I talk to a lot of people who are just starting something new. They might not have a brand identity yet, but they know they need one. They also might be building a website and hoping to wrap it up soon. They have a very long to-do list next. And somewhere on that list, usually accompanied by a heavy dose of guilt, is the intention to start posting on social media asap. But where do you even begin? It often feels like a chicken-or-the-egg situation. If you don’t have your brand identity nailed down yet, how can you possibly look put together? Do you wait until your messaging is locked in?
Social media often feels like a branding exercise, but it’s not a brand book. It’s not fixed. It’s a space where things shift. Yes, you’ll want some branded elements like your profile picture and maybe the occasional graphic, but both the algorithm and the people using these platforms tend to favor posts that feel looser, more in-the-moment. It should be original, entertaining, or informative. Directly from the mouth of someone they care about. No matter the platform or format, those qualities are what people return for.
