10 fun ways to grow your online brand that no one talks about

(because they're too busy worrying about growing their personal brand)

If you know me, you'll know I'm a big proponent of taking action rather than overthinking things.

Brands are in, and overthinking is out.

You're building a powerful asset here, so don't drop the ball. But it needn't be a nightmare.

Here are some little tips to keep your brand ticking along:

Regularly poke people.

Not with a sharp stick, but a cheeky little online DM or check-in. Show people you exist while making them feel good.

Some of the best things for me have come out of virtual pokes.

Be more visual.

Instead of puking out dry information, paint pictures.

Share snaps of your breakfast. Incorporate more vivid scenes into your writing. Include diagrams and sketches in your posts.

Good brands are memorable, and images stick.

Look, here’s a pic of me lost in anime world:

Treat your audience like co-creators.

Trying to 'look good' and show you have it all under control is tempting.

But asking for suggestions and treating your readers like collaborators bring them closer to you.

When they feel like they're part of your process, you create better products and amplify the connection.

Entertain yourself through content.

Most people burn out every two weeks because they create stuff that doesn't tickle them.

I don't always get it right, but when I, for example, write stuff that entertains me, my writing flies, and people respond.

Start rivalries in good humour.

Pick an enemy, like 'hustle culture' or the 'soulless AI writer guy,' and jab at it occasionally.

This shows you stand for something and allows others to rally around your opinion. You give your brand character, while also keeping it light.

Build in public, even if it's messy.

Share more of your process, like a chapter of the book you're working on.

Share your first terrible logo idea or first draft.

Give people a behind-the-scenes taste and be willing to show it a little rough. This is human and can be hilarious.

Lean into a weird obsession.

Whether it's birds, brutalist buildings, Pokemon cards, or 90s cereal boxes, don't hold back on letting that niche obsession bleed into your brand here and there.

Share it. It doesn't all need to be you being a clever authority voice.

People love a unique signature flavour.

Be unexpected.

Building trust through your familiar presence is essential, but at the same time, you don't want to fall into becoming predictable.

Break the rules sometimes. Write a different type of email every now and then  that does not follow the familiar pattern.

Share a poem, a travel video, or an image with nothing else. Unexpected is memorable.

Use weird metaphors.

Compare your creative process to a frog on a trampoline or your brand to a moody dragon with a Twitter account.

People remember strangeness, and strangeness is sticky.

Create an invite-only mini-community for your most loyal fans.

This can be paid or invite-only. It feels exclusive and special.

Set up a Telegram, Discord or Circle group that allows certain followers to interact a little more with you and share feedback.

You could ask them to fill in a form for consideration or peruse your posts and invite those you like.

Happy building.

Alex

Consistent writing to grow your brand is far more enjoyable when you know exactly how to improve your craft a little every day.

My Online Writing Alchemy course gives you the secrets I learned through 15 years of experimenting.

Learn more here.

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