Whenever a friend and I go shopping at a boutique or a thrift store, if I hold something up for them to look at, I am either met with "Oh, that's so ON brand for you- Or a simple No."
This leads me to the question of whether we are now brands first instead of humans or whether we are humans wandering around as brands.
Do you ever feel like you are no longer human but instead have become a walking talking brand? I want to let you in on a little secret you're not alone. The rise of digital marketing and monetizing our lives online has blurred the lines between human beings and brands.
Read on to explore how we have gone from living our lives to building a brand.
How did we go from being human to now everything we do and post needing to be on brand in digital marketing?
In today's digital marketing landscape, branding has taken center stage. The evolution from being purely human to now everything we need to be on the brand has redefined how businesses operate online.
Gone are the days when businesses could solely rely on providing quality products or services. Consumers have become more connected with the rise of social media and other digital platforms. They expect brands to meet their needs and resonate with their values and beliefs.
As a result, businesses are now tasked with crafting a cohesive and consistent brand identity across all aspects of their online presence. Every touchpoint allows a business owner to convey their unique brand personality, from website design to social media posts.
This shift towards branding in digital marketing can be attributed to various factors. First, technology has made it easier for consumers to compare options and make informed decisions based on reputation and perception rather than just product features or price points.
Second, the rise of influencer culture has significantly impacted consumer behavior. People no longer trust traditional advertising methods but instead, turn towards influencers who align with their interests and values on what purchases they need to be making. By incorporating themselves into these influencers' narratives through branded content or partnerships, businesses have found a way to gain credibility among potential customers in the influencer's community.
Third, social media algorithms favor consistent messaging by promoting content that fits within established patterns or themes associated with specific brands. This type of messaging incentivizes business owners to maintain an active presence on these platforms and ensure that every piece of content they publish reinforces their overall brand image.
While this new paradigm may seem daunting at first glance for business owners, trying to keep up with evolving trends while remaining authentic can lead to success in building long-term customer loyalty. It requires careful planning, strategic implementation, and continuous monitoring.
To achieve this balance, business owners must collaborate closely with social managers to understand the intricacies and importance of maintaining a solid relationship between the creator and brand humanization.
Because I wanted to see where my community stood, I decided to survey my Linkedin, Facebook, and Instagram communities on the following When it comes to social media- are we brands before we are humans, or are we humans who are brands?
And I'm excited to share that most people answered on social media that they are humans who own a business. In the business, they are a brand run by a human.
I am a multifaceted person- I like to do a bunch of different stuff and stuff that I liked a year ago that I don't necessarily enjoy now. This is why my approach to this whole marketing thing has always been that you are a human first, not the brand, because the brand can expand as you, the human, grows and expands.
Are we all a personal brand now- sadly, yes, and what is happening is that in this mindset of personal brand, we are boxing people into only staying one way. They can't grow and evolve. However, they show up on day 1 is how we expect them to show up on day 4,021. And that just isn't sustainable or healthy, which is why we are having the mental health issues we are having now.
My professional insight to you is this: do whatever you want. The only social media "rules" that exist are the ones you put on yourself. Stop worrying about your "brand" and instead worry about what kind of human you are. Because when you are a good human first, the brand won't need a lot of work because others will be talking about how amazing you are and want to support you and be in your presence.