How can you use content marketing to build your personal brand in a crowded field?

I see a lot of people niche down way too early in the process. Going all in on being "the top voice of remote work" or the "go to person on social selling on LinkedIn" isn't going to work for everyone. But many niches aren't mutually exclusive. There's no reason you can't be talking about inclusivity in the workplace, remote work and social media marketing at the same time. At first you are better off throwing out multiple nets to see what sticks. Otherwise you might find that you become the expert in a niche no one else cares about (or worse) in one that you don't care about. An added bonus of nicheing down in multiple places at once, is that you might end up finding a sort of "venn-diagram audience" that no one else is catering to.

Niche is a Buzz word. Everyone talks about it. It definately works. Tons of Niche creators in Marketing, Finance, Law, Especially Education have made a fortune

If you're just starting out, it's better not to focus on finding a niche. Spend some time initially following creators in your field to see how their content performs. You'll also better understand what you want your content to be like. Start creating content around topics/fields you like and want to explore. Keep it broad enough that you don't run out of ideas, but don't try to go too far from the topics you choose. For example, If you're a content writer, you can talk about: - Best practices - Project experiences - How do you find inspiration - Share about productivity or burnout - Talk about different aspects of writing You don't have to talk about only one thing. But try to make it come under the one big umbrella of your field.

I think a lot of people get into "popular" niches to grow their personal brand quickly. They talk about whatever topic is trending at a particular moment and go with that. Your niche should be something you know a lot about but also what you're passionate about. Also, your niche doesn't have to, nor it will be, different from everyone. So, when finding your niche, go with what's familiar and what you are an expert in.

In a crowded arena, there is no such as USP, I have realized. But there is always a combination of skills that help one stand out; a corner of expertise that sets you apart. Crafting relevant, simple content tailored precisely to address the pain points of this niche audience if the key here. Authenticity is your secret sauce, infusing your personal brand with trust and relatability. Consistency and patience are your allies; over time, your niche-focused content will resonate, solidifying your status as the go-to authority in your specialized domain.

Defining your brand voice shouldn’t be restrictive. Since it’s personal, it’s as diverse as your mood for the day. Can I be serious today and funny tomorrow? If that’s who you are in real life, then that needs to extend to your social persona as well. Some might look to you for life advice and some for few laughs. The audience should get a flavor of every aspect of your personality. Every aspect of who you are - like a real person and not the digital version of you.

Corporations need to be intentional when it comes to crafting a brand voice. But a personal brand (in my opinion) doesn’t. A lot of young fiction writers agonize about developing their writer’s voice. I always encourage them that their voice isn’t something they need to find. It is as simple as opening your mouth. Or writing what’s on your heart. The way you express yourself is your voice. It will shine through. I think the same is true for a personal brand voice. As long as you are consistently expressing yourself authentically across all channels you are utilizing (article or book writing, podcasting, videos, social media posts, etc.) your voice will be evident to those who experience it.

Some really effective ways that I have found to be helpful throughout my journey is: - to go beyond demographics and create detailed personas for your target audience. Understanding their values, aspirations, and quirks to tailor your brand voice effectively. - Consider the emotional impact you want your brand to have. Infuse your voice with emotions that connect with your audience on a deeper level. And lastly - Craft brand stories that unfold over time. Use your brand voice to build anticipation, curiosity, and engagement, much like a compelling novel or TV series.

Tailoring and customization are fundamental elements of effective branding. Particularly in the online realm, where establishing connections can be challenging, infusing a human touch becomes imperative. I would suggest that, prior to establishing the brand voice, it's crucial to address the following questions: questions: What message do you want to convey? What feelings would you like readers to experience? Then, define the tone of it.

When building a personal brand, it's important to decide which personality traits you want your target audience to associate with you. Whether you aim to be seen as authoritative, dependable, knowledgeable, or even gentlemanly, your chosen personality traits should align with your authentic self and resonate with your audience. Once you've defined these traits, it's crucial to craft a brand voice and messaging that reflects and reinforces this chosen personality. Consistency in your communication style and content will help solidify the desired perception among your audience and create a strong and memorable personal brand identity.

Creating a content plan and sticking to it was (and still is) the single most challenging aspect of my journey in building my brand. I've found that having a tool stack to support all aspects of the content plan gives me a good structure. So think about tools that help you brainstorm, write, and schedule to make it easier on yourself. Notion (or similar productivity tools) has been a great help for me. But Google Docs and Sheets will do the trick as well if you're just getting started.

I often sit on Sunday and prepare my content plan for entire week and schedule it with the respective timings. This helps me maintain consistency with my content posting and I can allocate enough for networking with other creators. I use Publer, and LinkedIn to create a content plan and schedule the posts.

Nail a content plan like a business scales fast: efficiency meets consistency. I learned this from Gary Vee. His plan isn’t random; it’s a calculated play of content precision. Map out topics like products, your channels as funnels, frequency as customer touchpoints, and metrics as sales targets. Each post is practically a pitch, every analysis a lead conversion check. Calendarize like your revenue depends on it—because your brand's growth does. It isn’t just about posting; it’s strategic brand scaling in the digital space.

Creating quality content is key for content marketing and personal branding. Why is it crucial and how can you do it? 1. Build Trust Quality content builds trust when it consistently delivers value and reliability. So, you must do research and understand your target audience's needs, interests, and pain points. 2. Plan and schedule Create a content plan with a logical flow, clear structure, and real value. Use storytelling and in-depth research. 3. Optimize for SEO Quality content performs better in search rankings. Research relevant keywords, use them naturally, and optimize meta descriptions, headings, and image tags. Remember, quality content evolves with your audience. Your dedication and commitment will improve it over time.

Don't think about quality content as something you need to create. Sure your content needs to be original and relevant. But limiting yourself to "quality content" is more likely to limit you than it is to help you. Instead try to focus on creating content you would like to consume yourself. And don't worry too much about if your content is "well written" as long as it is easy to understand. People will accept poor writing and even bad grammar if the content is helpful or entertaining, but no one is going to sit through pages of expertly written content that provides neither help nor entertainment.

Every time that I write a post, first I ask myself if it's something that I would like to read before publishing it. That's my quality assurance. There's a lot of content that are only a collection of clichés. Maybe some of them are engaging, but people get tired to the N time when they found the same content without adding anything new about leadership, for example. Readers are spending their time for reading you. Don't make them feel like they wasted their time.

Create a content calendar initially for a week, then a month. Follow it strictly. Analyze your content to know what is working for you.

Don't let your audience get lost in the noise. Focus on providing "genuine" content. Sharing my million-dollar hack -: 1. No matter how simple or complex your product is, always focus on "how-to" videos 2. Create voice-over content to increase the dwell time of your audience 3. Keep it short, clear and concise. No fluff. No verbose.

In my experience, there’s no “one size fits all” approach to content marketing. While, yes, you can cover the basics as mentioned in the article, but you might still not get the results you’re hoping for. In situations like this, it’s advisable to take a step back and reevaluate the strategy being used. Could something more niche work for your product? Maybe you need a different angle to your marketing strategy. Since there are many different styles of content, there needs to be many different ways to get that content to people. Get as creative as you can with marketing your product. There are no failures, only learnings.

So after a lot of time I realised that content promotion is not something you do after posting the content solely. There are many things to do before posting it as well. Here are some things I follow: Before posting: - tailoring posting period and content grid as per the target audience - Generate anticipation by posting teaser content before the main piece. -Share hints, behind-the-scenes insights, or intriguing questions related to your upcoming content. - For social media content- engage from main account for atleast 1hr to activate the account reach

Choose 2-3 online channels to post content on. Initially, post at different times of the day and note the number of eyeballs you get. Interact with them and build a connection.

Visibility isn't just about promotion, it's about connection. Elevate your strategy beyond mere broadcasting by fostering communities where your content sparks conversations. Integrate interactive elements — polls, Q&As, challenges — and invite collaboration. As many have advised, "Content isn't king, it's the kingdom." The realm thrives on engagement; your audience doesn't just consume, they contribute, and that makes your brand not just seen but experienced.

So many people say you have to carve out a place for yourself in a single niche. That just doesn't work for some people. Sometimes, your personal brand may be made up of a few things. And that's ok. I write about content writing, neurodiversity, and DEI. There's this really great intersection of all 3 topics that can give me a different perspective on what you usually find when people just cover 1 of those topics. Embrace all the different things that you are, and see how they can work together to help you stand out.

Be funny. Seriously. The world has too many "professional", "serious" and "thought-leader-y" cookie-cutter experts out there who have been instructed to "add value". Be funny. That's all it takes to stand out. (Oh, and be friendly too)

I completely agree with Mattis, because since I follow him, it is clear that those are the guidelines he use, and coherence must be the first message to come from the personal brand or marketing!

Storytelling is our superpower when it comes to applying content marketing to build a personal brand in a crowded market. It's not just about selling a product or service; it's about crafting a compelling narrative around our personal brand. We weave stories that resonate, connect, and captivate our audience. It's about creating an emotional bond, standing out, and becoming a trusted voice amidst the noise. With storytelling, we transform our personal brand into a magnetic force, drawing people in, and leaving an indelible mark in the crowded market. 📖🚀🧡

Knowing “why” to build your personal brand is just as important as knowing how to build it. Building a personal brand gives you control in a job market that you have no control over. Your personal brand is a valuable asset no one can take away from you, you take it with you were ever you go, and it brings opportunities directly to you.