branding is about more than pretty pictures.

It’s more than just a cohesive color palette, a logo, 2 complimentary fonts.... Girl, it’s wayyyyyy more! Branding is a vibe, it’s a mood, it’s a feeling. It’s the difference between “I want to work with her” and “I want to BE her!” And if you’re a budding solopreneur your personal brand and your business brand are literally ONE IN THE SAME! More than anything your branding should tell the story of who you are and why you do what you do. When followers, subscribers, readers, listeners, the angels among us, whoever, when these people know these two things about you, your business will be successful.

As a solopreneur or the face of your business/brand, the goal for your website should really be to sell yourself first and your services/products second. If you don’t know who you are, your potential clients won’t know either. So it’s important to take time to truly understand who you are talking to and how you want them to see you.

Let’s jump in!

The other day I was working with one of my clients on her Branding + Content Strategy and we were going over what would make for a instagram caption. I was explaining why it’s important to tell your personal story every now and then. She runs a 6-figure Financial Planning company and wanted to know if people really want to hear that she comes from a family of immigrants and grew up on food stamps. Um...yes!! Your back story, where you’ve come from, the quiet reasons why you are so passionate about whatever it is that you do, people need to hear that. They want to hear that. Her backstory alone can explain why she is such a successful financial planner more than any regular old blog post titled “How to Save Money with Your IRA” ever could.

Your brand images, copy, even the content that you provide on your blog or through your free resources should make your viewers feel a certain way. Hopeful, empowered, taken care of, whatever! Your brand story should invite people along with you as you explain who you are, where you’ve been, where you’re going and who would benefit by coming along with you.

It’s important that people know your ‘why’.

Your ‘why’ is what resonates with people far harder and faster than your what. There are a million photographers in the world but women come to me to visually brand them because of how they KNOW I will make them FEEL. Even before meeting me! That is a fact, and I do not have to write out a fancy caption to explain it because they can see my ‘why’ in the images I post, in the advice I give, in the messages I relay, and in the confidence I instill in others. People need to know why it is that you do what you do. Not “because i need money” or “this is all I’m good at”, but your real reason. The reason you would tell your very best friend, or your young daughter when she asks “but why?”

LET’S BUILD THE FOUNDATION TO OUR BRAND STORY BY FILLING IN THE BLANKS:

“I am a [what you do]  who teaches [specific target audience] how to [business lesson] and [life lesson] because [your why].

example:

"I am a [branding photographer + digital brand strategist] who teaches [self-made women] how to [develop their brand and find their voice] because [there is nothing I’d rather be doing than cheering on a woman with a dream]."

Here’s a fun, little brand story exercise that should get you going with copy for your homepage, about me, and anywhere else you plan to show off your personality!

By now you know that your Brand Story starts with the REAL YOU! In order to create fun and relatable copy for your website, I have my CBD clients answer a few feel-good questions that would really allow someone to know who they are just below the surface. We’re looking to increase that “best friend in my head” feel, so have fun with it!

exercise time!

Directions: Use the following questions to help build your brand story. Your answers don’t need to be “super professional”, just write how you would normally talk (this exercise also helps with writing in your voice. Answers can be one sentence or full paragraphs. But hint: the more you write, the more you have to work with later on.

Brand Story Questions to get you started:

• 10 facts that only your close friends/family might know about you

• Spouse/Partners name

• Kids name

• Pets name

• Spirit Animal (note: this doesn’t have to be an actual animal! One of my friend’s spirit animal is whiskey...) 

• Where did you grow up? What’s a childhood memory that relates to who you are today?

• What made you want to become [WHAT YOU DO}

• Describe how you help people (don’t forget keywords specific to your line of work)

• What do you love doing in your spare time?

• Do you even have spare time?

• Do you know how to play any instruments?

• What’s the last book you finished?

• What book are you reading now?

• Favorite Music Artist(s)? 

• What countries have you traveled to?

• Which was your favorite and why?

• What’s your personal manifesto?

• Three words your friends would use to describe you?

• Current favorite meal?

• Are you a goal-setter or fly-by-the-seater?

• What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

• Anything else you would want your dream client to know about you?!

real life example!

WITH THESE QUESTIONS I WAS ABLE TO WRITE THIS AH-MA-ZING BRAND STORY FOR ONE OF MY strategy CLIENTS!

Your voice is important. It’s an extension of you, obvs. And whether you are speaking to someone in real life or via some super cool copy, your voice should sound the same across the board. If you are a 30-year old fashionista from New York, what you write on your blog and social platforms shouldn’t sound like a 50-year old man from South Dakota. I mean, really. You don’t have to use perfect grammar; you don’t even have to use capital letters if you don’t want to! Be yourself, on and off the internet, so that your followers, readers, etc will feel like they know before they even meet you and also feel like they already know you when they finally do.

Example time!

Courtney’s voice is:

• How to stand in your truth

• How to not allow yourself to be made small for anyone

• How to live fearlessly

• How to be your most authentic self

• How to live a life of balance

Phase 1 of your content strategy should not only include telling people how to do things, it should also include living by example. It’s always a good idea to show your dream client how to do [whatever] by providing daily examples of how you have done it in the past and how you continue to do it today. Because service and digital based babes are often really selling themselves first (and your physical service or product second) it’s  important that you be as transparent and authentic as you can. You don’t have to give them every single gory detail about your past life or tell us the argument you had with your partner yesterday, but captions should be a mix of fun, inspiration, real life challenges and how you have or plan to overcome them.

In Phase 2 (once everyone is #TeamYou after learning more about you, your challenges and how you wake up every day ready to tackle them) you can start to provide your dream clients with their own tools to do the same in the form of a service, product, digital guide, masterclass, book, whatever it is that you plan to sell for profit.

Be sure to download my Brand Mind Map to start brainstorming what kind of information you want to provide through your new content strategy.

The more you know about your potential client, the easier it is to create content that they are interested in. When they know you, they trust you! And when they trust you, the buy from you. Describe your perfect client with as much detail as you can think of. Where do they live? Do they work for a company or are they self-employed? What do they do for fun? Do they have any pets? Do they like coffee or tea? Do they shop at Target or Saks? Or both?!

Example

Courtney’s Dream Client is:

• Married or divorced or long term relationship

• Mother

• 35-45 of age

• POC

• Has a professional career (not a stay at home mom)

• Spiritual, but not overly religious

• Not afraid of curse words

• Not conservative

• Not stuffy

• Identifies as raw, unfiltered

• Participates in trap yoga

Another way to identify what type of content you should be sharing is by asking yourself:

If I were meeting up with my dream client for coffee, what are some of the topics that would probably come up casually?

Example:

Courtney’s coffee meeting would probably include convos about:

• Becoming small

• Choosing yourself

• Losing identity

• Infertility

• Parenting a special needs child

• Self preservation mode

• Co-parenting

• Get out of your own way

• Mom who is single (not a single mom)

• I regret the pain, but don’t regret the outcome

• Energy work

• Therapy

• Grief

• Bouncing back

It’s homework time again!

Download my Dream Client Mind Map and literally word vomit everything you think your dream client does, believes, loves, wants, needs, and dreams onto the paper. The more specific you get, the more content you can create specifically for them!

So what even is a Content Strategy? It’s content that you create and share with an intention to appeal to a specific target audience for a specific purpose. If you’ve been posting whatever comes to mind to your Instagram every day, it may work for you up until a certain point. But to truly increase engagement with the people who are going to eventually hand you their money, you want to be a little more intentional with your message. The same way your business serves a purpose, your content should serve a (complimentary) purpose as well. Whether it’s to inspire, teach, sell or everything in between, having a content strategy will put you a million more steps ahead than you are right now.

So let’s get to stepping!

Right now we’re going to focus on two huge forms of content consumption: Instagram and your website.

Before we even start, yes, you should have a website. You should have a domain that you pay for, a website host, and an email connected to your website (ex: hello@kelleyraye.com). Ok back to strategy.

Phase 1 of your content strategy should be about introducing (or in some cases re-introducing) yourself to the world the exact way you want to be seen right now. Keep in mind the vision you create for yourself may evolve as you grow, and that is ok, for now let’s just focus on who we want to be today through the next 364 days. If you are the face of your brand, your content strategy absolutely needs to include YOU! So your face, your triumphs, your struggles, your favorite things, your expertise, your latest Netflix binge…everything that makes you, you.

In Courtney’s case, we are going to introduce her to her dream client as: the mother, the boss and the survivor of everything that tried to knock her down. 

The goal of any content that you put out into the world should be to build trust, showcase expertise, educate and of course sell something.

Content includes copy (your written words) and visuals (photos and videos). Let’s start with some content buckets to help you organize your brain a little. Content buckets allow you to keep your content relative to your personal and business brand so that people can easily get a sense of who you are (and who you’re not) every time you correspond with them (through IG posts, your website, your newsletter, your podcast, etc).

Example Copy (words) Buckets

• ‘About Me’ (put your content bank topics to work!)

• Boss Life

• Custom Inspirational Quote

• Client Story or Testimonial

• Showcase Your Expertise

• Plug a service or product

Example Photo Buckets

• Your branding session photos

• Quotes or Text

• Testimonials (when you get them)

• An educational carousel (quick sentences, short paragraphs)

• Service or Product

We’ll get into what your posts should actually look like in the next segment, but for now be sure to download my Content Bank Template so that you can see what kind of topics you can mix in with your expert/business related topics to build a real relationship with your clients, followers, subscribers, and viewers.

Your content should be a mix of who you are personally, what you do professionally, how you help others and your authentic why. We wanna get to know ya and then learn from you, meet you, spend money with you, celebrate you and evolve with you!

Instagram feed Content Strategy

Instagram. Somehow both a digital business card and a digital diary rolled up into one. Alot of my strategy clients ask me “How do I balance my personal and professional life? How much do I tell them about me?” Your goal when posting to your IG feed should be to allow people to get to know the real you AND establish you as an expert in your field. This is about building a friendship with your followers and potential clients so that they trust you and what you have to say. Seeing your content pop up should be a delight to your followers every time! Perusing through your feed should feel like a whole vibe to your dream client. This is where people get to know you as a person and a boss, so make sure it’s an accurate representation!

Instagram Caption Categories should be a mix of:

• ‘About Me’ (Use Caption Bank)

• Educational Tips

• Custom Inspirational Quotes

• Client Stories

• Plug a service or product

Instagram Photo Buckets should be a mix of:

• Your own brand photos

• Inspirational Illustrated Quotes

• Testimonials

• Educational carousel

• Clients/BTS with Clients

• Your life behind the scenes

Recommended Instagram Posting Schedule:

Once strategy implementation begins, it is recommended that you post/schedule new IG Feed posts to go up 3 times a week (try Mon, Wed and Thurs for starters!) and then increase to 5 times a week (every weekday) after 3 months. After 6 months, it would be ideal to begin posting daily as you start to become the go-to for your field. Also, blog posts can be re-purposed into Instagram posts and vice versa.

IGTV/YouTube content strategy

The goal when creating video content is to engage followers and potential clients with your amazing personality (that sometimes we can only give through video), and to establish you as an expert in your field at the same time.

If you’re up to the task, a cool way to engage viewers on a regular basis is by creating a “series”, something that people can look forward to on a continuous basis. You could even cross-post your video on both IGTV and YouTube. Try posting your video on one platform first and then to another platform a few weeks later. This will push people to watch the video on your main platform as much as possible if they want to see that content sooner than later.

consistency checkpoint

Start off by creating/posting one video a month. After a month or two and you have the hang of it, you can try to increase video creation/posting to once every two weeks

a cute lil’ tip!

Try to post on the same days of the week so people will become familiar with your schedule and less likely to miss your next video

IG Stories Content strategy

IG stories are far more entertaining the main feed. IG stories invite us to be a little more real, we post less ‘perfect’ photos and video, we tell people what we’re doing in real time and we tell our story a little more authentically through our IG stories. So its a great tool to use and include in your content strategy! The goal when creating IG Story Content is to engage followers and potential clients with entertaining quotes, real-time images, behind-the scenes video, quick tips, etc that provide viewers with useful knowledge about you and your interests (personal and business) that allow them to really get to know you. If your IG Feed is a coffee date, your IG Stories is happy hour!

I recommend using IG stories minimum 3 times a day since they are typically just quick snaps and short videos (like - a day in the life - if you will). Try to show your actual face at least once a week when you’re just starting out so people become familiar with the person behind the brand. You can also share things like:

• Quick tip (business, life, self care, parenting, anything!)

• Client Testimonial

• Announce an event you are hosting

• Recap an event you hosted

• A quick Q&A segment

Consistency Checkpoint

Once you’ve started your content strategy, try posting to IG Stories at least 3 different days of the week then slowly begin to increase it until it isn’t overwhelming to post daily. And feel free to mix it up! You can post funny/inspirational re-posts, day-in-the-life snaps, a call-to-action about something related to you/your business (ex: new blog post, new product, I’ll be going live…) etc. Get consistent first, then go crazy!

IG Live Content Strategy

Going ‘live’ on Instagram (this also goes for Facebook, YouTube, and Tik Tok) is to build trust and engage potential clients with educational information that positions you as an expert. Going live allows people to see the real you in real time, which is great because it invites people in the room with you like you would a real friend. And people love to take advice and learn from their real friends.

If showing up on video hasn’t scared you off yet, try showing up on IG LIVE at least once a month until you get the hang of it. You can start with things like:

• A 30-minute masterclass

• A mini ‘coaching’ session (and the audience is your ‘client’)

• Interviewing a guest

• A live Q&A segment

Consistency Checkpoint

Try your hand at going live one time a month on the platform of your choice until you get comfortable and to see if it’s something you and your followers enjoy and find impactful. If so, then slowly increase your lives to whatever feels good to you. Its great to be entertaining, but more importantly be informative!

The best content marketing visuals are ones that express who you are (really) and also resonate with your target audience or dream client, as in, she’s sees herself in you. Combined with copy that makes her feel like you two could be actual friends in real life, and you are in business. As a lifestyle photographer, I am naturally drawn towards visual that feel more real: every day life, flat lays that feel candid, and portraits with a vibe are my go-to, for both myself and my clients. When you’re putting together your shot list, try to strategize some of the content you already know you want to talk about in the future, making it a lot easier to pair with captions when you’re ready.

Below is a list of some great basic shots that work for a ton of different content. Use this list to help springboard your final shot list for your branding photography sessions.

‘Home life’ Visuals

Lifestyle images at ‘home’ are easy-peasy because this is your element! You’re just doing what you would normally, just a little more dressed up and a photographer following you around, no biggie! Open all the curtains, let ALL the natural light in, and don’t worry about being perfect, just focus on being authentically you. If your home isn’t aesthetically pleasing, try a curated studio or peerspace to make all your Kinfolk/Cereal mag dreams come true.

 Living Room

• Hanging on couch

• Reading a good book

• Flipping through a fav magazine

• Drinking coffee

• Pouring wine

• Working on laptop

• Using phone/ipad

• Lighting favorite candle

• Family game night with kids/spouse

• Holding/using a favorite ‘product’

• ‘Fixing’ a picture on the wall

• ‘Fixing’ pillows

• Using a cleaning product

• ‘Adjusting’ a home décor item

• With yoga mat/doing yoga poses or breathing exercises

• Making a phone call

• Lighting a candle

• Writing in notebook

• Writing in calendar

• Reading the newspaper

• Taking a selfie

• Cleaning

• Sitting by the fireplace

• Watering plants

• A collection (buttons, shot glasses, cards, etc)

• Putting on a coat

• Packing work bag/purse/backpack

• Putting on cute shoes

• Talking into podcast mic

Kitchen

• Pouring tea/coffee/wine

• Drinking tea/coffee/wine

• Making a smoothie

• ‘Celebrating’

• Pouring water from a cute pitcher into a glass

• Chopping bright colored fruit

• Laughing/Chatting with friend or family member

• Showing your kid how to do something

• Making lunch

• Grabbing something in the fridge/cabinet

• Working at the kitchen table or counter

• Holding a favorite cooking or kitchen ‘product’

• Using a cleaning product

• ‘Cooking’ something or pulling something out of the oven

• Mixing ingredients

• Opening/drinking favorite cold drink

• Eating popcorn/favorite snacks

Home Office

• Working at desk

• Hands on laptop

• Talking on cell

• Using phone

• Phone in hands (over your shoulder)

• Drinking coffee

• Having a virtual meeting via laptop 

• Writing in notebook

• Working on computer/laptop

• Using a favorite office ‘product’

Bedroom/Bathroom

• Sitting in closet (think ‘spring cleaning’)

• Making the bed

• Touching makeup, perfume, products, etc on a vanity or counter

• Sitting on edge of bathtub (holding a self-care product like you’re getting ready to use it)

• ‘Applying’ lotion to face (like just a dot on your cheek, nothing crazy)

• Feet hanging out of the bed (think Monday morning blues)

• Laying upside down on bed (feet up on headboard)

• Pillow fight

• Lounging on bedroom couch

• Feet in slippers

• Face mask

• Painting toenails

• Putting on makeup

• Checking yourself in the mirror

• Fixing hair in mirror

• Packing a suitcase

Backyard

• Laughing

• Enjoying life/hair blowing in the wind

• Sitting in patio chairs or by pool (if appl)

• Barefoot in the grass

• Doing an outdoor activity

• Playing with pets

• Playing with kids

Flat lays

• Makeup and skin care products

• Beauty products (individual or as a group)

• Self-care product round up

• Lipsticks

• Your desk

• A packed or half-packed suitcase with some items around it

• Different food set ups (sandwich, fruit, bento box, etc)

• Products from any brands that you want to showcase

‘boss life’ visuals

These images can be shot outdoors in your favorite on-brand neighborhood or location, or inside a location such as a coffee shop, co-working space, photo studio, etc. These shots are typically casual, not too serious, and showcase a day in the life of you ‘on-the-go’.

• Working on laptop

• Taking a client call on cell

• Taking a virtual call on laptop

• Using iPad

• Using phone

• Walking

• Casually chilling on a wall

• ‘Headed to a meeting’ (to go coffee, bag)

• ‘Running’ across the street

• Talking to a client or friend (need a friend for this)

• With ice cream

• Enjoying lunch

• In front of store or coffee shop

Props, props, props!

Not only do props make images more natural, but they also give you something to do with your hands! Use this list to pull together props that would make your lifestyle session pop like only you can!

Props to consider including:

• Laptop

• Travel coffee mug

• To-go coffee from your fav shop

• Bags/Purses

• Sunglasses

• Airpods

• Favorite coffee mug(s)

• Notebooks

• Cute pens

• Favorite books

• Books that go with your brand

• Suitcase (and clothes and shoes to go inside)

• Passport/Passport Cover

• Designer shoes, belt, and other accessories

• Perfume, lipstick, compact, and other makeup

• Your phone

• Roller Skates

• Crystals/Sage

• Tarot cards

• Vinyl Record Player

• Vinyl Records

• Candles

• Cutting Board

• Magazines

• Jewelry

• Your dog

• Throw blanket

• Clothes rack

• Pillows

• Camera/Instax Camera

• Podcast mic/headphones

• Vintage camera

• Greeting Cards/Postcards

• Wine bottle (new)

• Champagne bottle (new)

• Water bottle

• A friend that can play your ‘client’

• Upcoming holiday related items

• Fruit (coconut, strawberries, oranges, apples)

• Pampas

• Anything ‘you’!

A super easy way to dream up some awesome content that forms new bonds with new friends is to approach every instagram caption like you’re on a coffee date with a new friend!

So. You are meeting a friend for your monthly one-hour coffee date. Since the last time you’ve seen her, what has happened? What would you go on a tangent about? What do you need to catch her up on? What should she catch you up on? What past story has developed since you saw her? 

A coffee date with one of my good friends would include one or more of the following convo starters, for sure:

2// Small Talk to Catch Up on Life

In a normal conversation, you would be asked a question that you would simply answer. In a caption though, flip it! Answer your question, the same way you would in a convo, and then end the caption with the question (this is what gets people to engage! And the Instagram algorithm wants you to engage more!)

EXAMPLE CAPTION:

Launching the Branding Strategy side of my business has consisted of early mornings, late nights, tons of screen time and coffee and it has been the best time of my life.⁠

It’s so important to do what sets your heart on fire. I love the light I am able to spark in people through a little photography and a big connection. I have always been a cheerleader for people, especially women who want nothing more than to build their own brands and run their own businesses. For the longest time I’ve wanted to expand the branding side of my photography business into more. I never knew how I was going to do it, but I shouldn’t have been worried about the ‘hows’ in the first place (manifestation rule #1).

Then one day my financial advisor asked my wife to ask me if I could teach her how to brand herself the way I had. Um...of course I can! I was actually right in the middle of my own re-branding strategy when she asked, so her request came at the exact right time. I don’t think I’ve ever worked this hard in my 6 years of self-employment, but when stuff just starts falling into place, you kinda have to go with it and see where it takes you. When is the last time you worked super hard at something?

If you are currently experiencing a season of hard work and global-sized manifestation, how can I help you stay motivated?! Any blog or video requests that you’d like to see? Let me know, we’re in this thing together!

3// Favorite Things

Past or present things that you love are always fun to read about. It allows followers to get to know the real you while also finding commonalities and similar likes/dislikes that help them relate better to you.

EXAMPLE CAPTION:

@2ulaundry is on the way to get these clothes I hate washing, @instacart is on the way with these groceries I hate buying and @Amazon is dropping off shit I hate shopping for. I’m my own mood.

4// “I Was Just Thinking…”

Dropping a personal thought that you’ve had recently about a particular subject always reads as authentic and engaging. When you share with people the things that you sometimes only say to yourself, people will know you are human, with real feelings, just like them.

EXAMPLE CAPTION:

I don’t know who needs to hear this but - you have enough time to accomplish your goals!

You just have to commit. Commit to taking a step. Commit to putting yourself out there. Commit to making each week more productive than the last. 2020 is a year energetically set up for everybody to win, so I hope you take advantage. If you don’t know where to start, you can check out my latest video on how to get everything you want this year (and every year after that) ✔️🥳  Like, subscribe and all that fun stuff 🤳🏽 #linkinbio

5// What’s Been Going On + It’s Current impact

This is a more prevalent topic, something that’s been affecting your overall well being for the past few days or weeks. This topic can be happy or not so happy (its ok to keep it real), and is usually something that someone out there can relate to. It's a great way to start a conversation.

EXAMPLE CAPTION:

Running a creative business is a lot like riding a roller coaster, and the higher you pull yourself up the more speed you’ll have once you reallyyyyy get going. So when it comes to building momentum in your creative business there are a few ways that you can be sure you’re headed in the right direction before you take off.⁠⁠

When you’re first starting a new venture it may seem like second nature to run and tell your friends or family or post something to social media, but at this stage in the game, moving in silence will be your best friend you could ever have. ⁠

For five tips on how to gain more momentum in your creative business, grab a coffee, head over to the blog and dive in! #linkinbio

7// Announce something good

This could be an announcement about a future ‘event’ that you want people to participate in. Or something awesome that just happened to/for you and you just want to share a little good news. Your cheering section is always waiting for you to drop some good news, so don’t be shy when you hit a major (or minor) milestone.

EXAMPLE CAPTION:

I've had literally zero energy today due to this random summer cold however when my dad texted to tell me that the @people magazine with my photo had hit the stands, I ran out into the rain in my flip flops (could've made a different choice in retrospect) to grab a few. @claireholt and @ajoblon are the raddest and I'm so happy they chose me to capture their special day ♥️ Also, I wish I would've grabbed more Puffs while I was in the grocery store... big sigh.

8// Personal Praise

It’s always important to let others know that you saw their major (or minor) accomplishment, read that article they wrote, watched that youtube video that pleaded with everyone to watch etc. Let others know that what they are doing is awesome, that you’re so proud (if you know them personally), or that you’re happy for them (if you don’t know them personally). No questions here, just praise, a simple “I see you, I hear you, keep being awesome.”

EXAMPLE CAPTION:

Yesterday’s Georgia voting shenanigans put me a mood of moods but I launched a new brand this morning so I feel a little better 😀⁣⁣

⁣⁣Y’all, say hey to my #CBDSquad member Dr. CeCe, her brand ‘The Discovery Doc’ is officially launched today! 🎉🎉⁣⁣

In spending time with CeCe over the past few months, I got to see how much passion she has, not only for holistic medical remedies and cute kids snacks from Sprouts, but in continuing to push the bar as a medical professional and entrepreneur. ⁣⁣

When I sent CeCe her brand + content strategy she implemented it immediately. When I asked her to create one free resource guide for her website, she sent me back FIVE. She would leave her office at 5pm and sit down to meet with me at 6pm. We had an 8-hour photo shoot to create all of her gorgeous brand imagery and she smiled and laughed the entire time. The dedication to get her new wellness brand off the ground was real.⁣⁣

If you get a moment today, please show my amazing client CeCe some love! Her new IG @thediscoverydoc is live, her beautiful website (that I designed!) is launched and her mailing list is ready for some emails!

9// Listen to their problem and Give advice 

So for IG, you can “listen” to other people by addressing challenges you know your followers typically struggle with, and then give advice if you can. As a personal rule of thumb, I only give ‘advice’ on situations I am familiar with based on a past experience, on social and IRL.

EXAMPLE CAPTION:

Q&A: Don't I need to be clear about my purpose first so that I know what step to take next?⁠

Purpose. It’s a strange thing that we all battle with at least once or twice until we finally uncover what it is we came here to do. But I want to let you in on something. You don’t need to know what your purpose is in order to move in the direction of it. In fact. It’s quite the opposite. You actually need to make a move in order to figure out your purpose.⁠

The cool thing about being a spiritual being having a temporary human experience is that we all have a Higher Self, and our higher self knows our purpose so we don’t need to bang our head against the wall day in and day out trying to uncover what it is, it gets revealed over time all on its own.⁠

⁠Walking in your purpose isn’t just one huge leap, and then boom, you’re there. It’s comprised of a bunch of tiny steps that we take over time. So just because you haven’t had the chance to see the entire roadmap, doesn’t mean you’re not already on the right path. ⁠

⁠Wake up in the morning and set an intention. Tell yourself “Every moment of every day I am aligned with my purpose”. Repeat it whenever you feel the need. And then when you feel a little nudge to do this, or an idea to do that, act on those little feelings. The more inspired action you take, the clearer the big picture gets.

So in case you just read all of those and still feel like “Wait….so what do I say again?” I have something for ya! Be sure to download 102 Instagram Caption Prompts that will allow your followers, readers, and potential clients to get to know you…like a friend.

So hi, it’s not enough to just upload a pretty picture and a caption and expect the world to come flocking to your post without putting in any other effort. You want people to engage with you? You gotta do the same, hunny! 

Aside from your Content Strategy (what you post for others), if you’re seriously focused on increasing your Instagram following and promoting real engagement from real people, try incorporating these eight daily, weekly and/or monthly tasks to your Social Media Checklist and build a social tribe you love!

1. Respond to Comments

RECOMMENDED: DAILY (OR AFTER EVERY POST)

When people comment on your post, respond! This is engagement in its simplest form. Some people say it’s best to respond right away or within 30 minutes. Some people respond to their last post’s comments right after they upload their latest post. Whatever you decide…be consistent.

I like respond to my latest post’s comments before the day is over. And in the event that I forget, because it’s ok to be human sometimes, I’ll at least respond to them before I upload my next post. Try not to blow off your commenters, they are legit helping you keep your account afloat!

Did you know?

Instagram likes to suppress posts until people start to actively engage with them. So the more comments you have under your post, the more Instagram will show your post to new people, therefore creating more of an opportunity to gain more likes/comments. So responding quickly to comments will actually help increase your views because it counts as active engagement!

2. Follow Other Accounts

RECOMMENDED: AT LEAST 5 NEW ACCOUNTS PER DAY

If you want people to show you love, you have to show love right back! Spruce up your feed by following other accounts. They can be people or brands that match your ‘Dream Client’ profile, people you’d want to work with, people you think might be looking for you and what you sell, or even people/brands that fall into the same industry as you.

People (strangely?) look through the list of people you follow to see who you are and what you are interested in. So make sure it’s an accurate depiction.

3. Like + Comment (the combo is important!) on Posts

RECOMMENDED: AT LEAST 10 ACCOUNTS PER DAY

Just ‘liking’ someone’s post is not necessarily going to lead to an interaction so amazing that they start engaging with you every day. You can start a convo with someone interesting on Instagram the same exact way you would start a convo with someone interesting in real life! It really is no different.

Case in point:

You’re at the dog park. Another girl is there. Her shoes, um..cute! Now, you wouldn’t just stare at her with an awkward smile on your face and expect her to know you think her shoes are cute.

AWKWARD STARE WITH NO CONTEXT = AN INSTAGRAM ‘LIKE’.

To really engage with her, you would say “I love your shoes!” and she would say “Thanks! I got them at Free People!” and you would say “OMG, I love Free People, I’m going to check to see if they have my size!” and then she would say “Yea, and they also had them in white which I really liked too because….”

You get it now, yea?

CONVERSATIONS WITH CONTEXT = AN INSTAGRAM ‘COMMENT’

‘Likes’ don’t create engagement between people, conversations do. Try it!

4. Comment on IGTV Video posts

RECOMMENDED: AT LEAST 5 ACCOUNTS PER DAY

You know what goes into IGTV videos? Lotsa work! Show people that you really heard what they said by leaving a comment that specifically references something in their video! This is a great way to have people follow you as well.

5. Comment & React (or re-post  if you’re feeling sassy) to IG Stories

RECOMMENDED: AT LEAST 5 ACCOUNTS PER DAY

The only person that can see a comment or reaction to an IG Story is the person who posted, so when you take time to comment or react to an IG Story that won’t be displayed to the public, it really goes a long way. And if you’re feeling overly enthusiastic, try re-posting someone’s story to your own story feed. Acknowledging a story and then sharing it with others screams “let’s be friends!”

6. Post a “Poll” or “Question” IG Stories

RECOMMENDED: AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK

Posting a poll or question is not only a great way to engage with other users, but if you ask the right questions, you can also gain some insight into who is following you and what they like seeing from you when you do post. Creating a way to engage with you privately also helps out those people who don’t like to comment for fear of being judged.

7. Post a video to IGTV

RECOMMENDED: ONCE EVERY TWO WEEKS

People love videos because they get to really see your full personality, something that is hard to do with just captions alone. So be sure to show your face every now and then through some cool video content. And you don’t have to have a fancy camera to make this work, recording from your phone is perfectly fine, no one cares.

Tip: Pose a question somewhere in the middle or at the end of the video so that people have a specific reason to engage with you in the comment section.

8. Go ‘Live’ with another user

RECOMMENDED: AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH

Hosting a ‘live’ event is the perfect way to show up as an expert, interact with users, and provide value that you can’t always get from a caption alone. Live events not only help with engagement, but can also increase your following. Plan a Live Q&A to talk one-on-one with a few of your followers or host a fireside chat with an industry professional with the same target audience.

However you decide to show up on Instagram (or any other social platform), the most important thing you can do is just keep showing up! You don’t need to have the best video quality or the most thought-provoking captions to increase your engagement. All you need is you! Instagram doesn’t have to just be a ‘platform’ it can be a community. So post that video, schedule that story and continue to share the love with other people that are doing the same!

Want to keep track of your progress?

As a seller of...anything (candles, dog clothes, yoga, life coaching, dreams, literally anything), blogging is one of the best (and free!) ways to attract new clients, and increase visibility! Utilizing your website’s blog feature allows you to build brand awareness, showcase your expertise, and sell products and services in a non-car salesman-y type of way.

Providing valuable information about you, your profession, and your epic knowledge on a consistent basis, allows you to continuously establish trust, position yourself as a professional expert, and show readers that you’re down to help them find the info they really need, whether they do business with you or not.

DID YOU KNOW?
BLOGS HAVE BEEN RATED AS THE 5TH MOST TRUSTWORTHY SOURCE FOR GATHERING ONLINE INFORMATION.*

Speaking through your blog in the same way you would chat with a new friend over coffee is the perfect way to let readers get to know your brand better, learn more about what they are actually interested in and maybe even turn into a cool client or customer eventually.

Website Blog Content Strategy

Your website is a place for people to land when they would like more information about you, your company and resources that someone interested in what you do would look for.

Blog posts should be value-driven and leave the reader with more than what they came with. Blog posts can establish you as an expert in your field by:

1. Answering a question a reader has asked

2. Answering a question that a reader didn’t even know to ask

recommended Blog Posting Schedule

Start off by posting twice a month. After 3 months, try to increase your posting to once a week so that you can start taking full advantage of SEO and Google rankings. Note: Instagram posts can be re-purposed into blog posts and vice versa.

In future phases, this task can also be outsourced to another team member; you may also consider having guest writers that are also experts in their field.

Blog Formatting

Blog posts are important because not only are they another unlimited avenue for you to position yourself as an expert in your field, but they play a MAJOR role in how potential clients find you via Google. SEO or Search Engine Optimization is when Google takes the text content on your page and categorizes you based on how many people are (1) searching a topic and (2) have come to your website or that page in particular specifically. The more clicks your site gets, the higher Google ranks you within the search engine. 

Google scans websites on a daily or weekly basis to update its search rankings for its customers so changes you make will appear within just days of making them. 

Your blog content should include plenty of copy and a few professional images for maximum impact. Can’t create your own images? Try using royalty-free images from websites like Stocksy or Unsplash.

The more text and images you have on your website, the better your website will rank, so load it up!

HEADERS

Headers not only help categorize the different topics you want to talk about within your blog post, but they also help with SEO as well! Search-friendly headers (especially ones with buzz words) can pull your blog post ranking up. So when you’re breaking down your post into paragraphs, lists, etc. be sure to name those sections (and even use the different header fonts) to take your blog post further.

PHOTOS 

Always include a photo at the top of your blog post and as a preview to the blog. Humans are SUPER VISUAL, and being bombarded with a whole bunch of text right away (even for topics they really care about) is going to send readers heading for the hills!

DID YOU KNOW?
USING PHOTOS OF REAL PEOPLE INSTEAD OF STOCK PHOTOS CAN RESULT IN A 35% CONVERSION INCREASE.*

A good rule of thumb is to break up longer copy with images so that readers aren’t overwhelmed by a bunch of text, making it easier for them to continue reading all the way through.

Photo Tip:
Save any images that you put on your website with a name that is SEO-friendly.

example:

An uploaded headshot that is named J37943.jpg is a missed opportunity to allow Google to help you be found by others. Re-name that photo “Susy-Hamilton-Expert-Life-Coach-Atlanta-Los-Angeles” and Google will pick up on it just like any other text on your website. Now, when someone searches for ‘Life Coach Atlanta’, Susy Hamilton will be pulled into those search results, making her easier to be found.

LINE BREAKS

Line breaks, like photos, make blog posts easy to absorb visually. So be sure to separate large paragraphs or important information that you really want to be seen, with some kind of divider to give your blog a little breathing room along the way.

The Anatomy of a Blog Post

It’s your website, so write what you want, however you want! The best blog posts let readers know that you know what you’re talking about when it comes to your profession. Rock that expertise with posts that will give readers and potential clients a sneak peak into what you do best!

Blog posts can be:

• Topics that you thought of on your own

• Popular topics that you’ve researched

• Transcriptions of youtube videos or podcast episodes

• Instructional

• Inspirational

• Personal stories (if it goes with your brand; not recommended for corporate)

• Current events or issues that your readers may be experiencing

and so much more!

Hook them with an Attention-Grabbing Title

Did you know?
43% of people admit to skimming blog posts.*

So starting with a catchy title to draw in all the attention. It also helps to create a title that is super similar to what your reader may actually Google; this is how you show up in an internet search! So while you may want to title your blog “My 5 Favorite Cars” it might benefit you and the women that frequent your lifestyle blog more to see an exciting title like “Your Louis Vuitton Should Be Riding Shotgun in these 5 Luxury Cars.”

Start with a Value-Driven Introduction

A blog post is essentially a written essay that you actually want to write (and that people actually want to read) so it should be set up the same way we all learned in school. Always give your reader a little introduction about what they are going to read. This really doesn’t have to be long, just a fun, snappy intro and then a call to action to keep reading.

Intro Tip: To avoid doing extra work and get back to Netflix faster, let your Blog Introduction double as your Instagram caption on the day you announce that you have a new blog post available. Reduce, reuse, recycle, babe!

Hit Them with a Drool-Worthy Body

The body is where all your information lives, of course. I don’t have any particular set rules on how to belt out your information, just as long as it’s digestible. It is recommended that you inject your fabulous personality ANYWHERE you have copy on your website, including your blog post.

The best way to do this is to get your rough draft out of the way, and then go back and format your paragraphs, titles, links, quotes, etc, and find places to add more of your ‘voice’ now that you have the basic outline created.

Your body can be a few (or a ton) of paragraphs, it can be written in more of a ‘list’ format, however you want to write your content is a-ok! However you choose to present your information, just make sure you write it in a way that makes sense to any reader who may have just randomly come across your post.

If you mention something that you’ve written about in a past blog post, rather then try to explain it, just link it.

And when listing third-party products, websites, people, or other resources that have their own space on the internet, link to their websites so that people can learn more about it when they get a chance. Google loves individual web pages that link to other places on the internet; so the more links you have, the higher you fly!

End on a High Note

Don’t forget to summarize your great masterpiece with a quick, easy and motivational conclusion. It’s basically your intro paragraph, re-worded and with a call-to-action to try whatever it is that you just explained in an uplifting way!

So there you have it! You don’t have to be a Rhodes Scholar to write a rockin’ blog post! These simple tools should help you get the job done.

Statistics Used*: https://optinmonster.com/blogging-statistics/

As you now know, content refers EVERYTHING you put on the internet (copy/text, photos, graphics, guides, videos, recordings, etc) and share with other people via different platforms such as Instagram, your blog, a newsletter…

To keep content creation from driving you absolutely insane, let’s break it down into its three main steps: PLANNING, EXECUTING & SCHEDULING

Content creation can sometimes feel overwhelming, and to get any of this down on a weekly or monthly basis, organization is key! By breaking it down into its three main categories, we can stay consistent easier and give ourselves enough breathing room to actually get the job done.

Pre-Game

A great place to start when planning your content is by pre-gaming. If you have a business of any kind, every piece of content you create should have a purpose; we don’t call it a Content Strategy for nothing! 

By asking yourself a few key questions before you get started, you can make sure that the content you are planning to create has a legitimate place in your content marketing and sales funnel.

These are some of the questions that always get me on the right track:

• What are my financial goals [today/this month/this week/this quarter]?

• How many followers do I want to gain on Instagram?

• How many new mailing list subscribers do I want to convert?

• How many New Client inquiries would I like to receive?

• How many Past Client inquiries would I like to receive?

• What product/services would I like people to purchase/download/sign up for this month?

• Would I like to offer any specials/discounts?

• Are there any guides, workbooks, webinars that I need to create?

• Is there anything people have asked me to touch on recently?

• Do I need to reach out to anyone to be featured in my IG Live/Podcast/Blog/Video?

A pre-game is also nothing without a glass of wine, so be sure to break out the good stuff.

Now that we kind of have an idea of where we want our content to take us over the next week, month, quarter, we can begin planning! 

Planning Day

Planning Days should be scheduled like a real event on your calendar. So the same way you would block off time in your calendar for a conference call or to remember your friend’s birthday party, is the same way you should schedule time in your calendar to plan out your content. 

Some content creators swear by a digital Content Calendar. I recommend that if you do opt for this option, to use a digital calendar that is separate from your main digital calendar because your calendar will start to look like one big ole mess…#overwhelmcity! 

Google Hack!
Create a gmail account just to gain access to a Google Drive (for content organization) and the Google Calendar associated for your Content Calendar!

I suggest that you plan out your content in the MOST productive way to you. Sometimes people plan content once a week, sometimes once a month, hard core content creators can plan content for an entire quarter in a day. They’re special. Whatever you choose, just be consistent. The best way to stay consistent is by being honest with yourself about what works for you and not worry about what any one else is doing.

And don’t worry about planning things too far in advance. You can always remix your content by replacing a few pre-planned posts with ‘real time’ posts if the opportunity presents itself. Keeping a bank of content ready is just a great way to keep from scrambling to think of something to write at the last minute, so definitely refer back to my Content Bank Template whenever you need (as well as add your own topics).

Execution Days

Now that you know what you’re going to create, you gotta schedule a time to create it! Execution Days are the days you plan to physically create your content. This could mean writing copy, having a photoshoot, sourcing photos from a stock photo company (I hate this, don’t do this, ok if you really have to…), filming a video, recording a podcast, etc. If you’re a solopreneur like me, scheduling multiple execution days is a must in order to get everything done. One day you’ll have a fancy team that can help you, but until then, here’s how much time it may take you to physically execute your content so that you can be realistic about your time:

Topic Research + Development
Dedicate 2-3 Hours per Month

Creating Your Own Images or Completing a Photo Session
Dedicate 2-3 Hours per Month

Custom Graphics (ex: photoshop, canva)
Dedicate 2-3 Hours per Month

Website Blog Post Copy
Dedicate 1 Hour per blog

Instagram Feed Post Captions
Dedicate 15 minutes per post

Instagram Story Design
Dedicate 15 minutes per story

IGTV/YouTube Videos
Dedicate 4 Hours Per video (1 for recording, 3 for editing + creating marketing images)

Newsletters
Dedicate 1 Hour per newsletter

Podcast Episodes
Dedicate 4 Hours per podcast (1 for recording, 3 for editing + creating marketing images)

Webinars
Dedicate 4 Hours per podcast (1 for recording, 3 for editing + creating marketing images)

Always remember though, everyone develops concepts, writes, records, etc at a different pace, so when executing content, feel free to block off the amount of time that is most realistic for you. If executing starts to get overwhelming for you, don’t be afraid to dial back. It’s better to be consistent on one platform than to kinda, sorta show up every now and then on three.

Scheduling Day

So we’ve created all the content we want to share for our designated amount of time, whoohoo! Now it’s time to get everything scheduled. There are tons of apps and services that you can use to schedule and auto-post your content on the day (and specific time) that you want. 

For instagram, apps like Planoly and Later allow you to schedule auto-posts as long as your instagram is set to a Facebook business account. Apps like Buffer and HootSuite, allow you to auto-post for multiple platforms. Website hosts such as Squarespace and Wordpress also have scheduling features for your blog posts.

I like to schedule my content on a weekly basis. Scheduling content by the week allows me to be more flexible, in case there is something time-sensitive that you need to jump on (ex: when you find out at 3pm that it’s National Ice Cream Day or whatever). The great thing about pre-planned content is: it can be plugged in any day of the week!

And just like Planning Days and Execution Days, Scheduling Days can go on your Content Calendar too! Plan to dedicate 1-2 Hours per week to scheduling content to be auto-posted. For the content that can’t be scheduled/auto-posted, be sure to add a reminder to your MAIN Calendar to manually post this content when it’s time so you don’t forget.

OMG we’re done! Well actually you are just getting started but at least you have officially completed your first huge step which was getting through this extremely thorough Branding + Content Strategy Guidebook. So let’s pop a bottle for that real quick.

*sip sip* Ok, now let’s get back to work!

Next up, you’re going to want to implement your Content Strategy Action Plan Template. Use this template to stay consistent with your content strategy long enough to start seeing results! Update the template to tasks that will work for you or keep it the same if you want to follow the same strategy that my 1:1 clients follow. If you need help with staying consistent for this period of time, I recommend getting yourself a coach, booking a clarity coaching call with me every once in a while, hopping on one of my IG Lives for tips and tricks or enlisting your most organized friend to be your accountability partner.

It’s time to take the plunge! I want to see you posting so be sure to follow me on Instagram @xokelleyraye so that I can follow you back and see all of your glorious content on a regular basis!