Authentic Marketing: How to Show Up on Social Media Without Trying to Be Everyone Else
Have you ever opened Instagram to create a post, spent 20 minutes scrolling for “inspiration,” and somehow walked away feeling less sure about what you wanted to say?
You saw someone else's Reel that performed really well.
Someone told you that you need to post more often.
Another expert said your videos need to be shorter.
You found a trending audio you should probably use.
And now the post you originally planned to create suddenly doesn't seem good enough.
Sound familiar?
One of the biggest challenges with marketing your business on social media isn't necessarily knowing what to post. It's learning how to filter through all of the advice, trends and content you're constantly consuming so you can figure out what actually makes sense for you.
That's where authentic marketing comes in.
I originally had this conversation on The Courage Coalition, where we talked about everything from being afraid to show up on camera to branding, social media analytics, outsourcing and why I firmly believe every business owner needs to create some cringe-worthy content.
Yes, you read that correctly. 😂
Because authentic marketing isn't about creating perfect content. It's about creating content that actually feels like you. Which is exactly what we're going to talk about in this blog. But before we do...
If we haven't met yet, I’m Brittany, an online marketing strategist for female entrepreneurs. I teach women how to make their entrepreneurial dreams a reality through smart, actionable marketing strategies that get them seen, loved, and paid. Whether you’re eager to DIY your way to success or hire professionals to help you along the way–my goal is to make sure you walk away with the clarity you need to see the results you desire and build a life you love.
Table of Contents
What Is Authentic Marketing?
Authentic marketing means communicating in a way that genuinely reflects your business, your values, your personality and the people you want to serve.
It doesn't mean you need to share every detail of your life online.
It doesn't mean every post needs to be spontaneous.
And it definitely doesn't mean that professional photos, carefully written captions or planned content are somehow "inauthentic."
What feels authentic for one business owner might feel completely unnatural for another.
For me, authenticity has always looked a little less polished. If I've managed eyeliner while getting a house full of kids ready in the morning, we're calling that a victory. 😂
Someone else might genuinely love getting dressed up, carefully styling their photos and scripting every video before they record it.
Neither is inherently more authentic. The question is: Does the content you're creating actually feel like you?
That's an important distinction because authenticity isn't the opposite of strategy. Current thinking around authentic marketing similarly focuses on alignment between your values, voice, actions and content—not simply abandoning planning or professionalism.
Why Is It So Hard to Be Authentic on Social Media?
I said something during this conversation that still stands out to me: People consume more than they create.
Think about how much content you see in a single day.
You scroll Instagram. Watch TikToks. Read emails. Listen to podcasts. See ads online and in person. Follow other people in your industry.
That's not necessarily bad. I consume other people's content too.
The problem starts when all of that noise makes it difficult to distinguish between: "I want to do this."
and "I've seen enough other people doing this that I think I'm supposed to do it."
You see someone else's Reel perform well, so you recreate it.
You hear you should post four times a week, so you force yourself to post four times a week.
You see another business owner using a particular strategy, so suddenly you're questioning your entire marketing plan.
Eventually, you can end up with content that technically follows all the "rules" but doesn't sound anything like you.
And your audience can often feel that disconnect which makes your content not perform as well as it could if you were being authentically you! So let's talk about some important reminders about creating content.
Not Everyone Is Your Customer — And That's a Good Thing
One of the hardest things to accept as a business owner is that not everyone is for you.
We tend to think that reaching more people automatically means better marketing.
But I don't need everyone on Instagram to want to work with me. I need the right people to want to work with me.
That means authentic marketing will sometimes turn people away.
I don't mean intentionally posting controversial things just to get comments or manufacture engagement. That's not authenticity either.
I mean being willing to communicate what you actually believe, how you work, who you help and what matters to you — knowing some people will see it and think: "Nope. She's not for me."
Great.
Because someone else is going to see the exact same thing and think: "FINALLY. This is the person I've been looking for."
That's the person we're trying to reach. You can hear more in my full conversation with Corree on The Courage Coalition podcast here:
Nobody Is Paying As Much Attention to Your Content As You Think
This might sound slightly depressing at first, but I actually find it incredibly freeing: Most people aren't paying that much attention to you.
In the original conversation, I shared a perfect example.
Gray and I had gotten engaged months earlier, and I hadn't officially announced it online because we were waiting for photos and wanted to share the whole engagement story.
But I'm a hand talker.
My engagement ring had been casually appearing in Stories, videos and podcast content for months.
And basically... nobody noticed. 😂
Here I was thinking about when and how we were going to make this official announcement while thousands of tiny opportunities existed for someone to spot the ring.
Nobody said anything.
It was such a good reminder that other people are not examining our content with anywhere near the level of scrutiny that we are. I was reminded of this again in my recent pregnancy with the twins. We announced I was expecting and 6 months later I was still posting content about it and getting comments from people congratulating me because it was the first they were hearing about it.
So the next time you worry about:
That awkward pause in your Reel?
That hair you wish you'd fixed?
The sentence you would word differently now?
Don't worry about it. Most people have already moved on. Which brings me to one of my favourite lessons from this entire conversation...
You Have to Post the Cringe-Worthy Content
If you're afraid of posting on social media because you don't think you're good enough yet, I have some unfortunate news: You don't get good at creating content before you create content.
You get good by creating it.
If you're uncomfortable on camera, start by turning the camera on and talking. You don't even have to post it.
Get comfortable seeing yourself on video. Practice talking without a script. Record something. Delete it. Record another one.
Eventually, post something.
And yes, there's a very good chance that six months or two years from now you're going to stumble across that post and think: "Oh my God. I actually posted that?!"
GOOD. 😂
That's evidence you've improved. I've been creating content for 6 years and I STILL feel like this when I look back at content I created 6-12 months ago. We're all always learning and improving.
If you never create the cringe-worthy content, you never give yourself the opportunity to become the person who can look back and cringe at it.
Social media confidence doesn't magically appear before you hit publish. Confidence is built through repetition.
There Are No Failed Social Media Posts
This is another mindset shift that can make creating content much easier.
Let's say you create a Reel and it gets two views.
Obviously, that's probably not the result you wanted.
But now you have information you didn't have before.
Maybe the hook didn't connect.
Maybe the topic wasn't interesting to your audience.
Maybe people stopped watching after three seconds.
Or sometimes, frankly, social media is weird and a perfectly good post doesn't go anywhere. 😂
One individual post doesn't tell you much.
But once you've created 20, 50 or 100 pieces of content, you start seeing patterns. That's where strategy comes in.
Stop Guessing and Audit Your Social Media
If you've been consistently creating content but feel like you've hit a wall, I wouldn't necessarily tell you to create more.
I'd tell you to look at what you've already created.
Before I even look at someone's Instagram posts during an audit, I look at their profile and I want to know:
Who are you?
What do you do?
Who do you serve?
Why did you start this business?
What's your mission?
What matters to you?
Then we look at the content. And quite often, there's a disconnect.
Somewhere along the way, the business owner stopped talking about the things they actually cared about and started following everyone else's rules.
That's when we need to strip things back and realign your content plan.
Use Your Social Media Analytics
Once we've looked at the bigger picture, we can look at the numbers.
If you're using Instagram for your business, I recommend having your account set up as a professional account — either Business or Creator — so you have access to your professional dashboard and insights.
Then start simple.
Look at your best-performing content over the last few months.
Don't just ask which posts performed best?
Ask why?
Was it the topic?
The hook?
The visual?
The story?
The caption?
Did it generate conversation?
Did your existing audience engage with it, or did it reach a lot of new people?
You're looking for patterns.
Then take what you've learned and create something new. You're not copying your old post. You're figuring out what your audience is telling you they want more of.
Sometimes the hardest part of auditing your own social media isn't finding the numbers — it's being objective about what they're telling you. When you're close to your own content, it can be difficult to spot patterns, and if you're not used to analyzing social media insights, you might not know what you're looking for in the first place.
That's exactly why I offer done-for-you Social Media Audits. I'll dig into your content and analytics to identify what's working, what's not connecting and, most importantly, what we can learn from it. An audit isn't about looking backwards and pointing out everything you did "wrong." It's about using the data you already have to make smarter decisions about what you create next, so you can build a content strategy that's more likely to resonate with your audience and get you closer to your goals.
Not ready to have me do it for you? You can learn how to audit your own content inside The Social Success System. The course includes my social media audit template, step-by-step video instructions for using it, and guidance on how I interpret the insights inside your professional dashboard so you can start identifying those patterns yourself.
Your Visuals Get Attention. Your Message Builds the Connection.
Before you start outsourcing your social media, I believe you need some basic brand foundations in place.
In fact, I won't take on social media management for a business that doesn't have a brand kit.
That's not because you need a 97-page brand manual before you're allowed to post on Instagram. But someone creating content on your behalf needs to understand what your business looks and sounds like.
At minimum, I want you to understand three pieces of your brand:
Your identity: your business name, logo, colours and basic visual identity.
Your visual presence: recognizable imagery of you, your team, products or services.
Your messaging: how your business actually communicates.
That third piece is especially important.
Do you use emojis?
Are you formal or conversational?
What words do you use?
What words would you never use?
What do you want someone to feel after reading something you've written?
Your visuals might make someone stop scrolling. Your message is what helps them decide whether they connect with you. All three of these pieces work together to help people understand who you are, what you do and why they should care which is foundational before they are willing to open their wallets for you and your business.
Don't Outsource Your Social Media Too Early
This might sound strange coming from someone you can literally hire to help with your marketing, but I don't think social media should necessarily be the first thing a brand-new business owner outsources.
You need some experience creating your own content first.
You need to hear yourself talk about your business.
You need to see what people respond to.
You need to develop your brand and understand your messaging.
Because when you eventually hire someone, you'll be able to tell them what you actually want.
Otherwise you're essentially handing someone the keys and saying: "Please communicate like me. I don't know what communicating like me sounds like yet, but... good luck!" 😂
That's difficult for everyone involved and often lead to less than desirable outcomes which is why I think it's important to do the foundational work before getting help.
VA vs. Social Media Manager vs. Social Media Strategist
Another mistake I see business owners make is hiring marketing support without understanding what type of support they actually need.
A virtual assistant can be fantastic for execution and repetitive administrative tasks, particularly when you already have the content and strategy.
A social media manager generally takes on more of the content creation and day-to-day management.
A social media strategist looks at the bigger picture: what you're trying to accomplish, how social fits into the rest of your marketing and where your audience needs to go next.
There's overlap, of course, and individual service providers structure their businesses differently.
But don't hire one person and automatically assume they're responsible for your entire sales process.
Your social media manager doesn't necessarily control your website, sales page, email funnel, offer, pricing, customer experience or sales conversations.
Marketing works together but that doesn't always mean that one hire is responsible for all of it. They also shouldn't be blamed if something doesn't turn out as you had hoped when they can't control the entire funnel (aka. don't blame the social media manager if you don't get sales).
That's actually become an even bigger part of how I approach strategy today: social media shouldn't exist on an island. It's so important that I recorded a whole podcast explaining the differences between the 3 most common supports available for digital marketing, you can tine in here:
Authentic Marketing Still Needs Strategy
And this is probably the biggest thing I want you to take away from this conversation.
Authenticity and strategy are not opposites.
Being authentic doesn't mean posting whatever pops into your head whenever you feel like it.
Strategy doesn't mean following a rigid formula that makes you sound like everyone else. The sweet spot is understanding:
Who am I?
Who am I trying to reach?
What do I want to communicate?
What does my audience respond to?
And how can I communicate that consistently in a way that still feels like me?
That's authentic marketing. Anyone can do it, but it takes intentionality to do it well. Now that you know that, you can start to show up more authentically on social media.
Authentic Marketing FAQs
What is authentic marketing?
Authentic marketing is marketing that genuinely reflects your brand's values, personality, voice and approach rather than copying trends or presenting an identity that doesn't match your business. It can still be strategic, planned and professionally produced.
How can I be more authentic on social media?
Start by paying attention to how you naturally communicate with clients and customers. Identify your values, voice and opinions, and compare those with your existing content. If your posts sound dramatically different from how you actually communicate, that's a good place to start.
What if I'm afraid of posting on social media?
Start with practice rather than performance. Record yourself talking without planning to publish it. Create imperfect content. Post before you feel completely confident. Social media confidence develops through experience — you don't need to wait until you're fearless.
Do I need a brand kit before hiring a social media manager?
I require one for my own social media management clients because the person creating content needs clear visual and messaging guidelines. Your brand kit doesn't have to be enormous, but you should have established basics such as your logo, colours, visual identity and brand voice.
Should a new business owner outsource social media?
Not necessarily right away. I recommend creating some content yourself first so you understand your audience, messaging and content process. Once those foundations exist, outsourcing can save significant time and give you access to skills you don't have or don't want to develop yourself.
How do I know what content my audience wants?
Look at your analytics over time rather than judging individual posts. Identify recurring topics, formats, hooks and messages that generate meaningful engagement, reach or action. Then use those patterns to inform future content while continuing to experiment.
You Have to Start Somewhere
There will always be someone who's better on camera than you.
Someone with prettier graphics.
Someone with more followers.
Someone who has been creating content for eight years when you've been doing it for eight weeks.
You aren't supposed to look like them yet.
Actually, you aren't supposed to look like them ever.
Your job isn't to become the best version of someone else on social media. Your job is to figure out what your voice sounds like, what your audience responds to and what marketing strategies make sense for your business.
And unfortunately, there's really only one way to figure that out.
Create the cringe-worthy content.
Post it.
Learn from it.
And keep going.
Because authentic marketing isn't about getting every post right. It's about building a body of content that helps the right people get to know you, trust you and understand why you're the person they want to work with.
And if you're ready to create a social media strategy that feels like you and actually supports your business goals, I'd love to help. Whether you want someone to look at what you've already created and show you where to go next, or you need more hands-on strategic support, get in touch with me here and let's figure out what makes the most sense for you.
Not ready for 1:1 support, no problem. Learn how to DIY your marketing on the Go Get Great podcast. Listen here.
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