For people who want a gentler, more authentic relationship with visibility
You know you have meaningful ideas. You have a vision for your work, your clients, the change you want to make, and the person you want to be. You want to share it and build a personal brand online.
But the online world (and/or the voice in your head) keeps whispering that to be taken seriously, you have to be louder, younger, bolder, older, prettier, more “magnetic,” a better writer, a better speaker, funnier… You get the idea. On top of that, real life is busy. Between work, family, and everything else, it’s easy to let your ideas slide to the bottom of the list.
Maybe the way you naturally move through the world and show up online doesn’t quite “match” what everyone else is doing. But that doesn’t mean it is wrong. In fact, for you, it might be absolutely right. If anything, the way you naturally show up might be the clearest foundation you have to build a personal brand online that feels honest and sustainable.
You can copy app templates or jump on trending content to create a personal brand, or you can show up as yourself and watch the magic happen. All you need is a little patience, some big ideas, and a new relationship with what a personal brand can look like.
In earlier blogs, we’ve talked about sharing your wins without feeling like you’re bragging and finding the through-line that runs through your work. This blog is about what happens next: letting your ideas be seen in a way that still feels like you.
How You’re “Supposed” to Sound on Social Media
Most of what we see about showing up on social media pushes you to be louder and more visible all the time. But if the way you’re “supposed” to show up online makes your shoulders tense or your stomach knot, of course you’re going to hesitate. It’s unreasonable to expect yourself to feel relaxed and authentic while trying to squeeze into a version of showing up that doesn’t feel like you.
When you sit down to write, it’s easy to overthink everything. Part of you wants to speak your mind in your own voice. Another part is convinced you have to sound bigger and sharper to be taken seriously. Those two parts pull in opposite directions, and it’s exhausting.
No wonder you close the app and tell yourself you’ll figure it out later.
But here’s what’s true: You can build an online presence that feels like you on a good day.
Real-You Content: A Different Way to Build a Personal Brand Online
If we strip away the jargon, having a ‘brand presence’ is very simple: You experience things. You make sense of what is happening and learn from the experiences. You share it so other people can use the knowledge, too.
Real-you content is about being the person who is willing to say, “Here is what I am paying attention to, and here is why I think it matters.”
That might look like a short post once a week about a pattern you are noticing. It might be sharing a win. It might be a piece of advice you wish someone had told you when you were younger. It might be an image of something you saw that piqued your interest. It might be a quote that inspired you.
None of that requires a megaphone. It requires honesty, a point of view, and a little bit of courage to put words to what you are observing. Here’s something I tell my clients to help you find that courage.
What You Notice About the People You Trust Online
When you think about people you trust online, what comes to mind?
It’s probably the people who sound like themselves, talk about things that matter to you, and show up in a way that feels connected and human.
Their posts are clear. You have a sense of who they’re speaking to. Over time, their name starts to feel familiar, and you catch yourself thinking about something they said when a similar situation shows up in your own life.
By saying real things in simple language, on a regular-enough basis, the right people will start to recognize themselves in your words.
A Gentler Way to Start Showing Up Online
If the idea of trying to build a personal brand online makes you want to hide under a blanket, bring it down to something much smaller.
Choose one place you already use. It might be LinkedIn, Instagram, or even your email list if you have one. Commit to a rhythm that feels realistic in this season of your life. Once a week is plenty. Every other week is plenty. You are building a practice, not sitting an exam.
Then, come back to your through-line. From the earlier blogs, you know this is the deeper thread that runs through your work. Maybe it is about access, or grief, or leadership, or resilience, or change. Pick one part of that thread and stay close to it for a while. Let it be the anchor you return to, instead of starting from a blank page every time.
When you write, imagine you are leaving a short voice note for a friend, client, or a colleague you like. You are not trying to impress them, you are simply trying to connect with them and be useful. Often, that shift alone is enough to pull you back into your natural voice.
How You’ll Know Your “Real-You” Content Is Working to Build a Personal Brand Online
“Real-you” thought leadership does not always come with big, public signals. The signs are often easy to miss if you are only watching the numbers.
Someone sends you a message and says, “I have been thinking about what you wrote last week.”
A client mentions that they shared your post with a colleague because it captured something they had been trying to explain.
You meet someone new and they say, “I feel like I already know how you think from your posts.”
You will also notice internal shifts. You hesitate a little less each time you hit publish. You spend less time spiralling about whether every word is perfect. You start to see your own ideas more clearly, simply because you are making time to put them into language.
None of this is flashy. All of this is evidence that your presence is growing.
A Simple “Real-You” Content Experiment
This week, write one short post using this simple template in your own words:
- Start with something you are noticing right now.
- Explain why you think it matters.
- End with one thought or question for the person reading.
Read it out loud once. If it sounds like you, share it before you end up editing it into something that no longer does.
If there’s something inside of you that wants to share your ideas and create an online presence you do not have to figure out the next steps alone. This is the work I love doing: finding the thread, shaping your messaging and cheering you on while we work together to create a way of showing up that feels aligned, sustainable, and real.
If you are ready for support, you can book a clarity coaching session here so we can work through your message together. And if you know you would show up more consistently with structure and company, you can join the waitlist for Momentum Collective, where we carve out time to create and share your work, quietly but consistently, alongside others doing the same.