What do Coke, Pepsi, Oprah, Jay-Z, Apple, Microsoft, Target, and Bill Gates all have in common?

They are all brands.

While Coke, Pepsi, and Apple are corporate entitles, and Oprah, Jigga, and Bill Gates are people, they each represent exactly what they sell…and act accordingly.

Think about it.

Companies rarely stray from their branding message and dabble in controversial campaigns because trying to be too clever can backfire and pissing people off is bad for business (remember those rapey Belvedere Vodka ads? No bueno).

And although rumors of Oprah’s mean streak have bounced around the media for years, Madam O always operates as America’s Inspirer-n-Chief, forever encouraging her fans to “live their best life,” get in touch with their spiritual centers, and elevate their mind because if she ever went on an epic, TMZ-worthy rant, Auntie Oprah’s pocketbook would take a hit.

Need more examples? Two words: Chris Brown.

Last week I had the opportunity to sit down with Chris Brown to talk about his upcoming album, X, and how he’s grown over the last four years. If you recall, Brown’s career was thrown into serious jeopardy after the 2009 incident that left Rihanna bloody and Breezy in handcuffs.

After our chat I was reminded—yet again—of how easy it is for entrepreneurs to completely destroy their brands in an instant.

And in case you were wondering; if you are a writer, blogger, musician, web designer, actor, or wannabe entrepreneur…

YOU ARE A BRAND

But let’s get one thing clear: You and I are not Chris Brown.

We do not have a gigantic soapbox and a team of people who will help us promote our message and/or spring into action if things get messy. And we do not have a jillion adoring fans who will stick by us no matter what.

And while celebrities may able to get into verbal jousting matches or tweet super inappropriate things (I’m talking to about you Amanda Bynes)—we cannot.

As the sole proprietor of the Britni Danielle brand, I realize can’t go off on every reader who does not agree with me, or every Twitter user who calls me a c*nt for no reason except to get my attention (yes, this happened).

And when you hop on social media looking to make a name for yourself and tell others about your business, be sure you garner buzz for all the right reasons. Not because you’re that crazy chick who snaps on folks on Twitter.

Because I have your back and want you to walk away from this post with some tips that will help you build your brand, I’m going to share a few best practices for using social media.

Cool?

Engage authentically

The first rule of social media: Don’t be spammy! There’s nothing worse than constantly getting bombarded by links from someone’s Facebook or Twitter page. While you think you may be getting the word out about your project or blog, folks are either ignoring your posts or are outright annoyed.

Instead of just sharing links to your stuff, mix it up. Tweet about related issues sans links, or ask your followers to share their thoughts on a particular topic related to your niche.

Be helpful – Don’t make it all about you

Instead of just linking to your content, be sure to share awesome content from around the web that has NOTHING to do with you and will be helpful (or interesting or inspiring) to your fans. Note: before you go retweeting that funny viral video, be sure that nothing in it will reflect negatively on the brand you’re trying to build. 

Be yourself…sorta

If you’re trying to position yourself as an expert or serious businesswoman, you need to think twice about what version of yourself you’re going to present to the world. While I don’t mean you should assume a totally different personality (after all, people can see through fakeness), if your REAL self constantly pushes the envelope, you might want to tone in down.

Which brings me to my next point…

Don’t share every, single thing that crosses your mind

For the love of God….keep some things in your head! All of your thoughts should not be for public consumption, and if you’re trying to build your rep as a professional, you should tread even lighter. Before you tweet, ask yourself this: “If my mom stumbled onto my timeline…what would she think?” If she’d tell you to grab a switch off a tree, or wash your mouth out with soap, you might want to think twice about hitting send.

Do not engage with your ‘haters’

Although I believe most people don’t have “haters,” should you come across a few…leave them alone. Double ditto for the trolls. Nothing good will come of getting into verbal battles with unreasonable people, so just avoid it at all costs unless you want to end up aggravated and looking small.

Here’s your homework

Take a look at what you’ve been saying and sharing on your social media accounts. Does it match the brand you’re trying to build?

Are you sharing interesting content with your fans and followers, or are you bombarding them with random updates about how tasty your lunch was or your awesome new shoes?

If your updates are not helping, inspiring, or entertaining your followers…you might want to start employing the tips from above. You’ll not only gain more follows, but you’ll also position yourself as a serious and trusted person in your niche.

Now it’s your turn

In the comments section below please share your favorite tips for properly engaging on social media. Also, shoot me a juicy story of a time a company (or a person) totally tanked their brand by firing off a wayward campaign or ad.

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