Hey there! If you’re reading this, you’re probably wondering how to get started with your own personal brand in 2024, right? Maybe you have zero online presence and feel a bit lost on where to begin. Don’t worry! By the time you finish reading this post, you’ll have a clear roadmap to launch and grow your personal brand to incredible heights within this year. So, let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of starting a personal brand with nine simple steps. But before we get into the how-to, let me share my journey to give you some context and inspiration.
My Personal Brand Journey
Believe it or not, my personal brand journey started way back in 2017. Yes, around the same time as other big names like Jordan Welch and Sebastian Georgu, who now have millions of subscribers. In fact, it might have even been in 2016 when I first dipped my toes into the world of personal branding.
Back then, I had a pretty successful drop shipping store, and I was documenting my entire process on YouTube. I posted a video every single day for three months, sharing every detail of my success story. Unfortunately, I ended up deleting the entire channel because I was embarrassed. My videos weren’t getting any views, and I felt like I was just shouting into the void.
Fast forward to 2020, and I noticed a bunch of drop shipping guys going viral by sharing their journey from being broke high school kids to making their first couple of million dollars online. Their videos, though viral, were pretty basic—poorly shot clips, weird audio, and bland storytelling. I knew I could do better because I had been on a similar journey and had documented a lot of it already on Snapchat.
So, I sat down, downloaded all my Snapchat memories, and started creating my own version of these videos, but with a twist. I made them more engaging, more authentic, and, most importantly, more relatable. My very first video got 2 million views! There were many videos I made and deleted along the way, but the key takeaway is this: authenticity and storytelling are crucial.
Now, let’s break down the nine steps you need to follow to start your personal brand today.
Step 1: Find Your Role Models
The first step in building your personal brand is to find people who are doing what you want to do and replicate their success. There’s always someone to look up to. It’s essential to understand the frameworks behind their success and why their content resonates with their audience.
Remember, good artists borrow, great artists steal—but with a twist. You need to be authentic. Many people starting personal brands are incredibly inauthentic, and that lack of genuineness shows through their content. You need to document your own journey, create your own content, and be your true self. Use their hooks, their audios, and their frameworks, but infuse your authenticity into it. That’s the secret sauce.
For instance, my first viral video wasn’t entirely original. Someone else had made a similar video about drop shipping. But I made mine personal and authentic, and that’s why it resonated better with people.
Step 2: Discover Your Own Style
Finding your voice and style is a journey that you’ll be on throughout your entire content creation process. When I first went viral, I didn’t have a clear direction. I was making a little bit of everything, experimenting with different styles to see what stuck.
This process is crucial for understanding what kind of content you enjoy making and what resonates with your audience. It’s not the most optimized approach for rapid growth, but it’s essential for longevity. You’ll discover what works for you, what doesn’t, and how to find a balance between creating content you love and content that performs well.
Step 3: Be Authentic
Authenticity is everything. Your audience can tell if you’re being genuine or just trying to sell something. They can feel if you’re being scammy, awkward, or pretending to be someone you’re not. Throughout your entire journey, authenticity must be your guiding principle. If you’re not authentic, you’re never going to grow a loyal following.
Step 4: Master the Algorithms
Learning the algorithms of the platforms you’re using is crucial. Each platform—whether it’s TikTok, YouTube Shorts, or Instagram Reels—has its own unique algorithm. The only way to truly understand these algorithms is by conscious scrolling. Spend at least an hour a day on each platform, taking notes on viral videos.
For every video with over 100,000 likes, jot down four things:
- The hook: Why did you watch this video instead of scrolling past it?
- Emotion transfer: What did this video make you feel?
- Product-audience fit: How well does the video content match its audience?
- Shareability: Why would someone share this video?
By analyzing these elements, you’ll understand what makes content go viral and can replicate these factors in your own videos. This alone can get you over a million followers on any platform within a year.
Step 5: Be Consistent
Consistency is key. Aim to post at least three times a day. If you can’t manage that, make sure you’re posting at least once a day. And if you can’t post daily, you might need to reconsider your commitment to building a personal brand.
For massive growth, post three to five times a day on each platform. Repurpose your content across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube by removing watermarks and adapting the same videos. This way, you’re effectively posting 15 times a day, amplifying your reach across platforms.
Step 6: Leverage Trending Topics
One of the best ways to go viral is to create content around trending topics. This strategy gives you a higher chance of being seen because there’s already a lot of traffic going to those topics.
For example, topics like AI and ChatGPT are hot right now. If you can tie your niche into these trending subjects, you’re more likely to capture attention. I did something similar with the whole Andrew Tate phenomenon. By integrating my content with a trending topic in an authentic way, I ensured my videos had a higher chance of going viral.
Step 7: Use Hashtags and Keywords Properly
Don’t underestimate the power of hashtags and keywords. They play a significant role in getting your content discovered. Make sure you’re using relevant hashtags that fit your niche. For example, when I was making a video about my broke-to-rich journey, I used hashtags like #broke, #journey, and #millionaire.
In addition to hashtags, include keywords in the video description that people are searching for. This increases the chances of your content being found and pushed to the right audience by the algorithm.
Step 8: Collaborate with Others
Collaborations are a fantastic way to get in front of new audiences and grow your following. Find people in your niche and propose collaboration opportunities. It doesn’t have to be in person; virtual collaborations work just as well.
By collaborating with others who have a similar audience, you can reach more people and grow your personal brand faster than you would on your own. Plus, it’s a lot of fun to create content with others!
Step 9: Be Patient
Building a personal brand takes time. It’s not going to happen overnight, and you won’t get a million followers in a week. Patience is crucial. Stay consistent, keep putting in the effort every day, and follow the steps outlined here. Over time, you’ll see the results and build a successful personal brand.
Conclusion
There you have it—nine steps to kickstart your personal brand in 2024. Remember, the journey won’t be easy, but with consistency, authenticity, and a strategic approach, you can build a personal brand that resonates with people and grows exponentially.
If you have any questions or need further clarification, feel free to leave a comment below. I’m here to help! Thanks for reading, and I can’t wait to see your personal brand soar in 2024.
