be helpful to look at how others approach personal branding. Look at people you feel connected to and analyse what about their sharing creates that connection.

If your favourite artist shares about books they love, their creative influences, or their health journey - what specifically makes this feel authentic and engaging? Could you share in a similar way? Not necessarily the same topics, but perhaps a similar tone or level of vulnerability?

Don't just copy what others do. Instead, cherry-pick elements of their approach that resonate with you and might work for your own brand.

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#3: Align with your values

Grab your brand values and match up personal topics that align with them.

If one of your brand values is creativity, think about aspects of your life that reflect this. Maybe you could share the art you love, visits to your local gallery, or insights into your creative process. These topics naturally reinforce your brand's focus on creativity.

Perhaps another value is positivity. In this case, consistently sharing negative content might not align with how you want to show up, even if being authentic is important.

Review your brand values and use them as a filter for what personal content to share. This creates consistency between your personal sharing and your business identity.

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#4: Share what YOU love

Make a list of things you genuinely get excited about that somehow connect to your work.

Think about the things you love, the things you're passionate about, the things that make you happy, and especially the things that relate to your business. This could include:

• Books you're reading
• Gardening adventures
• Trips to local art galleries or bookstores
• Your daily cup of tea in your favourite mug
• New art pieces you've acquired
• Your favourite creators or influences

For example, I collect mugs (a somewhat problematic collection!) and handmade ceramics. This works well for me to share because it connects with my values around creativity and supporting local artists. Plus, it's something I genuinely love and can talk about enthusiastically.

When you share what actually excites you, it feels natural and your audience can sense that authenticity.

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#5: Set boundaries & check your why

Decide upfront what's in and what's out for your sharing, and always question your motivation.

Set clear boundaries about what topics you will and won't talk about. Maybe you're comfortable sharing your creative process, hobbies, and health journey, but you won't include your family. Having these boundaries makes future decisions easier when you're wondering if you should share something.

Before posting anything personal, always ask yourself:

• Is this something I'm passionate about?
• Does it connect to my business?
• Will my audience relate to this?
• Do I have another reason for sharing that doesn't feel good?

If you're sharing something because you want to complain or seek sympathy, that might not be the best motivation. But if you're genuinely passionate about the topic, it connects to your business, or you know your audience will relate - those are great reasons to go ahead.

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Journal prompts for clarity

Here are some prompts to help you figure out what feels right for your personal brand:

1. What personal things do my favourite creators share that make me feel connected to them and their work, and why?
2. What non-work-related topics would I love to talk about?
3. What are some of my favourite topics, hobbies, experiences, or other interests?
4. Where do I feel pressure to share things that don't feel comfortable to me, and why?
5. Looking at my brand values, what personal topics align with each one?
6. What topics feel too personal for me to share and why?
7. What have I shared in the past that my audience engaged with most?
8. What things have I shared that did or didn't feel good to share?
9. What do people ask me about outside of work?
10. What personal topics might my ideal audience love to hear about?

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Real examples from other creatives

Let's look at how some real artists approach personal sharing:

• Evie Kemp has been sharing about her journey being diagnosed with ADHD - something very personal but that she's chosen to discuss openly with her audience.
• Emma Smith shares her travels to Japan - not directly work-related but something personal that creates connection.
• Meg Lewis shares their fitness journey, outfit choices, and their dog.
• Daisy Braid talks about experiences with skin conditions, moving house, and weathering recent hurricanes in Australia.

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Think about these examples and notice your reaction. Would you share similar things? Why or why not? What feels right to you and what feels like too much?

Yes, your brand needs a personal element so you can connect with your audience person-to-person, but the amount and way you do that is entirely up to you.

Use these tools to figure out your own authentic approach to personal sharing and create a social media strategy that works for you.

The goal is to enjoy marketing your creative business so you want to do it more, and so you feel good about telling people about your work and yourself. When your sharing feels authentic and comfortable, your audience will respond to that genuineness.