In an age where few things on the internet are what they appear to be, having an authentic brand identity can mean amassing more followers on social media. But how can you craft a brand identity that truly resonates with your audience?

Jocelyn Elizabeth, also known as the Crazy Lamp Lady, has learned a ton in her industry. Here, she shares a few of her many tips and tricks to help you connect with your audience and rack up more followers as a result.

Determine Your Purpose

Staying authentic on social media means determining what “authenticity” means for you and your brand.

“You need to identify your purpose and your passion and how it fits into your social media. My passion is finding undervalued antiques that others consider junk. I’ve never really deviated from that passion, and I think that staying true to that makes it easy to be authentic,” says Elizabeth.

After identifying your passion, consider your target audience and how your passion aligns with their interests. Reflect on your brand’s values and the defining qualities that set you apart.

“You have to think a lot about how your content connects with people,” says Elizabeth. “I always make a point of talking to my viewers like they are there with me. I want them to feel included in my video content. I share snippets of my family life and photos of family gatherings. If you’re creating content on any platform, I think it helps to remind people that you are a real person behind the business and the content.”

Once you’ve determined your purpose and defined your values, you can infuse them into your content. Having a clear purpose will lend authenticity to your brand and set you apart from the competition.

Maintain a Consistent Brand Voice

Your brand voice must be consistent across all your social media channels and posts. How do you want your followers to perceive you? Are you friendly and informative, or do you want to come across as witty and informal?

Elizabeth reiterates the fact that no matter what your voice is, it must be consistent. “You can’t be Person A one day and Person B the next day. If you constantly change your brand voice, you won’t appear genuine to your audience,” she says. ”Now, granted, some people have good days, and some people have bad days. It’s okay to share with your followers when you’re having a bad day. Just stay true to yourself.”

Crazy Lamp Lady, Elizabeth strives to educate viewers about thrifting while also being fun and friendly when interacting with them. She tries to keep her brand voice informative but never wants to come across as a know-it-all. She wants to provide her audience with an intimate view of her passion while treating them the way she would her close friends.

Build a Community With Your Followers

Instead of solely broadcasting marketing messages, encourage engagement with your followers.

Consider shouting out loyal followers, responding to their comments, sharing relatable customer stories, and being as transparent and honest with them as possible.

“Even with over 500K combined followers on social media, I still read all my comments. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to respond to every comment, but I do read them. I learn a lot from my viewers about the items I show on my videos, and I always try to give credit,” says Elizabeth. “I also enjoy chatting live and responding to questions. I feel like that helps build a relationship.”

Elizabeth also stresses the importance of building a sense of community around your following. The more you build and strengthen your community of followers, the more loyal they’ll be to your brand. Instilling this feeling in her audience is one of the reasons the Crazy Lamp Lady brand has amassed over 500,000 combined followers on YouTube and Facebook.

An Authentic Identity Can Elevate Your Brand

Noticing a theme? Authenticity is crucial in establishing and elevating your brand.

“A piece of advice I’ve always given to new video creators has always been to just be yourself,” says Elizabeth. “I feel like if you are being your authentic self, good things will come. Share your values, be consistent, always be as transparent as you can, and stay honest with your followers. If you can manage all that, your follower base will grow in no time.”

Being the Crazy Lamp Lady isn’t always easy. Elizabeth puts a lot of work into her brand identity and content to inspire people to follow. But at the end of the day, she does what she loves and shares what brings her joy, which is something her followers appreciate.

About the Crazy Lamp Lady

Jocelyn Elizabeth, known as the Crazy Lamp Lady, owns an online business that sells vintage treasures to customers worldwide. She posts daily video content in which she shares her many shopping adventures with her dedicated Facebook and YouTube audiences. When she’s not treasure hunting, she enjoys metal detecting and spending time with her children.