How do I figure out 'who I am' as an artist brand on social media while staying authentic?

Figuring out who you are as a brand takes time—it’s part of the long road of building your business. You need to determine not just who you are as an artist, but which parts of yourself you’ll show on social media. People want to buy from people, so authenticity matters, but you also can’t show everything. It requires getting over yourself and your insecurities—whether that’s about age, not wanting to dance on camera, or other discomforts with putting yourself out there. Once you get past those fears and commit to being willing to show up authentically (even if imperfectly), you can start to find what works. Study what’s working for other people, be willing to experiment, and understand that social media strategies change constantly—what works this week might not work next week. Embrace the mystery of trying to figure it out rather than being intimidated by it.

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Asked by an artist uncertain about their social media presence · Answered by Karen Payton (sharing experience); Patrick Shanahan (discussing approach) · art-marketing-podcast · 2025-08-29