How can you make your online voice more authentic?

The key to creating human content is to weave your own stories into your content. Here are some prompts that can help you: My experience with this is … The impact on me is … I learned this when … This news made me upset … My most valuable lesson was ... A time I struggled with this was ... The only way to stand out in this world is to be original, and to be original, you have to share your story. Be careful not to cross the line of "over-sharing." I once heard good advice about this: "Share your scars, not your wounds." Being human with my content did not come easy for me. I'm a private person. It takes courage to share, but every time I do, I'm rewarded. People react because they've had similar problems and hurdles.

Your why determines everything about your brand especially your voice and tone. Spend time asking yourself some core questions: Why am I on this platform? Who do I want to work with? What is my goal in the next 3 months? Once you answer these fundamental questions everything else becomes super easy.

I began posting on Linkedin about career related matters as a way of helping me grieve after my brother took his own life when his job search ran aground. When I post, I always have him in mind as my audience and I know he would want to know this: Is this true? Is this actionable? Does this leave the reader feeling more positive? There are times when I'm tempted to get on the hamster wheel...because as I skim my feed I see so many on theirs...constantly exhausting themselves for a number, a badge, a "Top". None of which I do, none of which I will ever do. And, it seems somewhat sad to me that people get so caught up in followers/connections that they don't listen to themselves and hear their own voice.

Being authentic online means being yourself and connecting with people in a real way. Share stories from your life, use everyday language, and don't be afraid to express your opinions. If you make a mistake, admit it, and be open about your experiences. Respond to comments and engage with your audience to create a sense of community. Show the behind-the-scenes of your life or business through photos and videos. Be consistent in how you present yourself and stick to your values. Building authenticity takes time, so be patient, and focus on building genuine connections rather than just trying to be popular.

Spend some time getting to know yourself before you focus on getting others to know you. Unfortunately, we spend so much time trying to create this ultimate persona that others would like that at the end we forget what we stand for. What I see most among my clients when we first meet is that they lack clarity about their key personality traits, talents and unique value they bring on the market. If you don't see yourself as valuable, no amount of branding strategies can help you prove your value. Fall inlove with your authentic voice first, then everyone else will fall in line. Not the other way around. That's the key to true authenticity.

Finding your tone and aligning with your brand values is only part of your personal branding. Consider how you are showing up online visually. You are a walking advertisement. Your image is part of your personal brand and can stop the scroll as well as relate to your target audience. This isn't about being the most trendy or fashion-forward person online, rather it is about showing up with impact to make people take notice and want to hear what you have to say. Take a holistic approach which includes the outfit and the colors you choose paired with what you say, how you say it, and any physical gestures you display on camera. Be intentional.

I agree with this. Once you know the tone and message you want to put out. The rest is just being your unique self and staying real. We all have a unique story to share so have fun with it. Like in most stories everyone tells them a little differently. Find your style and shine.

Autenticidade e Veracidade são os segredos do tom da própria marca! É preciso encontrar um jeito seu e um jeito único de se posicionar estrategicamente, creio que o pior erro que encontro por aí é justamente a imitação!

☝️ Our tone demonstrates our emotions and body language. Similarly, our emotions and body language can drive our tone. 😊 Being in a happy state, will mean delivering a speech or conversation in a happy tone. ❤️Even if we are feeling upset, going into a usual mode of speaking in happiness can sometimes make us feel better. 🪜 It's a two way train, and we can be better in our tone by increasingly being aware and conscious about ourselves. Conscious means being in the know and understanding our own actions and behaviour with acceptance. 💁 By accepting both our strengths and shortcomings, could we elevate into improved authenticity and tone.

Your tone needs to be authentic to you. Don't try to copy others. Speak how you would speak. Speak in away that a grade 3rd student can read and understand. Simple language. Don't be fake. Be as vulnerable as you can be. Emotions moves people. Be bold. Be brave.

Maintaining uniformity in your online voice is vital across all your platforms, channels, and content formats. This entails employing a consistent tone, style, and vocabulary in your blog posts, social media updates, emails, videos, podcasts, and any other content you produce. This consistency is pivotal in building your credibility, trustworthiness, and recognition. Moreover, it simplifies the process for your audience to grasp your message and connect with you

Consistency is important. However, willingness to stray a little bit to test out additional areas in proximity is equally important. Especially so when the way the audience consumes content varies so much across posts, videos, podcasts ... so the core message needs to stay consistent, the delivery, length, periodicity ... needs to be customized.

Easier said than done, right? Sometimes, ideas come to us at the worst times. Instead of rushing for a pen and paper, try recording it on your phone. Keep voice notes. You will be able to share more details like this, and maybe even more ideas will surge out of it. Another way in which you can stay consistent is to open loops in the previous content piece you wrote. Think of them like TV series episodes. One thing leads to another.

Yes, but… we show up differently in different situations, not as a different persona but a different version of ourselves, appropriate to the audience and situation. Strong brand is recognizable and familiar but not identical.

Just as a garden thrives with regular tending, a consistent publishing schedule ensures your content flourishes. Small, dedicated efforts—like watering and weeding—yield a vibrant garden. Similarly, regular, thoughtful posts cultivate a robust presence, engaging your audience and growing your impact. Care and consistency are the bedrocks of both bountiful gardens and influential publishing.

I disagree with the opener. It should NEVER be about you. It is always about the audience. The brand and value you provide always emerges if you put the audience and their needs first.

Your online voice should extend beyond self-promotion and prioritize your audience. Focus on delivering valuable, pertinent, and captivating content that benefits them. Demonstrate your genuine concern by actively listening to their feedback, responding to their inquiries, resolving their issues, and expressing gratitude for their support. This commitment to adding value will foster connections, loyalty, and advocacy among your audience.

To add value, I suggest the following points: - Focus on Audience Value: Tailor your online content to be useful, relevant, and engaging, ensuring it adds value to your audience's life or work. - Engage and Respond: Actively listen to audience feedback, answer questions, and address concerns, showing that you value their input and engagement. - Express Gratitude: Regularly thank your audience for their support, fostering a sense of appreciation and community. - Build Relationships: Use your content to build rapport, demonstrating genuine interest in your audience's needs and experiences. - Cultivate Loyalty: Consistently adding value leads to stronger loyalty and advocacy, as your audience feels connected and valued.

Not all value adds are for the public consumption. If you want to build true community, be open to offline opportunities to network and support your followers. This can include offering references for jobs or referrals for a small business. Don’t forget the young professionals in need of mentorship as well. These are all ways you can provide value to your community that have nothing to do with your content or online brand.

This is a fine line to walk when telling personal stories. Be on alert if you are telling the story to serve your ego. The purpose of a personal story is to invite your audience along. There is value to add when they get to be along for the ride. What lesson do you want your reader to learn as a result of your story?

Vary your content by format and tone. Be a bit controversial or polarizing. Take on the role of the expert at times. Share one of your lessons from a failed attempt. Your audience will resonate and stay with you when you show up as a human with different emotions.

Experimentation and evolution are like dance steps that keep your dance moves fresh and captivating. 🕺 Embrace new trends, explore different content formats, and engage with your audience in thoughtful ways. Gather feedback, refine your approach, and let your authentic voice shine through. Continuous growth and adaptation will transform your online presence into a dynamic and engaging performance. 🎭

You never know what will work. Some posts that I thought would be very successful in terms of engagement, were not. While others surprised me with how much people interacted with my ideas. Keep experimenting and refining your content and you will be surprised how much you can learn. Your followers/network will have a major part in determining the future of your brand as they will decide which posts are your most successful ones. Be open to new ideas and be willing to try new things. Get to it!

The evolution of your voice is a must: - Continual Evolution: Recognize that your online voice should evolve over time, adapting to new trends and audience preferences. - Monitor Performance: Regularly track and analyze your online engagement and performance metrics. - Gather Feedback: Actively seek and assess feedback from your audience to understand their changing needs. - Stay Informed: Keep abreast of the latest trends, best practices, and innovations within your industry. - Experiment Boldly: Don’t be afraid to try new approaches or styles to see what resonates best with your audience. - Adapt and Refine: Use insights gained from monitoring, feedback, and experimentation to continually refine and improve your online presence.

It is continuously changing! Nothing! Nothing stays as is! New platforms are created! New features! New audience targets available! So, you need to always try things out and evolve upon what you learnt! You need to accommodate and adopt continuously.

Focus on being you i.e. tell your story! All of us have our unique combination of experience, skills and values. That is what forms our story and makes us unique. Don't underestimate yourself and assume your stories are boring. Tease out the key lessons that you have gathered and don't be afraid to share. That way, you create value while remaining authentic.

Be less “nice”. Alongside the positive idea or opinion you want to put forward in your post or communication, also include the stuff that annoys you, that you hate or that you think is wrong. You instantly amp your authenticity because that’s who we are as humans! We love certain ideas, and stuff annoys us too. Don’t just post and communicate the nice stuff. That can feel artificial. For example - Don’t use “family”, use “team” instead. Vs I hate it when my boss calls our team a “family”. I cringe because I don’t want to be related in anyway to some of the folks on my team. If he called us a “squad” or“A-team”, that would energize me and bring about the team feeling I know he’s trying to achieve. == That’s real talk 😊

Your authentic voice is that voice you use with friends and people you are comfortable with. You should write and speak in a conversational and relatable manner, just like you would to friend and be sure to avoid jargon or overly formal language. Don't be afraid to show your human side. Share your challenges, failures, and lessons learned, like you would with friends. Discover what sets you apart from others in your niche and make that you highlight. Making your online or writing voice more authentic is just as simple as that.

The most important aspect of Personal Branding is the person behind the brand. In order to make your voice more authentic, build your personal brand. Share your emotions. Narrate your stories. Be relatable. Do not be afraid to share failures. Do not be someone you are not. Have a genuine connection with your network.

Personal branding is not about you. It's to help others understand who you are, why you care and if you are someone they can align with. A personal brand is a way to serve your audience to know "Yes, I'm for you." or "No, you aren't my type of person."