By Audrey Wikan
July 9, 2020
Branding yourself as a young conservative woman is not as hard as you may think. Whether your goal is to grow your platform to gain credibility for a future political career, or to inform your current audience of different policy issues, there are many ways to be influential online.
Using social media platforms can showcase the depth of ideas and people that embody the Conservative Movement. From sharing policy ideas, to relating conservative values with pop culture, it’s up to you to stand up confidently as a young conservative. If you naturally exhibit professionalism and energy, or simply want to stand out as a role model for your generation, you are already on the path to success. But the great thing about success is that there are so many paths to take to get there.
Here are a few tips to successfully build your brand as a young conservative woman:
DEVELOP YOUR GOALS
Establish what you would like to achieve, who you are, and what you do. You are 42% more likely to meet your goals if you write them down. So, girl, write them down! Make it clear what you desire your brand to be. For example, I use my platform in hopes of bringing others to self-discovery while holding myself accountable to staying up to date on all things political. I started by posting regularly about my conservative principles, which translate into my everyday life. Then, as time passed, more people began to view me as credible. After years of commenting on policy issues and sharing my beliefs, my goal has now transformed into informing my current audience on the truth about conservatism. My audience now spans from people I know, to people who I have never met. Just remember, it is not an overnight phenomenon!
DEFINE YOUR STYLE
Dress to impress. Brand yourself with class and professionalism. The way you dress for your social media posts will set the stage for the first impression many will make of you. Knowing that, you have the power in your hands to thoughtfully consider each post, which means you have the power in your hands to make the best first impression. What do people see when they first look at your Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter? Is it clean, classy, and fresh, or is it messy, overly casual, and unprofessional? In the age of social media, a first glance at your page means everything.
ESTABLISH TARGET AUDIENCE
Establish who your audience is and what you embody. Although all our target audiences may differ, what we are representing doesn’t – and that is ourselves, our values, and our purpose. Your focus target audience might be a younger audience. Therefore, you must prioritize staying relevant and up to date with the latest trends, while still sharing your conservative principles in a respectful and thought-provoking way. In comparison, your focus audience might be a “lookalike audience” (a social network of members who resemble, in some way, you, your values, or your purpose). Therefore, you must prioritize sharing information and posts that appeal to your audience, yet still set you apart from the crowd. Regardless of who your audience is, we all have one goal in mind – to sell our brand as efficiently and effectively as possible. Pick a platform where you see the most growth, and focus your energy there. Once your credibility and following starts to build, branch out and put energy into other platforms as well (ex. start with Instagram and then branch out to Facebook and Twitter).
STAY INFORMED
Staying up to date with current policy issues and events is an admirable habit to have. To share your knowledge on current policy issues and events from a conservative perspective is what is going to entice your followers. You have the unique ability to lead others in the right direction, based on truth, when they are learning about new issues or topics. A great way to share insight on policy issues and current events that goes beyond just commentating is the promotion of books, resources, people, public figures, etc. I encourage you to use your voice to guide your audience with information rooted in firm, conservative principles.
SCROLL-STOPPING
By building a brand on social media, you have the freedom to visually express your conservatism . How often are you scrolling through your social media feed and pause because a post is “just that good?” Think about what stops your scrolling and how can you create that for your audience. Whether it’s a picture out at the gun range showcasing your support for firearm safety, or a picture in front of an American Flag with some of your best girlfriends, people will stop their scrolling because your picture caught their attention.
BUILD YOUR COMMUNITY
An audience is great, but a community of people who support you and believe in you is so much better. Transform your audience into a community by including your followers in your journey! Be authentic with your posts and your emotions. Comment back on their encouraging comments on your posts, repost them on your story if you agree with a post they made, and make use of your captions to tell a story. All three of these options will show your community that you value them.
STAY ACTIVE
Once you have built a community of people who not only look up to you, but view you as credible, you will have a platform that will attract genuine connections. Use your knowledge and your platform to partner with those who are working for the same cause. We are truly better together. A great way to stay active and relevant within our country is to get featured on podcasts, join in on group meetings, write relevant articles, attend online and in-person events, or offer to be a guest speaker at an event. There, you can share your story, explain why you are a conservative, and become a voice for other conservatives.
SO, WHAT DO YOU GAIN FROM ALL OF THIS?
Building your brand as a young conservative woman will set you apart in our generation. Showcasing your authentic self on social media platforms that reach the entire world can give you the power and ability to go beyond your usual boundaries on the search for decade-old solutions to current needs. Develop your goals, define your style, establish a target audience, stay informed, create scroll-stopping content, build your community, stay active, and last but certainly not least, keep learning and self-improving. Aim to be the best version of yourself every single day. By doing this, you will become a brand just by being yourself.
About the Author
A rising junior at the University of Florida, Audrey Wikan studies political science and hopes to use her degree to someday serve Florida in the United States Congress. On campus, she is a Trump Victory Intern, a Student Senator, serves as Chairwoman on her school’s College Republicans, and is a member of Chi Omega.
Audrey has experience working for Marco Rubio’s campaign, the Republican Party of Florida, Susan B. Anthony’s List, the OPS Clerk for Florida Legislature Rep. Jennifer Sullivan, the Trump Victory Campaign of North Central Florida, and 10-can (pro-Second Amendment Veteran Organization).