What should my online persona be like?

An older version of this post first appeared on my website LorraineCLadish.com

A frequent question I get is: “If I want to be an influencer or a blogger, how do I know what my brand/persona should be like?”

You are your brand, and you get to choose how you want to show up on and offline.

I choose to just be me.?

I post beautiful photos on Instagram because I’m fortunate that my husband is a professional photographer and now he's stuck with taking my picture.

But I will also share my unglamorous days and my life struggles on Instagram stories , makeup-free, undone hair, happy or sad, in my messy home office.

My family could never take photos in matching clothes, our kitchen won’t appear in a glossy magazine, and I don't drive a high-end car unless I’m reviewing it. It would be exhausting and absolutely no fun to pretend otherwise.

Those who follow me know what I stand for, and what my values are. When they meet me in person they will be with the same person they see online.?

This way, when a brand or an organization wants to work with me, there is no pressure to be anything other than who I really and truly am!?

It also means my work and my personal life frequently (if not always) blend.?

So, that’s my answer to the online brand/persona question.?

What's yours?