Welcome to The Artistic, a collection that offers content material creators actionable recommendation from professionals within the creator economic system. Whether or not you are a seasoned creator or simply beginning out, learn The Artistic to learn to develop your platform, enhance your content material, and keep forward within the ever-shifting creator panorama.
Years in the past, I underwent a complete rebrand. Earlier than becoming a member of HubSpot, I used to be content material creating for years as a neighborhood journalist in Florida. So, most of my social media handles and content material have been geared towards information and politics.
Nevertheless, I ultimately left the information enterprise and began creating content material for myself. Quickly, my content transitioned from information tales to movies, podcasts, and weblog posts about anime, manga, and “nerdom.”
As I’ve mentioned in different weblog posts, I am a hobbyist relating to content material creation exterior of HubSpot, so I did not actually take into consideration how my viewers would obtain my rebrand. Although, I am positive the change was a bit stunning and complicated.
That mentioned, if you happen to’re knowledgeable who desires to rebrand, it’s possible you’ll surprise the best way to rebrand as a creator and keep related. To get some perception, I spoke with creator, blogger, and YouTuber Lisa De La Cruz, who just lately went by means of a rebrand herself.
Here is her story plus suggestions for creators seeking to swap up their content material with out damaging their private model.
The Challenge of Rebranding as a Creator
How to Stay Relevant Through a Rebrand
Why a rebrand?
There are a lot of causes a content material creator might select to rebrand. In my case, I modified industries and needed to create content material that had nothing to do with information.
In De La Cruz’s case, the COVID-19 pandemic was pivotal in her choice to alter her content material.
“I rebranded as a result of, on the top of the pandemic, the content material I used to be creating was very native,” she says, recalling her content material that was geared towards her hometown of Studying, PA. “And resulting from laws, I could not proceed interviewing individuals in individual. It additionally wasn’t making me pleased anymore.”
De La Cruz started shifting her focus towards the anime and manga trade to rediscover her spark and hold creating amid pandemic restrictions.
She would interview voice actors, cosplayers, and anime fans for her podcast, The Marvel of Anime, and overview anime and manga for her YouTube channel and weblog of the identical title.
“I had slowly began shifting my content material on this new route, and it was actually making me pleased,” she says. “I noticed it is a subject the place I can interview individuals from throughout as a result of I haven’t got to see them in individual. I can use Zoom.”
The Problem of Rebranding as a Creator
After all, pivoting to a unique area of interest as a creator is not straightforward, particularly in case your followers aren’t concerned with your new route.
“There positively was a change in my viewers as a result of, on the time, most of my viewers was native, they usually weren’t followers of anime,” De La Cruz says. “So I positively had a drop in viewers to start with.”
Fortuitously, De La Cruz’s platform grew as she continued in her new area of interest.
“If I do know myself and know the guts of what I am doing, then I do know that is true to me and I simply must push ahead that manner,” she says.
Methods to Keep Related Via a Rebrand
So, how did De La Cruz develop her platform post-rebrand, and what are you able to do to make your rebrand successful? Listed here are some professional suggestions she says could make for a clean transition.
1. Take into account interesting to an untapped market.
“The brand new sort of content material that I used to be making was distinctive within the sense that I used to be protecting issues that did not have a lot of a highlight,” she explains, “corresponding to an previous collection or nostalgic issues that folks might have forgotten about.”
Over time, De La Cruz says her content material started to draw anime and manga fans who have been pleased to see her shine a light-weight on cult classics.
“I tapped into a brand new viewers and a selected area of interest that hadn’t been touched on,” she recollects. “I feel that actually helped as a result of individuals have been excited to see somebody give illustration to a collection they take pleasure in however is not usually talked about.”
So, when contemplating a rebrand, take into consideration how one can create your personal lane and what untapped markets you may enchantment to that align together with your new route.
2. Know why you need to rebrand.
Whereas creators should sustain with the newest shopper tendencies, De La Cruz warns shifting tendencies and numbers should not be your sole motivator.
“Actually take into consideration why you need to rebrand,” she says. “For me, it wasn’t about rising a unique viewers — I simply needed to remain true to what I like and am enthusiastic about. I might warn towards switching due to numbers.”
Viewers are very perceptive, and De La Cruz says they will know if you happen to’re rebranding simply to remain within the highlight. Doing so can foster mistrust and make your model appear inauthentic — and authenticity is invaluable in branding.
In actual fact, 88% of consumers say authenticity is essential when deciding what manufacturers they like and assist.
And one key to being genuine is to know your private model. In a YouTube video referred to as, Rebrand Yourself & Stand Out on Social Media in 2024, content material creator and enterprise coach Troyia Monay says this about private branding:
“The key phrase in private model is ‘private.’ That has every little thing to do with you. So, what are the stuff you’re concerned with? How do you act? What’s your tone of voice? What are a few of your hobbies or pursuits?”
So, when you understand the “why” behind your rebrand, take into account your private model and the way your “why” aligns with the place you at the moment are or the place you need to go.
3. Go all in.
“Go 100% in. If you’re in-between and also you’re teasing your viewers by doing a little previous stuff and new issues on the identical time, you may lose individuals and confuse individuals,” she says. “That could possibly be a turn-off to your viewers.”
De La Cruz says if you happen to do a pivot, make it a tough one.
“I discover it helps set up your new viewers since you’re not giving individuals false hope that you simply’re nonetheless going to create your earlier type of content material.”
For instance, after I transitioned to from information to nerdy, I did not begin by posting information content material and slowly trickling in increasingly more of my nerdy work.
I did a tough reset by altering my social media handles and highlighting my newest work.
4. Talk your rebrand to your viewers.
Whereas a tough reset is critical, you need to nonetheless talk together with your viewers in order that they’re within the loop. Relying on how lengthy you’ve got been a creator, your viewers might have adopted you for years earlier than you rebranded your platform.
De La Cruz says it is vital to respect the connection you’ve got constructed together with your viewers and to maintain them within the know of your new period.
“There’s a relationship between you as a content material creator and the viewers consuming your content material,” she says. “Typically doing a tough pivot with out making it clear can really feel distrustful to your viewers, particularly in the event that they did not see it coming.”
De La Cruz suggests making a transparent assertion to point out appreciation and to permit your viewers to determine in the event that they need to observe you in your new journey.
This assertion can are available a YouTube video, a social media publish, an e-mail, or a e-newsletter.
5. Trust.
Above all, De La Cruz says to be assured in your choice.
“Your rebrand is probably going one thing you’ve got been occupied with and weighing on you for a while, so be assured that your rebrand will do in addition to your earlier content material,” she explains.
“That you must imagine it so your previous viewers and newcomers will imagine in it and observe your new journey.”
