Why I Stopped Posting Random Content and Started Strategically Curating My Brand Story
I've been in the digital marketing and branding space for over 8 years now.
That means I’ve had the chance to work with a wide range of clients, from small local businesses to multi-million-dollar brands, gaining insight into everything from social media strategies to the art of storytelling.
However, in the early stages of my journey, I made a classic mistake: I posted random content, thinking more content would mean more engagement. But it didn’t.
I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way, but I’m proud to say I’ve learned from each one and always come back stronger and more strategic.
Do you think my experience can help you avoid similar mistakes?
Let’s find out! Grab your notebook, and let’s dive into the story of how I failed at building a cohesive brand and how I turned it around.
The Set-Up: A Random Tuesday of Posting Chaos
Let me set the scene for you. The year is 2018, and I was fresh off a new project—working as a solo marketer trying to build my brand on social media. I had just quit my agency job to focus on freelance digital marketing full-time. This day was significant because I had just landed my first major client.
At the time, I wasn’t ready for the challenges of managing a client and curating my personal brand at the same time. I thought I could just post whatever came to mind and still grow my audience. Little did I know that aimless posting was hurting my growth.
Because this was one of my first solo projects, I had a lot to prove.
Spoiler alert: I didn’t live up to the expectations I had set for myself.
Pssst, do you want more stories from my life as a digital marketer? You can download my free ebook, “The Art of Digital Storytelling,” packed with lessons from my biggest marketing missteps.
Click here to download my free e-book now!
3 Ways That Led to My Failure in Building a Cohesive Brand Story
#1. I Was Posting for the Sake of Posting
When you look at my initial attempts at building a personal brand, you might think my failure was due to a lack of resources or time. In reality, I was posting content that had no clear direction or purpose.
Growing up, I learned that being busy was the same as being productive. This mindset bled into my early social media strategy—I thought posting daily meant I was doing something right. But in reality, I was putting out content that lacked cohesion and didn’t serve a clear purpose.
My friend and branding expert, Marie, takes a totally different approach to building brand stories. Check out her guide on strategic branding here. [Insert link]
The Solution:
Instead of posting for the sake of being active, I began curating my content based on a strategic vision for my brand. Every post now had to align with my values, voice, and the story I wanted to tell. This shift led to more meaningful engagement and a stronger online presence.
If you’ve been frantically trying to churn out content, you might be missing out on the opportunity to build a deeper connection with your audience.
#2. A Lack of Consistency in My Storytelling
Remember, I was new to the world of personal branding at the time, and it showed. I had no consistency in the story I was telling across platforms. One day I’d post about marketing hacks, the next day, it was a motivational quote. My content was all over the place.
The Solution:
I developed a clear content calendar with themes for each week, all tied to the broader story of my brand. This allowed my audience to follow a narrative rather than being bombarded with random bits of information.
A little more detail on how I built this content calendar can be found here. [Insert link]
#3. Forgetting How Powerful a Brand Story Is
It’s easy to look back at my random posting and think it could have been easily fixed. But at the time, I believed the more I posted, the more followers and engagement I would get. I didn’t realize the power of storytelling.
The Solution:
Changing my mindset was the key. Once I began viewing my brand as a living, breathing story, everything changed. I started sharing not just tips and facts, but personal insights and the lessons I’d learned along the way. This approach created a much stronger emotional connection with my audience and ultimately drove higher engagement.
Here’s a video I made about this transformation in my storytelling approach.
Perseverance Pays Off
I wish I could say that I never failed again in my time as a digital marketer. That would be impossible because failure is a part of life and business. Failure is how we get to future successes and innovation.
However, I never went back to random, unplanned posting. I’ve now made it my mission to help others curate their brand story strategically and effectively.
Here at SJM Digital Consulting, we live and breathe brand storytelling because it’s the most effective way to build trust and loyalty.
Clients have said:
"SJM helped us stop posting just for the sake of it. Now, every piece of content tells our story — and our engagement has never been better."
— Emily R., Boutique Owner
and
"After working with SJM, our content finally aligns with our brand. It’s not just marketing anymore — it’s storytelling that connects."
— Laura M., E-Commerce Founder
Over on Instagram, our community has been sharing their favorite brand-building tips and tricks.
Do you want to avoid the same mistakes I made and build a strategic brand story? The top three insights shared on my Instagram this week will win a free consultation with me!
Got a question about brand storytelling? Get in touch here for a free consultation!
