FIVE EASY WAYS TO CREATE CONTENT FOR PERSONAL BRANDS IN THE ARTS

Labor of love. That’s how a work of art is often characterized, but it only scratches the surface. It’s also a labor of time, resources, energy, and focus. You might only produce one so-called “labor of love” per month, and that’s not enough to sustain your brand in this day and age.

It’s time to expand your horizons.

While it’s important to hone your artistic skills as only you know how, it is also vital to diversify in terms of content creation. Change your game, get out of your comfort zone, and make content that will help build your brand and get you more exposure for when those monthly pieces are ready to be seen by a larger audience.

If you’re stumped about where to start, don’t worry; these five content creation ideas are easy and you’ll begin accumulating brand-worthy content in no time.

See Something, Say Everything

You have an opinion, so let people know what it is. Write a critique of a product to connect with other artists on your own terms. For instance, when you really believe in one of your tools of the trade, tell the world about it. Perhaps a piece of graphic design software is ideal to help you express your vision, so jot down a review of the program and attach samples of your work. Now you’re communicating with scores of other like-minded artistic consumers in a giant virtual stadium of reactions and expression.

The same theory works with current events. By creating content that illustrates your unique point of view, you’re not only conversing about that given topic, you’re also defining your brand in relation to the world today. It doesn’t even need to be a full-throated dissertation; a simple meme or comment could add to the collective discussion in a meaningful way to show the social media world who you are and how you think. For example, if you are a musician a comment or review about the Coachella lineup is entirely in order.

Tutorial Time

The best way to display your chops on a subject matter is to show a bit of your method to the viewing public. Create a “how to” video and share it online. According to the 2015 numbers, users consumed over 100 million hours of demonstration videos, so the appetite is voracious for points of view like yours.

But that was four long years ago, and the trends are accelerating rapidly. Searches for these aforementioned “how to” videos have been increasing at a rate of 70% on YouTube. This trajectory is astonishing, and yet more proof that your brand of expertise is valuable. Craft it, shoot it, and score!

Get Some Face Time with a Contemporary and Say Cheese

The quickest way to create content is with a click of the camera (or smartphone, as the case may be). Take a photo with a peer in your field and be seen rubbing elbows with the community. Once you’ve got the right shot, share it on social media and be sure to tag the individuals alongside you.

Networking is essential in any field, but it’s especially helpful in the arts. You can learn from everyone you meet, and every connection adds to your perspective. Spending time with other artists helps shape your purview and define how you stand with (and apart) from their respective bodies of work. And by documenting your rendezvous, you’ve created more content that adds to your brand with ease.

Pick Your Mentor’s Brain

The one-on-one interview is an enduring tradition in the worlds of pop culture and politics. An intimate exchange of ideas unlocks insights for both parties. Simply by asking questions of someone with cache in your chosen field, you become an essential voice yourself. It is as if you are the liaison between his or her ideas and the public at large.

The one-on-one interview format has paid dividends for numerous personal brands. Take, for example, Judd Apatow. He is now one of the most successful filmmakers in Hollywood, but he got his start by interviewing his favorite comedians while he was still a student. Apatow injected himself into the comedy world, first as an observer and later as a creative force. It yielded more than just contacts with whom he would later collaborate; Apatow’s archived interviews went on to become fodder for his bestselling book, Sick in the Head: Conversations About Life and Comedy. Now that is some epic content creation!

Dive Deep  

Now that you have cultivated a brand, created material for your social media channels, and hobnobbed with other artists, it’s time to delve into the subject matter that most fascinates you. Write a long-form piece about your chosen topic and don’t spare any details.

For example, if you are a foremost expert on Chopin, type up your own biography of his life, his legend, and his music. If this lives on your personal blog, you can enhance the written material with audio clips of various symphonies’ interpretations of the famed pianist’s work over the centuries. By intertwining your observations with the art and artistry of your favorite virtuoso, you are equating your fledgling brand with that of history’s greats. Talk about standing on the shoulders of giants…

As with any artistic endeavor, getting started is the hardest part. You don’t need to create the next Mona Lisa right out of the gate; instead, play around with the ideas laid out above and have fun with them!

Honing a personal brand is an evolving initiative. You can always change course down the road, but first, you need to get your engine started.

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